Funding on ResearchHub: A Guide for Researchers
ResearchHub is a platform that allows anyone to directly fund preregistered scientific studies. Our goal is to promote the creation of open, reproducible and impactful research. Our process is much simpler than applying for traditional research grants.
We ask applicants to submit a 2-4 page preregistration (proposal) that includes:
- Background
- Hypothesis
- Experimental methods
- Plan for statistical analysis
- Budget
How Does ResearchHub Funding Work?
- Browse Request for Proposals (RFP)
- Find an RFP that fits within the expertise of your lab.
- If you can’t find a relevant RFP, don’t worry! You can still submit a proposal for crowdfunding in the "proposals" tab.
- Submit Your Proposal
- Click "Submit an Application" and create a new proposal.
- Clearly outline your study using the provided template.
- Include relevant topics/keywords to enhance discoverability.
- Specify funding goal
- Keep in mind, smaller goals are more feasible to crowdfund so we recommend starting with the most essential experiments.
- Select your affiliated institution's foundation to ensure your donors receive a tax deduction!
- Include the name of your lab and department so we know who to send the funds to.
- Open Peer Review
- Peers publicly critique and provide feedback on your public proposal.
- Peer review does not determine funding but offers context for potential funders and helps you enhance your study's design and methodology.
- Peer Review is completed in under 14 days.
- Wait for the Study to Get Funded
- Funders and other members of the ResearchHub community can crowdfund the study with ResearchCoin.
- The funding goal must be met for the funding proposal to complete and have the funds route to your university.
- If the funding goal is not met by the deadline, the funds will be reimbursed to the crowdfunders.
- Crowdfunding Completed
- After the proposal has been successfully funded, ResearchHub and our 501(c)(3) non-profit partner, Endaoment, will ensure the funds are transferred to your university to be accessible by your lab.
FAQs
How complicated is it to submit a preregistration?
The process is designed to be simple and straightforward, typically taking only minutes to complete.
If the proposal I post is public, will I get scooped?
The proposals published on ResearchHub all come with a DOI (a digital identifier) and public date to ensure you are credited appropriately. The ideal proposal should have sufficient experimental plans and planned analyses for a third party researcher to independently replicate your work. We understand that some researchers may be hesitant to share this level of detail in the open, and in those cases you should share as much information as you’re comfortable sharing.
Does my preregistration have to pass peer review to get funded?
No, peer review on ResearchHub is solely for improvement and contextual purposes and does not determine funding eligibility. If you find that your peer reviews have particularly helpful suggestions, we encourage you to revise and update your work as you see fit.
Can I update my proposal if peer reviewers have helpful suggestions?
Yes! We believe that peer review is useful during the ideation phase, before experiments are completed when there’s still time to adjust plans. We encourage researchers to update their experimental plans according to feedback from peer reviewers, as the researchers see fit – none of the suggestions from peer reviewers are mandatory to be addressed. Updating and republishing your proposal will not affect any existing funding contributions, comments, peer reviews, or other interactions.
How does my institution receive the funds?
Funds are managed and transferred via your University's Foundation, facilitated through our partnership with Endaoment. Endaoment converts the crowdfunded ResearchCoin donations into cash. This funding is then transferred directly to your University as a standard gift, streamlining financial processes and compliance. You will not have to work with your grants office as these funds are sent as donations with the note you provide in your proposal.
Are there any reporting requirements?
No. These funds are submitted as gifts. The applicants are not required to provide any specific reporting. However, we strongly encourage regular, transparent updates, through the "updates" tab on your proposal page. This ensures full accountability and visibility into the research progress for all funders which can increase your chance for future funding. As a thank you for sharing updates, funded proposals will receive 100 RSC for each monthly update shared.
What's the benefit for funders to fund through ResearchHub?
Funders can track your research progress in real-time. All research results—positive or negative—are transparently published and permanently linked to the funded preregistration. Funders also receive public peer review of proposals submitted to their RFP.
What does the “Tax Deductible” badge mean?
If you have selected a university foundation for your proposal, any donations that are made via crowdfunding will be eligible for tax deductions. Upon funding completion, our nonprofit partners at Endaoment will gather all donation information and issue donation receipts to the email associated with your ResearchHub account.
Do I have to be in the U.S. to take advantage of the crowdfunding feature of ResearchHub?
No. We encourage researchers to submit their proposals for funding consideration.
Who should be the author of the proposal?
Anyone within the lab can be the primary author, and can include other relevant authors.
Can I alter the funding goal while my proposal is live?
Yes, please contact the ResearchHub team for assistance on a case by case basis. We may ask that you share a revised experimental plan and budget if the funding goal needs to be changed significantly.
