Research Grants Program2024-10-25T17:51:45-04:00

Research and Development

We empower scientists and researchers to take Puerto Rico’s knowledge economy to a higher level of excellence

Our Research Grant program offers a structured, systematic, open, and competitive funding mechanism to support the development of science and technology research projects in Puerto Rico. Our program represents a critical source of competitive financial support for fundamental research and commercialization activities that builds the knowledge economy, fuels innovation, and empowers Puerto Rican scientists and entrepreneurs.

The funding initiatives of the Research Grants Program were developed to directly support basic research, applied research and product development through both competitive and non-competitive mechanisms.

Our Vision

Empowering scientists and researchers to take Puerto Rico’s knowledge economy to a higher level of excellence. Continued expansion and investment in the Research Grants Program is among the Trust’s highest priorities with the understanding that the outputs of a robust scientific community engaged in competitive research and development are critical to the creation of meaningful jobs and economic growth in Puerto Rico.

Our Mission

Provide proof-of-concept funding and incentives to advance locally developed R&D projects to become more competitive for federal and private funding and/or commercialization.

OUR WORK

148

research grants awarded since the program’s inception

$16,308,572

total investment

$60,021,220

return of investment

*Numbers based on grantee progress reports (up to April 2024).

This results in a strong knowledge economy, fuels multisectoral innovation, and enables Puerto Rican scientists and entrepreneurs.

Selection process

The Research Grants Program’s selection process is based on standard and recognized peer-review procedures utilized by federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. By strictly adhering to a comprehensive peer review process that assesses the scientific merit of grant applications in a fair, independent, expert-driven, and free from inappropriate influences, the Trust can identify and fund the most promising research or development work.

What type of work they do?

  • Research Scientists

  • Engineers

  • Deans

  • Directors of Research

  • Company Presidents

  • Chief Executive Officers

  • Chief Scientific Officers

  • Chief Innovation Officers

  • Lab Chiefs

Where are they from?

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

Canada

Denmark

France

Germany

India

Ireland

Italy

Mexico

Portugal

South Africa

Spain

United Kingdom

United States

Strategy and Goals

The Trust’s Research Grants Program empowers scientists and researchers to take Puerto Rico’s knowledge economy to a higher level of excellence. The initiatives seek to impact researchers in the academia, non profit research organizations and at the private sector.

BEACON is a centralized platform that collects, displays, analyzes, and reports on all academic activity taking place on the island.

It allows researchers to publish their profile, connect with public and private academic institutions, researchers, companies and/or potential investors.

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Our Initiatives

Are you interested in the development of new Covid-19 treatments?

The Puerto Rico Accelerating Covid-19 Treatments and Drug Development Grant (PR-ACTD), an initiative of the DDEC, is aimed at promoting and subsidizing research and development projects for the creation of new treatments and/or drugs for Covid-19. The projects to be funded can be academic or private company and will be evaluated for their impact on public health and their potential for economic development.

AGILE

Esta iniciativa provee herramientas para maximizar oportunidades de financiación y la ejecución de sus requisitos de cumplimiento.

Scientific Review Board

Andrés J. García, Ph.D.


Executive Director, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience
Petit Director’s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience
Regents’ Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology

Vanessa Gonzalez-Perez, Ph.D.


Assistant Dean | Access, Diversity and Inclusion for the Natural Sciences and Engineering
GSP Interim Director, The Graduate School | Princeton University

Carlos E. Crespo-Hernández, Ph.D.


Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean for Research
College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University

Yajaira Sierra Sastre, Ph.D.


Engineering Project Manager - Mars Sample Return and the Artemis VIPER rover missions
NASA Glenn Research Center

Marcos López Casillas, Ph.D.


Research Manager - Puerto Rico Public Health Trust
Director of the Laboratory for Genomic Surveillance of CoVID-19 in Puerto Rico


¿Interested in contributing to the Researcher’s Fund?


If you wish to donate to the special fund for researchers, access the following link.

¡Escucha nuestro podcast!

Are you in the research & development sector?

Andreica Maldonado
Program Director

Grace M. Rendón
Grants Specialist

Kamille Morales
Content Specialist

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