ABOUT CAT

The Delaware Bioscience Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) program supports the growth of Delaware’s economy by fostering innovative research and development activities. The CAT program currently sponsors four grant mechanisms to attract and retain life science businesses and help to create new high-tech jobs in Delaware.

APPLICATION

Proposal must be submitted as a single electronic PDF document via email to catdbi@udel.edu.

DEADLINES

Full Application Deadline : May 1, 2026, 11:59 pm ET

NOTE: Delaware businesses can apply year-round to the TAP program for access to high-end research technologies at a reduced rate.

ELIGIBILITY*

Principal investigators (PIs) from any Delaware academic research institutions are eligible to apply for research funding through iHIT, ARC, and EPoC (see below for more details). Eligible institutions include:

• Christiana Care Health System
• Delaware State University
• Delaware Technical Community College
• Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
• University of Delaware

*Must be eligible to serve as a PI at their home institution. PIs are NOT eligible to apply for additional CAT funding if they have an active CAT grant at the time of application. Co-PIs on current CAT grants may apply with clear delineation of differences in the funded versus proposed work.

FUNDING MECHANISMS

• ARC – Applied Research Collaborations
  • Supports bioscience research projects that have a collaboration between Delaware academic and business partners.
  • Single PI proposal may request up to $100,000; multiple academic PI proposals may request up to $150,000 for 1 year
  • Industrial Partner must provide project cost share equal to the amount of funding requested from CAT by the academic partner (1:1 match). Match, in part, aims to support and demonstrate commitment to the collaboration and partnership; accordingly, match contributions may include cash, personnel time, facilities, equipment, or other documented in-kind resources.
• EPoC – Entrepreneurial Proof of Concept
  • Supports proof of concept research towards establishing a new Delaware-based business by the end of the grant period.
  • Single PI proposal may request up to $75,000; multiple PI proposals may request up to $100,000 for 1 year
• iHIT – Ideas – High-return, Innovative, Transformative
  • Supports ideas in bioscience research that are in the development stage and promise to have a high economic return for innovative and transformative research projects.
  • This mechanism intends to support applicants to develop novel lines of multidisciplinary research.
  • Applications that engage Interdisciplinary or cross-sector collaborations and articulate clear pathways to economic and workforce development outcomes are encouraged.
  • Single PI proposal may request up to $75,000; multiple PI proposals may request up to $100,000 for 1 year
• TAP – Technology Access Program
  • Provides Delaware bioscience businesses access to high-end research technologies at a reduced rate.
  • Up to $10,000/Year per Core Facility.  Eligible facilities include Bioimaging, DNA Sequencing & Genotyping, Bioinformatics, NMR or Mass Spec.  For more information about these Core Facilities, visit https://research.udel.edu/core-facilities/.
  • A link to the application is available on the CAT website https://cat.dbi.udel.edu.
  • There are no deadlines to apply; applications accepted year-round.

Growth of cross-sector partnerships is a focus of the current funding cycle, and as such, priority will be given to proposals submitted through the ARC (Applied Research Collaborations) mechanism, while all funding mechanisms remain open and competitive. If you have a concept for CAT and would like assistance connecting with relevant State of Delaware partners, please reach out to us at catdbi@udel.edu.

PROJECT BUDGET

CAT proposals may request up to $100,000 for iHIT, up to $150,000 for ARC, and up to $100,000 for EPoC.  ARC requires matching funds from the collaborating industry partner. 

BUDGETING GUIDELINES

Personnel: Personnel costs are allowable. When known, the name of the individual for whom the support is requested, their role in the project, and the effort being requested in calendar months should be included. PI faculty effort up to $5,000.00 is allowable with justification.
Fringe Benefits: Fringe benefit costs are required for all personnel categories.
Direct Research Expenses: Expense categories such as supplies, travel, and other direct research costs typically allowed by federal sponsors are allowed.
Unallowable Expenses: Facilities and administrative (F&A) costs, graduate tuition, equipment, support for administrative personnel, and subcontracts, are unallowable on CAT awards.
Industry Partner Budget (for ARC proposals only): Delaware based business partner must be headquartered and/or have a manufacturing or research site in Delaware (incorporated in Delaware is not sufficient). Industrial partner support must be at least 1:1 match and can be either cash or in-kind support.

