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UNI 2012-13 Capacity Building Grant Competition

Office of Executive Vice President and Provost and Iowa NSF EPSCoR

Request for Proposals

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) is pleased to announce the availability of three categories of funding for research and creative projects by UNI faculty and staff.  These funds are made available through the Office of the Vice President and Provost for the purpose of building UNI’s capacity for scholarship, research and creative activities, to support interdisciplinary work and to enhance the ability of faculty and staff to apply and compete for external funding.  

A portion of the funding is also made available through the National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) program. The Iowa NSF EPSCoR program is an inter-institutional effort to enhance research capacity in the sciences and promote the development of a diverse workforce in STEM across the state.

Proposal Deadlines:

Scholarship Grants – Nov. 26, 2012
Small Scale Project Grants – Dec. 3, 2012
Large Scale Project Grants – Dec. 3 (Letter of Intent), Jan. 15, 2013 (Application)

Request for Proposals        Application Cover Sheet        Budget Form

Funding Categories

1.  SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS – Up to $1,000

The purpose of the Scholarship Grants is to increase the support available to faculty for their scholarship, research and creative activities.  Scholars may propose using the funds for a broad range of activities, essentially whatever will advance their own particular scholarship.  Although teaching can be considered a scholarly activity, the funds are not intended to support teaching activities or faculty development in teaching. 

Application Deadline: Nov. 26, 2012

Eligibility: Tenured and tenure-track faculty

Project Periods: All funds must be spent between the date of award and May 31, 2013.

Eligible Expenses: The types of costs that may be incurred are, for example, small equipment, supplies, subject stipends, travel costs, conference registrations, data analysis, technical support, obtaining research documents, student wages, publishing fees, exhibition preparation fees, grant review fees, workshop or training fees. Other expenses may be allowed; all expenses are subject to approval.  Funding cannot be used for salaries. 

Project Report Requirement: Awardees must submit a written report of 1-2 pages describing the outcomes of the project or activity by June 30, 2012.  A copy of the report should be submitted to each appropriate Department Head, College Dean, and to RSP.  Failure to submit the report on time may make the recipient ineligible for future internal funding.

2.  SMALL SCALE PROJECT GRANTS - Up to $3,000

The purpose of the Small Scale Project Grants is to support research and development activities at UNI and to enhance the ability of faculty and staff to apply for external funding, particularly to federal and state agencies, and to national foundations. All projects will result in submitted grant applications.  An important consideration in determining which projects will be funded is the extent to which the project is a good match for the funder and otherwise likely to be competitive.  Contact with RSP prior to submission is therefore strongly encouraged. 

Funding for the Small Scale Project Grants will come from two sources. Applications proposing submissions to the National Science Foundation will be considered for funding under the Iowa NSF EPSCoR program; all other applications will be considered for funding from the UNI Executive Vice President and Provost’s capacity building funds.

These grants can be used for pilot studies, small-scale research or demonstration projects, evaluations,  validations of methodologies, instrument testing , development of research partnerships, or other activities that are necessary to be successful in obtaining external funding. Applications are encouraged from faculty and staff who have previously submitted external proposals and are proposing activities to improve proposals for resubmission.

Application Deadline: Dec. 3, 2012

Eligibility: All faculty and staff

Project Periods: 1) For non-NSF projects: All funds must be spent between the date of award and May 31, 2013.
2) For NSF projects: All funds must be spent between the date of award and July 31, 2013.

Eligible Expenses: The types of costs that may be incurred include small equipment, supplies, subject stipends, travel costs, conference registrations, data analysis, technical support, obtaining research documents, student wages, grant review fees, workshop or training fees. Other expenses may be allowed; all expenses are subject to approval.  Funding cannot be used for salaries. 

Grant Submission Requirement: As a requirement of the award, all grantees must submit a grant application to their specified funder by Jan. 15, 2014. Awardees will also report on project progress to RSP as needed throughout the project period. RSP will report outcomes to the College Deans and Provost, and the UNI NSF EPSCOR Principal Investigator Joel Haack.

