Research and Innovation Office

Extramural Coordinated Funding


UM Submission Instructions: AIM-AHEAD Program for Artificial Intelligence Readiness (PAIR) - Cohort 2 2025

Sponsor: AIM-AHEAD
Award Title: AIM-AHEAD Program for Artificial Intelligence Readiness (PAIR) - Cohort 2
Amount: $100,000
The first phase will provide awards of $100,000 each to around 15 institutions to build multidisciplinary teams, assess feasibility and further develop their research proposals. Up to 10 of these institutions will advance to the second phase based on the criteria described in the PAIR Program Plan section above. In the second phase, awards of $150,000 each will be provided to up to 10 institutions for setting up their AI/ML Health Equity Lab and finishing their proposal for NIH-funded research. It is expected that all funds will be expended on or before September 10, 2025.
UM Deadline: 12/18/2024
Sponsor Deadline: 01/15/2025
Description: The Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD) consortium was established to increase the participation and representation of researchers and communities currently considered underrepresented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) definition (https://diversity.nih.gov/about-us/population-underrepresented) in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social science professional careers in the development and application of AI/ML, to address health disparities and inequities.

The AIM-AHEAD Program for AI Readiness (PAIR) aims to leverage AIM-AHEAD resources to jump start AI research for health equity in minority serving institutions (MSI) with inadequate resources. Many of the low-resource organizations face considerable challenges due to their limited experience in AI/ML research as applied to health equity, insufficient AI/ML infrastructure, lack of synergies across disciplines, and inadequate grant funding capabilities. The PAIR program is designed for these organizations to strengthen the foundations for sustainable success in AI/ML health equity research. Through a two-phase funding model, PAIR will connect institutions with AIM-AHEAD resources, AI/ML and health equity experts, and grant-writing coaches to help establish AI/ML Health Equity Research Labs that host cross-disciplinary teams for research projects and grant writing.

PAIR will facilitate collaboration from multiple disciplines such as computer science, biomedical sciences, social sciences, behavioral sciences, healthcare, ethics, and statistics, which is essential for using AI/ML to improve health equity.
Number of Applicants University is Allowed to submit: 1
Additional Requirements: None
Sponsor Guidelines: https://www.aim-ahead.net/call-for-proposals-year-2/pair/
UM Nominations Process: This is a first-come/first-served opportunity.
Please contact collabor@umn.edu with any questions.
Peer Review Coordination: Research and Innovation Office contact email
Status: PI Selected. David Brauer, Surgery, is the official UM nominee.
Please note: To be considered for peer review and internal selection, faculty must follow the above submission guidelines and meet the UM deadline as set by the office coordinating the peer review for this opportunity.



General Information

  • Each posting has information about the external sponsor and opportunity as well as the internal application instructions.
  • Opportunities can be sorted by column headings; just click on the heading to re-sort by that column.
  • When a link redirects you to another site, it opens in a new browser window.
  • If you know of an opportunity that is not on the list, please contact Robyn Kennedy.
Column Descriptions

  • Sponsor: redirects you to the sponsor's main website
  • Title/Guidelines: redirects you to sponsor specific information regarding the opportunity which may include description, eligibility, budget instructions, forms and other requirements
  • Amount: Maximum dollar amount awarded.
  • Add’l Req: Identifies special requirements such as cost sharing, partners, etc.
  • Sponsor Deadline: External deadline identified by the sponsor.
  • UM Submission Instructions: Contains specific internal submission requirements including internal proposal instructions, deadline, eligibility, internal nomination process, contact information.
  • # Apps: The maximum number of applications the sponsor will allow the university to submit.
  • UM Deadline: Submission deadline for internal proposal as determined by the coordinating office.
  • Status:
    • Open: UM deadline has not passed and the opportunity is open for application.
    • In Review: Peer review process is in progress for the opportunity.
    • PI Selected: The PI has been selected as the official UM nominee.
    • Closed: Sponsor deadline has passed and the opportunity is closed for application.
U of M Submission Instructions (Required)

This link includes summary sponsor information, specific instructions for internal submission and contact information for the university office coordinating the nomination process.

  • Follow the directions in the submission instructions and submit required materials by the UM deadline to the contact indicated.
  • Instructions vary according to the requirements of the sponsor and the university office coordinating the nomination process.
Registration (optional)

Registration is an optional but highly recommended feature. Perhaps you are looking for a wider audience for your proposal idea, or for potential collaborators to work with to create a stronger application. Registration allows applicants to share proposal ideas and post contact information.

Registration also provides information that helps the university office overseeing the nomination to determine the level of coordination needed and guide the review process.

To register (or view registrants), click on the UM Submission Instructions for a specific opportunity, then click on the Register Interest link.

Selection Process

  • Once the internal deadline has passed, the status will change to “In Review” and proposals will undergo review.
  • If there are multiple applicants, the office managing the nomination will determine the review criteria and coordinate the review process.
  • Once review has been completed all parties will be notified via email.
  • Nominees will be provided with a letter addressed to the sponsor from the RIO indicating that they are the university's nominee. This letter should accompany the nominee's proposal.
  • SPA is notified of the university's nominee(s) and the status is updated to “PI Selected”.


*If you have questions about the University's process related to extramural funding opportunities requiring nomination or if you have any technical issues with the site, contact collabor8@umn.edu.

For questions, please contact RIO's Research Advancement group.