Renewal of Funded Cores

Cores that receive Feinberg funding in a given fiscal year are reviewed as part of their request for the subsequent fiscal year. It is important to recognize that funding in one year does not imply a commitment by Feinberg to continue support of a core. Most years one or more cores are not renewed and other cores receive new funding.

Funding requests are reviewed by the Feinberg Research Cores Committee. Funding recommendations are based on information provided in the application as well as on the perceived strategic need for the core’s services. The committee may fund all or part of the request, provide funding contingent upon requirements detailed in a letter to the core director and advisory committee, or decline funding.

The funding application is in three parts, detailed below. The committee will also receive the results of the annual user satisfaction survey as well as the prior year's funding letter (if applicable), which may contain requests for action that should have been addressed this past year. These files will be provided for your reference as well but you do not need to re-submit them.

Beginning this year, application packets for FSM funding will be provided directly by the FSM Research Office. Please reach out to jeff-weiss@northwestern.edu to receive you application packet. The packet will contain:

• FY27 Narrative Report
  Details the mission, organization, facilities, staff and proposed services and fees.  You MUST use the provided template. Do not re-use the template from a prior year.
• FY27 Budget Spreadsheet
  Details the current and predicted fiscal position of the core. There is an associated guide to the budget spreadsheet. You MUST use the provided workbook. Do not just update the workbook from a prior year.
• FY27 Utilization Workbook
  This template accepts data exported from NUcore and will automatically transform the data into a utilization report. This workbook will be provided to you already populated with your data for your reference. You do not need to re-submit this file. There is an associated guide to the utilization workbook.
• FY26 Funding Letter, if applicable
• 2026 User Survey report

NOTE: The FSM funding application and the NU Office for Research (OR) annual report share the Budget and Activity templates but use different Narratives. Cores that both apply for FSM funding and file an OR Annual Report (which is required to qualify for OR equipment funds) may submit the FSM funding application in lieu of the OR Narrative, but in this case they must also complete an OR Supplement. The FSM funding application should be sent to jeff-weiss@northwestern.edu.

The deadline for fiscal year 2027 funding requests is May 1, 2026.