3. LARGE SCALE PROJECT GRANTS – $3,000 to $10,000

In this category, 2-3 awards are anticipated in the range of $3,000-$10,000. The intention of the Large Scale Project Grants is similar to that of the Small Scale Project Grants – to support research and development activities at UNI that enhance the ability of faculty and staff to apply for external funding, particularly to federal and state agencies, and to national foundations. All projects will result in submitted grant applications.  An important consideration in determining which projects will be funded is the extent to which the project is a good match for the funder and otherwise likely to be competitive.  Contact with RSP prior to submission is therefore strongly encouraged. 

These grants may be used to support larger and longer-term projects, which often will require more than one investigator.  Projects that involve multiple investigators and/or are multi-disciplinary are strongly encouraged. These funds are also available to support faculty and staff interested in developing larger, institutional level projects such as the NSF’s Math and Science Partnership (MSP), which require the development of external partnerships.

Application Deadlines:  Letter of Intent (Required) – Dec. 3, 2012; Applications – Jan. 15, 2013

Eligibility: All faculty and staff

Project Periods: All funds must be spent between the date of award (anticipated March 1, 2013) and May 31, 2014. (Note, Large Scale Project Grant funds will be allowed to carry forward to 2013-2014.)

Eligible Expenses: The types of costs that may be incurred are, for example, small equipment, supplies, subject stipends, travel costs, conference registrations, data analysis, technical support, obtaining research documents, student wages,  grant review fees, workshop or training fees.  Other expenses may be allowed; all expenses are subject to approval.  Pending appropriate administrative approvals, faculty salary may be requested to fund a one-semester course release (at the adjunct rate during the 2013-2014 academic year) or 2013 summer salary. (See budget form for instructions.) Any salary funding requested should generally be for the project investigator and should be well justified in the project narrative.

Grant Submission Requirement: As a requirement of the award, all grantees must submit a grant application to their specified funder by May 31, 2014. Awardees will also report on project progress to RSP as needed throughout the project period. RSP will report outcomes to the College Deans and Provost.

Program Requirements

Review and evaluation of applications will be based on the quality and completeness of the narrative sections, the suitability of the identified funder and grant opportunity, as well as the appropriateness of the budget and the extent to which the applicant complied with proposal formatting and content requirements. 

For ALL applications, the following requirements must be met:

  1. Applications must be received by RSP by 5:00 PM on the assigned deadlines. 
  2. The required formatting and page restrictions must be followed (shown below).
  3. Applicants must describe other sources of support received or anticipated for the proposed project or activity.
  4. Any special requirements listed for the funding category must be followed.

For Small and Large Scale Project Grant applications ONLY, the following requirements must be met:

  1. Budgets must be in the attached Excel form and request no more than the amount listed for the category to which the application is being submitted. Budgets should include a narrative description justifying the requested expenses.
  2. Project grant applicants must identify the external funding source and grant opportunity to which applicants intend to apply and explain the appropriateness for the proposed project. Applicants must include the opportunity’s deadline, or if not available, the next anticipated deadline.

To underscore the importance of well-matched projects and funding opportunities, RSP will review all grant opportunities for suitability. Consultation with RSP prior to submission of project grant applications is encouraged. To discuss grant opportunities prior to application, please contact RSP PreAward staff (hillery.oberle@uni.edu or sarah.bridges@uni.edu).  Applicants who are unfamiliar with external funding options are encouraged to visit the RSP website (http://www.uni.edu/rsp/finding-funding) as well.

Preference will be given to proposals that include undergraduate and graduate students in the project activities. 

Each project or activity may only be proposed in one category, but individuals may participate in more than one proposal for separate, independent projects. 

Instructions for Application Content

1.  SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS

Application Deadline: Nov. 26, 2012
A complete application will consist of: 

1) Application Cover Sheet (Use attached form.)

2) Project Narrative
Maximum length: 2 pages, double-spaced; 12 pt font; 1” margins
Narrative content:

  1. Your intended use of the funds
  2. How the activity supports your scholarship and professional development
  3. Where you are overall in your career as a scholar and your research agenda
  4. How this activity could advance knowledge in your field
  5. Your timeline for completing the activity
  6. Your total project budget, describing all costs including those not covered by the scholarship grant
  7. Any other funds you’ve already received or anticipate receiving in support of this activity

2.  SMALL SCALE PROJECT GRANTS

Application Deadline: Dec. 3, 2012
A complete application will consist of: 

1) Application Cover Sheet (Use attached form.)