All budgets should be prepared with the understanding that budget changes exceeding 25% of the total award and re-budgeting of funds into categories not included in the original budget must be approved by the Delaware Biotechnology Institute Director.

PROPOSAL DURATION

CAT grants are awarded for one year. Start dates will be established when the grant is awarded. While the expectation is that projects will be completed in 12 months or less, no-cost extension may be allowed with justification.

PROPOSAL COMPONENTS & FORMATTING

Submit the CAT proposal via email to catdbi@udel.edu.  All components should be single-spaced using 11-pt Arial font with one-inch margins. Additional information, such as concise Budget Justification, References, Letters, and PI and co-PI Biosketches, should be submitted as one PDF document. Incomplete applications will be returned without review.

1. Cover Page: Complete Application Cover Page template.
2. Project Summary (<30 lines): Beginning with the project title and consisting of an overview of the project’s goals and the potential economic impacts.
3. Biographical Sketches (<5 pages each): Provide Biosketches for PI and Key Personnel including the Industry Partner if applicable, and collaborators who would play a significant role in accomplishing the goals of the proposal. NIH Non-Fellowship Biosketch Word Template Preferred.
4. Budget Template and Justification: Provide an itemized, detailed budget form using this Budget Template. For proposals with multiple PI’s from more than one institution, a separate budget for each PI must be included.  See Budgeting Guidelines section above for more information.  Provide a written budget justification to match the items listed in the budget. Concisely explain the costs of supplies, personnel, travel and other expenses required to support the project. The roles of key personnel should be clearly defined. Multiple PI projects should clearly justify the need and expertise of additional PIs.  For ARC proposals, the budget justification must include the budget from the industry partner.
5. Specific Aims Page (1 page): This document should cover significance of the problem to be addressed, innovation with respect to new knowledge and/or technology, approach noting specific DBI Cores to be used, expected outcomes, and end with an explicit impact statement specifying why this work, if successful, will make a sustained impact on the field of study and impact on Delaware economy and workforce. 
6. Research Plan (up to 6 pages): The Research Plan should include Significance, Innovation, Approach (including Preliminary Data, if available) and end with a section on Potential Impact on Delaware Economy and Workforce (1 page recommended). Investigators should specifically address the plan for the next phase of funding, continued advancement in technology readiness level, any intellectual property and/or publications to be generated, and impact on trainees, Delaware-based businesses, and multidisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations and partnerships. Describe the role, expertise, and contribution of each PI. The entire research plan should be clear to a reviewer having a technical/scientific background, but who may not be an expert in your specific sub-field. For EPoC proposals, the research plan should address how the proposed research will support the creation of a new business entity.  
7. Bibliography & References Cited (no page limits): This section should include all references cited in your research plan. These references for the concepts underlying the research and methods should be cited throughout the application, making sure to capture the breadth of the field and key prior work. Each reference should include the names of all authors, the article title, the journal title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication following standard formatting such as NLM format.
8. Resources and Environment (no page limits): Provide a description of the facilities and resources available to you that will enable you to successfully carry out your research objectives (e.g., lab space, equipment, collaborations, existing data sets). 
9. PI’s Department Head/Chair letter of Support: Letter should indicate the level of institutional support. 
10. Partner letter of support (ARC proposals only) (one-page maximum): Letter on company letterhead to include the contact’s name, address, phone number, dollar amount of financial or in-kind support, and signature from company authorized representative.
11. Plans for Human Subjects Research, Human Subjects Clinical Trials, or Vertebrate Animal Use, if applicable (no page limits): If the Research Plan includes human subjects research, clinical trials or vertebrate animal use, it should be noted and briefly described in the Research Plan section. The research protocol must be reviewed and approved by your institution prior to expending any funds. If your proposal is awarded, a copy of IRB or IACUC approval is required prior to the project’s start date. 
12. Statement of success from prior CAT awards (1 page), if applicable: PIs who have led a project supported by CAT grants should include a progress report on the prior work, including their success in leveraging that research into independent external support or other measurable outcomes and explaining why further support is necessary. The statement should include the following information for all PIs and Co-PIs who have received a CAT award in the past four (4) years: 

