Major Grants Initiative
Rooted in our land-grant mission and driven by innovation, the Major Grants Initiative is a 3-tiered program, designed to equip College of Engineering faculty to advance from ideas to innovation, delivering solutions with global impact.
- Research Investment Program
- Equipment Investment Program
- Scaling Scholarship Program
This initiative is designed to position Engineering faculty for success in pursuing center- and institute-level funding opportunities through two distinct tracks:
Track 1 – Team Formation Track: Facilitating New Collaborations
Objective: Seed team formation around emerging research themes where the College of Engineering has promising faculty expertise but may not yet be competitive for a center-level grant. This track is designed to nurture interdisciplinary collaborations that have the potential to evolve into high-impact research teams capable of competing for large-scale funding in the future.
Track 2 – Strategic Expansion Track: Scaling Up Established Teams
Objective: Propel well-established, high-performing teams toward securing center-scale funding within the next two years. This track is intended for teams that have already developed strong interdisciplinary collaborations and are in a position to submit a highly competitive full proposal to a major external funding agency within the next two years.
Recognizes that access to cutting-edge equipment is not only a resource for current projects but also a catalyst for new, interdisciplinary collaborations. This program seeks to identify and acquire high-value equipment that enable innovation and position Engineering faculty to compete for ambitious, multi-investigator funding opportunities. By aligning equipment investments with emerging societal needs and the university’s strategic priorities, the College aims to accelerate innovation and strengthen research capacity.
Recognizes that high-impact scholarship is not only a marker of academic excellence but also a foundation for future research growth. This program encourages Engineering faculty to strategically leverage recent publications and other research outputs to build momentum toward ambitious, large-scale funding opportunities. By connecting leading scholarship with emerging research directions and future center- and institute-level initiatives, the College aims to strengthen Virginia Tech’s global visibility and accelerate research leadership.