TARGET (Equipment) Program

Purpose of the TARGET Program

State-of-the-art equipment is essential for conducting modern research and instruction that is capable of attracting external funding.  Equipment used for research and to enhance teaching and learning evolves rapidly and can be instrumental in creating a quality learning environment.  Such equipment is increasingly expensive, difficult to acquire through normal external funding mechanisms, and often required for preliminary research to compete for external funding.  Therefore funds have been allocated for this program to support TWU faculty in obtaining research equipment, ideally for shared use.

Award Amount and Spending Information:

There is an anticipated $200,000 that has been allocated for this program to support TWU faculty.

Funding requests should focus on equipment to support research. Note that individual requested items must be at least $500 to be eligible for TARGET funds. The request must be for equipment that is not normally provided by the applicant's academic component or college, and not available through other university funds. The equipment must be essential to a particular research project. Items may be requested from both HEF and TARGET funding and the administrative offices will coordinate regarding the funding source.

The committee will look favorably upon research equipment that can also be used to enhance the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The following items are NOT eligible for funding:

• New equipment that has been previously purchased, encumbered, or is already on-site.
• Software (regardless of cost) that is not an integral component of an instrument. That is, ifthe software is invoiced separately from an instrument or appears on an invoice as aseparate line item with a unit cost associated with it, TARGET funds cannot be used to paythe invoice.
• Personal computers/workstations (regardless of cost).
• Construction and building renovations (i.e., fume hoods, permanent lab benches).
• Improvements Other Than Building (IOTB): examples of IOTB might include concrete padsto be used as storage or staging areas, installation of fencing, and construction of flumesor similar experimental structures.
• If the investigator is proposing to build an instrument or piece of equipment, TARGETfunds cannot be used to cover TWU personnel labor costs.
• Training costs associated with learning how to operate or use the new equipment.
• Items that must be purchased using a TWU purchasing card.

PI Eligibility:

Applicants must be full-time TWU tenured faculty, research faculty, or tenure-track faculty. Faculty with outstanding reports or other obligations from previously awarded internal funding will not be considered for funding. Applications will be accepted from individuals or groups of full-time faculty members at TWU. Proposals that promote faculty collaboration are especially encouraged.

For proposals listing multiple users who are not co-applicants, the primary applicant must obtain a signed acknowledgment from the individuals listed that they have agreed to be so recognized and certifying that they have a legitimate need for the equipment being sought in the proposal.

Dates:

Research and Sponsored Programs is not accepting applications for 2026-2027 at this moment.

All spending must be finalized in accordance with Finance and Administration's end of FY deadlines, which are usually in July.

Submission Information:

Please read the guidelines for more detailed information about eligibility, selection process, and criteria. Then you will fill out the application and email to ORSP for review. You will be sent a notification email once your application has been received.

TARGET Program Guidelines and Application Form