UofM and Ole Miss Launch Collaborative AI Research Funding Opportunity

Call for proposals now open: M2AIR initiative supports collaborative AI research aligned with national priorities and aims to expand innovation capacity across the Mid-South

 

M2AIR: Joint University of Mississippi–University of Memphis Applied Artificial Intelligence Research Program

Opening Date: Nov. 26, 2025

Proposals Due: Feb. 1, 2026

Awards Announced: March 2, 2026

Earliest Start Date: March 16, 2026

Latest Completion: March 31, 2027

Submission Portal: University of Memphis InfoReady

The University of Mississippi (UM) and the University of Memphis (UofM) invite proposals for joint research projects to develop or apply AI to advance knowledge, drive innovation, and promote economic development in areas of regional and national importance. This collaboration aims to generate new competitive proposals for external funding and develop sustainable research partnerships between the two institutions. Aligned with America’s National AI Research and Development Strategic Plan, Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan, which was released by the White House in July 2025, and the Artificial Intelligence sub-priority in Memorandum M-25-34 / NSTM-2: Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities and Cross-Cutting Actions (Sept. 23, 2025) issued by the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OMB/OSTP), this program will expand AI research capacity, foster innovation, and build workforce readiness across the Mid-South.

 

Eligibility and Collaboration Requirements

• Each proposal must include exactly one tenured or tenure-track faculty principal investigator (PI) from each participating institution (UM and UofM)—two PIs total.
• Projects may include, as key personnel, additional researchers and scholars from the participating institutions.
• PIs and key personnel may be from any academic discipline.

Budget Guidelines

• The maximum total budget per project is $5,000 per institution ($10,000 total). Each institution will fund its own portion of the budget (i.e., UM will fund the UM portion of the project at up to $5,000, and UoM will fund the UofM portion of the project at up to $5,000).
• Unallowable expenses include faculty salary support, tuition, and subawards to other institutions.
• All other reasonable expenses are allowable with sufficient justification, subject to each institution’s spending policies. These include, but are not limited to, student stipends or wages and associated fringes, materials and supplies required for the project, travel for collaboration to conduct the project, and costs associated with data collection or analysis.

Proposal Format and Requirements

Each proposal should be concise, clear, and understandable not only to subject matter experts but also to a broader audience. Proposals should consist of the following sections:

1. Project Summary (one page) consisting of the following named sections:

a. Overview: Briefly summarize the activity that would result if the proposal were funded and state the objectives and   methods to be employed.

b. Intellectual Merit: Briefly summarize the project’s originality and potential to advance knowledge, research, or applications  of AI.

c. Regional Impacts: Summarize the projects potential to advance innovation, workforce development, and/or economic     development in the Mid-South.

d. Alignment with AI Priorities: Briefly summarize the project’s alignment with current, published AI funding priorities of the US government, state or local governments, or specific sponsors or sponsor programs from any sector.2

2. Project Description: (four pages maximum) Describe the project in enough detail to allow subject matter experts and broader audiences alike to understand and assess what you are proposing to do, why it is important, how your team is prepared to succeed, how you know you if you have succeeded, and how you will sustain and build on that success.

3. Budget Narrative: (one page maximum) List and justify each budgeted cost at each institution, in terms of why it is needed and how it was calculated or estimated. Note: While not required, you may find it helpful to use your institution’s appropriate budgeting spreadsheet to prepare your narrative.

a. For the UM budget, use the ORED-SRD Internal Funding Budget Worksheet.

b. For the UofM budget, use the Internal Budget Template.

4. Data Management Plan: (one page maximum) Describe what data will be generated and how it will be managed, stored, and shared in compliance with any applicable standards.

5. References Cited (optional, one page maximum).

6. Abbreviated Biosketches: Each PI (one per institution) must include a 1-page abbreviated resume summarizing just their most relevant qualifications and experience to conduct this project. Abbreviated 1-page biosketches of other named key personnel may also be included but are not required.

7. Current or Pending Support: Each PI (one per institution) must include an up-to-1-page summary of all existing internal or external grant awards and pending proposals. For each, include: funded, proposed or awarded amount, project period, title, and a very short description of the project, including a summary of how its scope of work is substantially different from what is being proposed in this project. If the PI has no current or pending support, write “The PI has no current or pending support.” Do not include the proposed UM-UofM project in this list. Since this document will be seen program administrators at both institutions, do not include any content that you consider sensitive or confidential.

Reporting Requirements: A final report summarizing the entire project, budget expenditures, and plans for applying for external funding is required at the completion of the project.

Information Sessions

Virtual information sessions will be held to go over the request for proposals and the program process and timeline, and to answer participants’ questions.

- Friday, Dec. 5 at 3:00 pm | Register.

- Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 2:00 pm | Register.

Faculty Engagement and Collaboration Opportunities

To facilitate collaboration, prospective applicants are encouraged to submit short video introductions no longer than 5 minutes highlighting their AI research interests and potential project ideas. These videos will be shared on the M2AIR YouTube channel to help faculty identify potential partners across both campuses. Do not post any proprietary information.

In addition, an in-person networking event will be held for interested faculty: Wednesday Jan. 14, 9am-Noon in the Maxine A. Smith University Center Senate Chamber (room 261) on the University of Memphis campus – Register.

The University of Mississippi Office of Strategic Research Development will reach out to coordinate travel to/from Memphis for UM faculty who register by Jan. 7.

Review and Selection

Proposals will be jointly reviewed by research leadership teams from both the University of Mississippi and the University of Memphis. Evaluation criteria will include:

• Scholarly Merit: Is the project compelling? What is the potential of the project to advance or apply AI in a way that leads to publishable work, other scholarly products, or even transformation?
• Strength of Collaboration/Team: Is this the team to do it? Does the assembled collaboration team have the qualifications and experience to do the project? Is the need for the collaboration obvious and compelling? Will each institution contribute and benefit meaningfully?
• Likelihood of Success: Is it likely to succeed? Are the objects, project plan, available resources, and means of assessing success sufficient?
• Potential for Regional Impact: Will it make a difference to the Mid-South? What is the potential of the project and the new collaboration to advance innovation and economic development in the region?
• Sustainability: Will it lead to more funding? What is the likelihood that the project will lead to a competitive proposal for external funding for fundamental or applied AI research? Is the project aligned with a published funding priority or funding opportunity of the federal government or another sponsor?

Program Contact Information

University of Memphis: Cody Behles, Executive Director of Research Development and Innovation, Division of Research and Innovation, researchdev@memphis.edu, 901-678-1596

University of Mississippi: Jason Hale, Director of Strategic Research Development, Office for Research and Economic Development, resdev@olemiss.edu, 662-915-3922

Additional Information

As more information becomes available, it will be posted on each institution’s respective web pages.

University of Memphis: https://www.memphis.edu/research/researchers/funding/index.php

University of Mississippi: https://olemiss.edu/ored/resources-for-researchers/internal-funding-opportunities/ 

To submit your video (or request support in making your video):

UofM: Contact researchdev@memphis.edu 

UM: Contact resdev@olemiss.edu