Open Scholarship Catalytic Awards Program
The Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA), with generous support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, is pleased to launch the Open Scholarship Catalytic Awards Program. The program aims to stimulate a culture of open scholarship (encompassing open science, open research, open data, and a range of other open-sharing practices that promote transparency, reproducibility, community engagement, and collaboration) at US-based traditionally under-resourced institutions (see Eligibility Criteria & Application Requirements section below). The awards will foster a diverse range of open scholarship projects and activities to help nurture a culture in which both research processes and outcomes are more inclusive, innovative, efficient, and trustworthy.
What Are We Seeking?
The Catalytic Awards Program supports future-looking activities that can demonstrably advance open scholarship. This includes accelerating cultural transformation, strengthening capacity, and showcasing innovative, proof-of-concept models or approaches that can serve as exemplars for broader adoption and impact. Some examples of eligible projects may be found here.
What are We Offering?
The Open Scholarship Catalytic Awards Program provides flexible funding ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 USD per project. This funding is intended to cover expenses related to community engagement, capacity-building, and networking, supporting a heterogeneous mix of projects that advance open scholarship. All funded projects must be executed by December 1st, 2025.
ORCA will provide access to mentorship from seasoned practitioners, as well as guidance in project management and impact evaluation. The program also includes a community of practice model, fostering a supportive environment where award recipients can share experiences, network, and learn from one another.
Eligibility Criteria & Application Requirements
Eligible applicants include students, postdocs, staff, and faculty members at accredited U.S.-based non-R1 and/or traditionally under-resourced institutions. This includes institutions defined by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as non-R1, federally-designated Minority Serving Institutions, and/or institutions with endowment value on a per-student basis below the national median. For the avoidance of doubt, a school must meet only one and not both of these criteria to be eligible.
Applications must be submitted online through the ORCA portal. Each applicant is required to complete an application form detailing their project proposal, including objectives, expected impact, and a detailed budget. A copy of the application questions is available here, to assist with offline drafting.
Application Support
ORCA will host two informational webinars to guide potential applicants through the application process. Feel free to register using the links below.
You can also look at the Frequently Asked Questions here.
Selection Criteria
The selection process comprises three rounds. First, the ORCA team will conduct an internal review to check proposals for alignment with program objectives and eligibility. Next, external reviewers will score proposals based on viability, community impact, and budget justification. Finally, a partial lottery system will be used to ensure fairness in selecting award recipients (see below).
Round 1: Internal Review
All submitted proposals will undergo an internal review conducted by the ORCA team to verify that the proposal aligns with the program’s goals and meets the eligibility criteria. Proposals will be assessed with a binary 'Yes' (moves to the next round) or 'No' (not considered for further review). The following aspects of the project will be assessed in this round:
Alignment with Open Science Principles: How well does the project advance open science, open research, or other open scholarship practices?
Alignment with the Catalytic Award’s Mission: Does it contribute to inclusive, transparent, and trustworthy research processes and outcomes?
Eligibility Criteria: Does the proposal comply with the eligibility requirements?
Round 2: External Review
Proposals that pass the criteria of the Round 1 review will proceed through an evaluation by external reviewers using the following criteria. This assessment will emphasize the project's viability, impact on the community, capacity building, and budget.
| Criteria | Definition |
|---|---|
| Clarity & Feasibility of Project Plan | Evaluates how clearly the project's objectives, methods, and timeline are defined. This also assesses the feasibility of achieving the proposed outcomes. |
| Impact on Target Community & Engagement | Assesses the project's potential impact on its target community and how well the community is engaged throughout the project. Focuses on inclusivity and collaboration. |
| Capacity Building | Assesses the project’s potential to build or enhance institutional/community capacity for open scholarship, offering sustainable skills, tools, or infrastructure. |
| Budget Justification | Evaluates the clarity and alignment of the budget with the project’s objectives, ensuring that funds are used efficiently and effectively. |
Note that the target community refers to the group of people the project targets. It can be internal, like a group of researchers within a university or department, and external, like a non-academic community.