    • Type: ARC, EPoC, or iHIT 
    • When: Round # or month/year 
    • Project Title: 
    • Objectives: 
    • Outcomes: 

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

1. The proposal should be submitted as a single PDF document via email to catdbi@udel.edu. Proposals should include all items on the checklist below.
2. Applications must be submitted using the online application system by 11:59 PM on May 1, 2026.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST:

• Cover Page
• Project Summary
• Biographical Sketches
• Budget and Budget Justification
• Specific Aims Page
• Research Plan
• Bibliography & References Cited
• Resources and Environment
• PI’s Department Head/Chair Letter of Support
• Partner letter of support (ARC proposals only)
• Statement of success from prior CAT awards

AWARD SELECTION

Each proposal will be reviewed by a Technical Review Panel consisting of subject matter experts. If necessary, additional ad hoc reviewers will be engaged. Proposals that do not meet requirements in the Proposal Information section will be returned without review. Proposals will be evaluated on their scientific or technical merit as well as on their potential economic impact in Delaware. Alignment of the proposed work with State of Delaware and Institutional goals will be considered, with the potential for feedback toward increased alignment, and will inform funding decisions.

POST AWARD ADMINISTRATION

Awarded proposals will be assigned a purpose code for expenditures for University of Delaware PI’s. For outside institutions, a sub-award will be issued for expenditures. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

CAT grants are made with the following understood commitments from the PI.

1. Project start dates will be no earlier than July 1st and no later than September 1st.
2. If the proposed research includes human subjects or private identifiable data, and/or the use of non-human vertebrate animals, the research protocol must be reviewed and approved by your institution prior to expending any funds. If IRB or IACUC approval is not granted for the study, the award will be withdrawn. A copy of the approval is required.
3. Reporting throughout the time of the funded proposal is expected toward facilitating progress and achieving the goals of the proposed work.
4. Upon completion of the grant, a report focusing on project outcomes and economic impact must be submitted to the Delaware Biotechnology Institute no later than thirty days after the end date of the award.  A link to the report template will be provided upon grant award. Requests for updates on outcomes periodically will be sent after submission of the final report for sharing the achievements of the project. Engagement throughout this time will be considered in future funding opportunities.
5. Every publication/new funding directly resulting from the award must include an acknowledgment that the research was carried out with the support of the State of Delaware through the Delaware Biotechnology Institute’s Bioscience CAT program.  Please acknowledge this support as “Delaware Bioscience Center for Advanced Technology” as appropriate.
6. The Bioscience CAT program does not claim intellectual property (IP) rights for your project. IP agreements are handled between your home institution and the industry partner if applicable.
7. For ARC awards, confirmation of business partner cost share contribution is required at closeout. The confirmation must be on Company letterhead and/or be sent from a Company email address.
8. Budget changes exceeding 25% of the total award and re-budgeting of funds into categories not in the original budget require prior approval by the Delaware Biotechnology Institute Director. All re-budget requests should be sent to catdbi@udel.edu.
9. CAT projects are expected to be completed within 12 months. Requests for no-cost extension must be submitted to catdbi@udel.edu at least 60 days prior to the award end date for consideration. Requests should: i) describe any progress made on the project; ii) provide a reason for the extension; iii) explain a plan for how the funds will be spent; and iv) include the proposed new end date.