The Innovation and Research Fellowship Program

The Innovation and Research Fellowship Program (IRFP) grant funds are provided to support technological research and the innovation ecosystem in New Jersey and to encourage Ph.D. candidates and graduates to continue their research in fellowship with New Jersey’s science and technology companies. Donor Name: New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development State: New Jersey County: All Counties Type of Grant: Fellowship Deadline: 10/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The IRFP grant monies shall be used by the grantee employer primarily as salary for the Fellow. Upon presenting reasonable justification within the IRFP grant application, the employer-applicant may include expenditures for equipment and/or conference attendance in an amount that is no more than five percent of the total salary amount. Funding Information The amount of funding available in the Fiscal Year 2025 is estimated to be $2,300,000. The grant-funded salary level for the Fellowship is disbursed quarterly in the first year up to $85,000. The IRFP grant award does not restrict the employer-grantee to pay the Fellow a yearly salary more than provided through the grant. If the employer-grantee pays the Fellow less than $85,000 for the Fellow’s salary in the first year of the grant, rollover of the grant funds allocated for year one of the contract to year two of the contract is not permitted. Eligible Applicants  The NJDOL shall work in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to fund, no less than 20 fellowships, administered by the department, which focus on information technology research and scientific innovation. The fellowships may be provided to entities, of which at least eight shall be large businesses, employing more than 25 people and eight shall be small businesses, employing from two to 24 people. The remainder of fellowships may be considered according to the discretion of the NJDOL. The IRFP grant will be authorized on the availability of funding and according to the discretion of the NJDOL’s commissioner. The NJDOL will award IRFP grants to qualified employers for technological research to fund fellowships lasting up to two years. To be eligible for a grant under the IRFP, both the employer applicant and the Fellow applicant shall jointly apply and meet the criteria set forth: Employer Applicant Eligibility To be eligible under the IRFP grant, an employer applicant shall satisfy the following criteria as of the application submission date: Its primary business is the provision of a scientific process, product, or service and, the employer applicant owns, has filed for, or has a license to use protected proprietary intellectual property; It has a Business Certificate to do business in New Jersey; It is listed as a registered vendor with NJ Treasury It is organized as a C Corp or LLC with a business plan; It is not a home-based operation and, It is not an educational institution. Fellow Applicant Eligibility To be eligible for a grant under the IRFP, the applicant fellow must satisfy the following criteria as of the application submission date: He or she must have prepared a dissertation to receive a Ph.D. degree and be ready to present and defend the dissertation within 12 months or has just received a Ph.D. degree within the past 12 months He or she must be in good standing with the conferring university; and, He or she must be a United States citizen, be a legal permanent resident, or possess all of the following: a valid immigrant visa, a valid employment authorization document, and an I-485 application pending with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. (Fellow candidates seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) are not eligible to apply for the IRFP grant). Note: Preference will first be given to graduates from a New Jersey educational institution or to a New Jersey resident who graduates from an educational institution outside of New Jersey. For more information, visit DLWD.