External reviewers will rate each proposal on a scale of 1 to 4 for each criterion, as outlined below:
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Minimally addresses the criterion and/or provides vague, incomplete, or out-of-scope responses. |
| 2 | Partially addresses the criterion, with some relevant content but noticeable gaps or weaknesses. |
| 3 | Addresses most aspects of the criterion with clear and relevant responses. |
| 4 | Fully addresses all aspects of the criterion with clarity, depth, and relevance. |
Proposals will receive a total score, and based on this, they will be segmented into quartiles for the final selection process.
Our goal is to foster a selection process that aligns with the values of equity, inclusion, and transparency while identifying the most promising and impactful proposals. We are committed to ensuring a transparent and equitable review process. The external review committee will be composed of individuals with diverse backgrounds, expertise, and perspectives to minimize bias and promote inclusivity. We are in the process of finalizing the composition of the review committee and are dedicated to assembling a diverse group that reflects a wide range of experiences and identities.
Round 3: Partial Lottery
We will implement a partial lottery approach to strike a balance between merit-based selection and providing opportunities for a broader range of innovative projects.
Proposals in the top 25% will be given priority for funding. Proposals in the third quartile will be entered into a lottery system. Projects from this group will be selected for funding until the funding goal for this round is met. Proposals in the bottom 50% will not be selected for funding.
Key Dates
The Open Scholarship Catalytic Awards Program will conduct two rounds of funding. For the first cohort, here is a project timeline:
Application Open Date: January 15, 2025
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Award Notification: April 15, 2025
Project Start Date (earliest): May 15, 2025
Project End Date (latest): December 1, 2025
Applicable Policies
Single Proposal Submission: Applicants may submit only one proposal per round.
Use of Funds: All funds must be used directly for approved project activities and are subject to audit.
Complementary Funding: Awarded projects can secure additional external funds. Applicants must disclose supplementary funding during the application and final report stages; this will not influence the funding decision.
Tax Implications: ORCA is open to accommodating the awardee's needs. Funds can be received personally, but please note that this may have tax consequences. Applicants should consult a tax professional to get clarity on this matter and the implications in their particular case. For U.S. citizens, ORCA will be required to issue a 1099 tax form to the awardee. For non-U.S. citizens, ORCA may be required to withhold and report taxes, depending on the individual’s U.S. tax status, visa status, and any active tax treaties. Due to the complexity of U.S. tax requirements and reporting obligations, we encourage awardees to receive funds through their institution when possible.
Overhead Costs: If the awardee chooses to receive the funds in an institutional account, overhead costs will not be covered due to the project's short duration and the small award size. However, exceptions of up to 15% of the awarded amount may be granted in cases of demonstrated need. Please note that the total amount, including the solicited funds and any overhead, cannot exceed $15,000 USD. Overhead costs will not be covered if the awardee decides to receive the funds in a personal account.
Engagement Activities: Key project personnel are expected to participate in monthly engagement activities related to the community of practice to share project developments.
Final Reporting: Final reports are required and must detail the project's outcomes and impact.
Credit and Acknowledgement: Awardees must credit team members using comprehensive forms like the CREDiT taxonomy. The support of CZI and ORCA must be acknowledged in any public-facing outputs from the funded projects referring to the assigned award number.
Open Licensing Compliance: Projects must adhere to open licensing agreements, ensuring all outputs are publicly accessible and reusable. ORCA can provide advice on appropriate licensing options for funded projects' outputs.
Confidentiality and Disclosure: Application materials will be kept confidential except as necessary for evaluation or legal compliance. Funded proposals may be made publicly available; unfunded proposals will remain confidential. Summaries and metrics may be shared in aggregate form.
Contact Information
For further inquiries, please contact eunice@orcaopen.org.
