AI3 Small Grant Program

Request for Applications
DEADLINE: Monday, March 2, 2026

About

The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Institute (AI3) aims to advance core innovation in AI and its diffusion to nearly every industrial, societal, and scholarly sector. To facilitate strategic growth of AI across campus, AI3, with administrative support from the Office for Research and Innovation (OR&I), invites applications for a small grant program for projects in AI, its applications, and its ecosystems, along three distinct tracks.

  • Innovation in AI – Projects in this track represent new advances in algorithms, architectures, mathematical foundations, physical foundations, or ethical foundations of AI, whether in general settings or within particular application areas. Investigator(s) can request up to $60K for one year.
  • Diffusion of AI – Projects in this track represent new research that facilitates or carries out the diffusion of AI into an industrial, societal, or scholarly sector, largely focused on using AI in novel settings. Investigator(s) with primary expertise outside the computational sciences (in a broad sense) may be eager to use AI in their research but lack the technical expertise to get started. Requests can be made for up to $25K for one year. The project will also include up to 160 hours for an experienced AI consultant (to be identified by AI3, likely a graduate student) to help in framing and executing the project.
  • Datasets and Benchmark Tasks – Projects in this track will seek to develop both datasets and benchmark tasks that are both appropriate for advancing AI and for respecting their disciplinary core, whether in business, engineering/computing, health sciences, humanities, journalism, marine sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, or other fields. Investigator(s) can request up to $60K for one year. Teams will be provided with consultations from experts at the Stony Brook Libraries.

A no-cost extension can be requested beyond the one-year period of performance in the final 6 months of a project, with approval subject to progress towards project goals and active participation in research themes. AI3 anticipates making at least eight awards.

Competitive applications will actively develop/incorporate modern AI technologies; integrate students; document significant potential for future funding or other growth-oriented outcomes; promote transdisciplinary collaboration if warranted; and align with broader Stony Brook strategic directions.

How to Apply

The application deadline is Monday, March 2, 2026, at 11:59 P.M. EST. Recipients will be notified by early May, and projects are anticipated to commence at the start of June 2026.

Eligibility Requirements

Please review carefully to determine whether a letter from the PI’s department chair is needed.

To serve as Principal Investigator, an individual must have a current full-time faculty appointment at Stony Brook University.

Per OR&I/RF policy, titles that require no prior approval from the Chair to serve as PI on the research tracks include: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Distinguished Professor, Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Professor, Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, Research Professor, Assistant Librarian, and Associate Librarian.

Individuals with different titles are required to submit a letter from their Department Chair. If needed, the letter should be submitted as part of the proposal package PDF and include a description of how the proposal aligns with the roles and responsibilities of the PI at Stony Brook University.

Additional eligibility information: Applicants can be PI or Co-PI on only one application to this call. There is a limit of 2 Stony Brook Co-PIs (beyond the PI) on an application.

Application

Proposals must be uploaded to the application portal as a single PDF file by 11:59 PM on March 2, 2026, via the AI3 Small Grant Program Portal in InfoReady. All documents should be combined in the following order and uploaded to the application submission portal as a single PDF file. Each section must start on a new page (the page limits for each are listed below). Font size must be 11 points or larger with 1-inch margins. Smaller text in figures, graphs, diagrams and charts is acceptable, as long as it is legible when the page is viewed at 100%.

  1. Abstract (300-word limit)
  2. Description of Aims/Goals/Objectives (1 page limit) written in such a way that the content is accessible to reviewers from disciplines outside the proposal topic.
  3. Significance Statement (1 page limit) that describes how the project will advance the relevant disciplines, grow AI3 research volume, and contribute to collaborative research at Stony Brook.
  4. Project Description (2-page limit for proposals) that explains the project goals and design, and how they align with the seed grant objectives. Make clear how AI will be central to the proposed project.
  5. References (no limit)
  6. Research Team and Roles (1 page limit) describing the strength of the team, the unique expertise of each member, prior experience with collaborative efforts and any shared grants or publications among the team members.
  7. Current and pending funding for all PIs and Co-PIs (no page limit)
  8. Biosketch/CV for all PIs and Co-PIs (2 page limit)
  9. Budget Justification (no page limit) that includes:
    1. A budget that is appropriate for the track it is submitted to. Salary requests for PI/Co-PIs must present unusually strong justification and cannot be used as an “Also Receives” mechanism. Travel funds may be requested but must be necessary to perform the proposed research. Given these are internal funds, F&A costs should not be included in the budget, but all personnel-related expenses must include fringe.
    2. A timeline for spending the funds that is no more than one year.
    3. For the AI Diffusion track only: Describe how consultant hours will be used.
    4. An onward strategy plan that includes:
      • A timeline for submitting proposal(s) to an external sponsor with details about the specific sponsor/program, RFP targeted, and scale of funding sought; or some alternate mechanism for onward impact. AI3 Seed award periods are intended for one year, and teams are expected to apply for external grants within the award period.
      • A confirmation that onward activities will acknowledge AI3 and link to AI3 in myResearch.
      • For any hire of a staff person, a plan for funding the new position.

Please note that myResearch is not required.

Evaluation

Applications will be peer-reviewed by a panel selected by AI3, with these reviews guiding the final selection of awards by AI3. The following criteria will be used for evaluation.

  1. Innovation and Excellence: What is the potential for the proposed project to advance knowledge and understanding within its own field and/or across different fields?
  2. AI Component: How well does the project use or advance AI technology?
  3. Overall Impact: To what extent would the proposed project benefit the Stony Brook and AI3 communities (including alignment with strategic objectives) and their broader ecosystems?
  4. Onward Impact: To what extent would the proposed project create opportunities for attracting external funding or some alternate mechanism for onward impact (e.g. leading a consortium or creating a New York State task force on AI infrastructure)?
  5. Personnel: How well qualified is the team to conduct the proposed activity, including appropriate transdisciplinary collaboration if warranted? Does the team have the necessary track record for the targeted external funding opportunities?
  6. Budget: Is the budget clear, efficient, and well-justified?

Reporting

Awarded projects will be required to: (1) make a five-minute presentation at an AI3 faculty and staff meeting each active year of the project; (2) submit a written annual progress/final report; (3) report on any outcomes of the project for three years after the award period ends (e.g., funding, publications). Templates will be provided by AI3. Project teams may be asked to present to AI3 advisory groups and in other similar settings.

Additional Information

For more information, please contact AI3 at ai@stonybrook.edu.