FACCTS 2026 Call for Proposals

The FACCTS Program (France And Chicago Collaboration in The Sciences) will once again consider requests for seed-funding grants of up to $40,000 to support innovative scientific research conducted collaboratively between laboratories at UChicago or Fermilab and in France.

Eligibility

The FACCTS Program invites submissions from PI-eligible UChicago faculty members affiliated with the Division of the Physical Sciences (PSD), the Division of the Biological Sciences (BSD), and/or the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME)—as well as from PI-eligible researchers at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory.

Deadline and Key Dates

  • October 17, 2025: FACCTS Application opens on the University of Chicago’s InfoReady Platform (https://uchicago.infoready4.com/).
  • February 3, 2026: Deadline for submission.
  • May 15, 2026: Notification given to all applicants.
  • July 1, 2026: Funds become available.

Evaluation Criteria

Excellent, important science is necessary for a successful proposal, but it is not the only criterion. The committee will also consider factors such as:

  • The strengths and levels of complementarity between the collaborating partner laboratories
  • The likelihood of a high reward relative to the amount of funding requested
  • The extent to which the collaboration promotes the circulation of researchers—particularly students, postdocs, and junior faculty—between the two labs.
  • The potential for continued collaboration in the medium and longer term

The FACCTS program aims foster a broad range of networks and productive partnerships between Chicago-based researchers and France-based colleagues and institutions.  When choosing between similarly ranked proposals, the review committee may give preference to first-time applicants and individuals whose proposed collaborative initiatives have not received FACCTS support in the last three years. 

Funding Parameters & Use of Funds

Fermilab-affiliated researchers may apply for FACCTS funding up to $25,000. UChicago-based researchers may request up to $20,000 for one-year collaborations, and up to $40,000 for more substantial two-year collaborations. FACCTS funding may be used for nearly any purpose that the University’s (or Fermilab’s) accounting system allows—including travel costs, equipment, and publication costs. Travel is considered a particularly appropriate use of FACCTS funding. (Note that in light of the third evaluation criteria listed above, FACCTS proposals requesting travel support for senior UChicago faculty members should ideally be balanced with an equal or greater amount of requested funding for travel by students, postdocs, and junior faculty members/researchers.)

Alternative Funding Source

UChicago researchers whose collaborations with their French research partners might involve the University’s John W. Boyer Center in Paris to a significant degree are encouraged to apply for funding through the International Institute for Research in Paris (IIRP) Faculty Grant Program. Applications for the IIRP Faculty Grants are also submitted through the University’s InfoReady portal. The deadline is February 2, 2026.

    Award Disbursement

    Funding associated with awards granted to UChicago-based PIs will, in most cases, be administered through an “Individual Awards and Discretionary Account” (IADF) funded by FACCTS but managed locally by the administrative staff in the PI’s lab or home division. A portion of the funding for some collaborations involving French partner universities (PSL University and University of Paris Cité) may be disbursed directly to the French PIs by their home university. Applications submitted by Fermilab-based researchers are rated and ranked by the FACCTS review committee, which makes award recommendations to Fermilab leadership. Fermilab is responsible for all award decisions and for disbursing funds to successful Fermilab-based PIs.

    Additional Requirement for the Research Team in France

    Consistent with guidelines established by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the French partner in any proposed FACCTS-supported collaboration must be in full compliance with PPST regulations (Protection du potentiel scientifique et technique et intelligence économique). Click on this link for more information. If questions remain after consulting this page, please contact Christophe Delacourt at christophedelacourt@recherche.gouv.fr.