Q: Are submissions intended to be single PI or are co-PIs allowed? If so, is a there a preference for single-PI submissions or team submissions?

A: Yes, co-Pis are allowed, as long as they satisfy the same eligibilty requirements as the PI. There is no preference for team structure, but we do note that this call is primarily intended to support and build out the research agenda of one early-faculty member. Submissions with co-investigators should make an argument for why a multi-person team is the best fit for the research agenda at hand, and eligible co-PIs may receive salary funding.

Q: Is it ok for the PI and Co-PI, or the PI and students, to be from different Universities?

A: Yes, co-PIs or students on a submission can be drawn from different universities. An argument should be made as to why this team team is the best fit for the research agenda at hand.

Q: Are non-tenure track faculty eligible as long as they satisfy the other criteria?

A: Yes, non-tenure track faculty, such as Assistant Research Professors, are eligible to apply as long as they satisfy the other eligibility criteria. Research scientists that are equivalent in position to Assistant Research Professor and satisfy the other eligibility criteria may apply.

Q: How do you define interdisciplinarity for this Call?

A: Submissions should draw on a range of disciplines, approaches, and methods in their design. We encourage you refer to the Open Call text and prepare a submission if you believe your project fits the guidelines of the Open Call.

Q: Can members of the Advisory Board be compensated?

A: Yes, members of an Advisory Board can be compensated. Advisory Boards are encouraged from different fields and sectors but are not required.

Q: Can senior faculty be compensated if they are part of an Advisory Board?

A: Senior faculty members may receive an honorarium if they are included on an Advisory Board. However, that honorarium is expected to be modest and in line with the norms of the field and the honoraria provided to other Advisory Board members.

Q: If there is an Advisory Board, do the members need to be identified at the LOI stage?

A: No, members of an Advisory Board do not need to be identified at the time of submission. However, we encourage you to think about the type of members you would like to recruit and potential candidates.

Q: Can a postdoctoral scholar participate as a collaborator or co-PI?

A: We typically consider postdoctoral scholars as junior collaborators who, like graduate students, are eligible to receive funding as trainees. Postdoctoral scholars are allowed to participate as a co-PI, but as this call is primarily intended to support and build-out of the research agenda of one early-career faculty member, submissions should make an argument for why this team structure is the best fit for the research agenda at hand.

Q: Are submissions with undergraduate students permitted? Are graduate students preferred to undergraduate students?

A: Yes, we welcome submissions working with undergraduate students, and we encourage submissions to describe why the team composition makes the most sense for the described project.

Q: Are Letters of Support required?

A: Letters of Support are encouraged, but not required.

Q: Is there a cap on indirect costs?

A: There is an indirect cost limit of 20% on submissions, as per our budget guidelines. The indicated budget limit is inclusive of indirect costs.

Q: Is a Budget Justification required?

A: A Budget Justification is not required at this stage of the Call.

Q: If selected from this Call, how long will teams have to develop and submit a full proposal?

A: We generally expect to notify selected teams by late May 2026, and invited full proposals are expected to be developed and submitted over the following months with award decisions in November 2026.

Q: Is there a list of eligible fields or disciplines?

A: We encourage submissions from a broad range of disciplines, so long as the proposed project is based in interdisciplinary social science.

Q: Is there a recording available for the webinar?

A: Please visit the Open Call Text at https://apply.sloan.org/prog/early_career_call to find a link to the webinar.