VCHA Letter of Support Request Form

Letters of support (LOS) are required for some grant applications. They are typically used to demonstrate institutional commitment to the proposed project or to show the work will be conducted in a supportive environment.

Typically, National Institutes of Health allows considerable latitude in format, content, and number of letters, but the solicitation will specify any limits on letters or requirements for letters. In contrast, National Science Foundation usually only allows letters for specific circumstances and provides a template that constrains what the text can include. Some foundations will ask for letters of recommendation, especially for prestigious early career funding opportunities.

LOS can come from institutional leaders, professional associations, community organizations or individuals depending on the resources committed.

Please Note:

The institutional official at UIC is the Vice Chancellor for Research; all requests for institutional official support should be directed to OVCR.

Other requests to the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs may be submitted via the form below.

LOS can vary widely in scope of the commitment, from demonstrating to the sponsor that the institution is aware of the project to committing institutional funds to support aspects of the work not included in the proposal budget. From least to greatest support, a LOS can:

  • Express enthusiasm for the project and commit to providing an environment conducive to success. This might include describing resources already at the institution that would be available for the project to access, e.g., Research Resources Center cores, instruments housed in departments, or existing student success resources.
  • Articulate new resources already committed by the institution but will support the project’s success, e.g. a capital project already underway such as a building renovation, new instruments that will be available to the team, or access to new data or software.
  • Describe existing resources that could be modified or uniquely leveraged for the project, e.g. a routine training seminar that could be customized and delivered specially for the project members, special access to instruments, or lower user fees.
  • Commit new resources specifically for the project, e.g., newly allocated space and new instruments acquired for the project.
  • Other in-kind commitments for the project, e.g., course releases, faculty salaries, or unrecovered F&A.
  • Cash matches from non-federal funds.

Moving down this list, these institutional commitments typically require more negotiation with university leadership so investigators should plan more lead time for letter requests. Not all requests for institutional commitment can be accommodated.

If the solicitation specifies a letter must come from the Institutional Signing Official or Senior Research Officer, then it should be provided by the Vice Chancellor for Research.

Otherwise, the letter should come from the person in the best position to commit the resources outlined in the letter. For example, if the letter commits a course release or protected time for research, the letter should come from the Unit Executive Officer or Dean. If your project requires resources from several deans or resources that fall outside of the colleges, you might consider requesting the letter from the Provost or Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs. If it commits access to an instrument, the person who is ultimately responsible for financial and operational oversight of the instrument should provide the letter, e.g., the Vice Chancellor for Research, if the instrument is in the RRC.

The Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs (VCHA) has oversight of the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health), which includes UIC’s seven health sciences colleges, the University of Illinois Cancer Center, and the clinical delivery enterprise (UI Hospital & Clinics, Mile Square Health Center and over 40 outpatient clinic locations). The VCHA can convey enthusiasm for the project and commit to providing a collaborative environment conducive to success.

The VCHA can convey the willingness of the healthcare delivery system to participate as a research site and affirm UI Health’s commitment to clinical research in service to our patients and community. Use of clinical resources for research requires appropriate approvals; these approvals should be secured prior to requesting the letter of support from the VCHA. Information can be found on-line with more details about how the Hospital & Clinics and how Mile Square Health Center engage in research activities.

Several units within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs provide expertise or services that may be useful to your research. The VCHA’s letter can describe these services and their contribution to the project.

In limited instances, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs may provide financial support for research. Requests for financial support must provide sufficient justification of the need/use of the funds, require approval by the Dean of the college of the principal investigator(s), and be aligned with the research priorities of the college. Approval is subject to the availability of strategic funds.

Commitments for space/facilities, equipment, protected faculty time, or financial resources require coordination with the Dean’s office. Approval from the Dean should be secured prior to submitting the request for a letter of support from the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs.

Request a Letter of Support from OVCHA Heading link