** Please note that the call for submissions has now closed.**

IOI is honored to host the second Joint Roadmap for Open Science Tools (JROST) Conference December 14 - 16th. First held in 2018, this virtual event is designed to bring together the committed community of practitioners building, maintaining, and advocating for open tools in support of research and collaboration.

As part of this year’s conference, we are thrilled to announce a Rapid Response Fund in support of the JROST community and open technology and infrastructure projects.

JROST acknowledges that this year has been especially trying on a number of levels for many. Individuals and institutions are now faced with increased demand for services that exhibit collaboration, frugality, and further open research while also confronted with unprecedented budget cuts. The JROST planning committee also acknowledges that lead times for traditional grant funding can fail to support immediate or maintenance needs of projects and organizations.

Awards will be given in amounts of $5,000 and $10,000 with the possibility of other gift amounts at the discretion of the program committee. The number of award recipients will be based on the number of requests and the amounts requested. We are seeking additional funds and sponsors in support of this rapid response fund (interested in contributing? Please get in touch).

Awards will be granted to practitioners and organizations that develop and operate open technologies and services to further research and scholarship. Award funds are intended for activities that are necessary and that would not be possible, or would be in jeopardy, without them. There is no restriction on how the funds can be used, but among the possibilities are the following examples:

  • Salary support for key staff
  • Continued levels of service / ongoing development & maintenance
  • General operations (e.g., bridge funding to your next grant deadline)
  • Collaborations and integrations with other tools and services
  • Preparing a grant or hiring an external contractors to help you pivot or to develop a sustainability plan
  • Development of specific functionalities and or services

Please visit the form here to apply. The deadline for submission is December 7, 2020.

Award recipients will be notified prior to JROST and will be announced at the conference. Our thanks to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for their generosity in supporting this year’s event. Interested in contributing to the fund? Email us -- we’d love to chat.

For more information about JROST, or to register, visit the event page to learn more.


Posted by Kaitlin Thaney