2) Project Narrative
Maximum length: 4 pages, double-spaced; 12 pt font; 1” margins
Narrative content:

  1. Your intended use of the funds.
  2. How the activity supports your scholarship and professional development
  3. Where you are overall in your career as a scholar and your research agenda
  4. How this activity could advance knowledge in your field
  5. Your progress to date in developing proposals and securing external funding
  6. How this activity will enhance your ability to apply for external funding
  7. The external funder (federal or state agency or national foundation) and grant program to which you plan to submit a proposal
  8. The next grant deadline; if not available, provide the anticipated deadline
  9. The reasons for choosing this particular funder and grant program and why it is appropriate for the project or work you will be proposing
  10. If you plan to resubmit a proposal submitted to an earlier competition, describe the scoring and/or feedback from the first grant submission and how this project will improve the proposal
  11. Your timeline for completing the proposed activity and for preparing the grant proposal by the deadline
  12. Any other funds you’ve already received to date or anticipate receiving in support of this activity

3) Budget and Budget Narrative (Use attached form.)

3.  LARGE SCALE PROJECT GRANTS

Letter of Intent (Required) Deadline: Dec. 3, 2012

Letters of Intent instructions:

  • Letters of Intent are required for application to the Large Scale Project Grants program.
  • Email Letters of Intent by 5:00 PM Dec. 3, 2012 to Hillery Oberle at hillery.oberle@uni.edu
  • Emails should include: 1) a 1-2 sentence description of the project; 2) the grant funder and opportunity you have in mind (may change); 3) a list of all PIs and Co-PIs on the project.
  • Letters of Intent will assist RSP in developing the grant review committee(s).

Application Deadline: Jan. 15, 2013
A complete application will consist of: 

1) Application Cover Sheet (Use attached form.)

2) Project Narrative

Maximum length: 8 pages, double-spaced; 12 pt font; 1” margins
Narrative content:

Goals and Objectives/Specific Aims

  • Introduce your project or topic, and specify what you hope to accomplish and/or, if research, what your research questions are.

Need and Significance

  • Explain why this is an important activity or topic, grounding it in what you and others in your field have already established and what still remains to be done.   How will this project contribute to your field and/or to the community, state, or nation?

Design and Methods

  • Be specific about your project or research design and/or exactly who will do what and when.   Make certain your design aligns with your stated goals and objectives.
  • Include a project timeline.
  • Explain how you will know if you have accomplished your objectives.

Grant Opportunity

  • Which funder (federal or state agency or national foundation) have you identified? To which specific grant program do you plan to submit a proposal?
  • What is the next deadline? If not available, provide anticipated the next anticipated deadline. Describe your timeline for preparing the grant proposal by the deadline
  • Explain your reasons for choosing this particular funder and grant program and why it is appropriate for the project you are proposing.
  • How will the proposed project and activities enhance your ability to apply for external funding?

Qualifications and Resources

  • Who will be working on this project in which capacities? 
  • What resources, qualifications, experience, and/or expertise do you and each of the other members of the team bring to the project?  (Briefly, why are they on the team?)  For students, simply explain how they will participate.  Colleagues from other institutions or other consultants may also work on the project as necessary.  
  • If applicable, explain how you will work with any external organizations, such as other institutions, schools or community organizations. 

Use of Funds

  • How will the Large Scale Project Grant funds be used? (You will also complete the budget form for your application.)
  • Are there any other resources, cash or in-kind, being contributed to the project?  If so, what are the sources of those?  Describe any other funds you’ve already received to date or anticipate receiving in support of this project.

3) References, if applicable

4) Budget and Budget Narrative (Use attached form.)

5) Biosketches

Attach a 1 – 2 page bio sketch for each key personnel included in the project (summary of educational and work background, key publications that are relevant to the proposal or project, etc.).  Students are not considered key personnel. 

Application Submission


1)      Application Cover Sheets
The Application Cover Sheet may be signed and sent as a hard copy or it may be scanned after signatures are obtained and submitted via email with the other items to Hillery Oberle at hillery.oberle@uni.edu.  If submitted by hard copy, direct the Cover Sheet to Hillery Oberle, RSP, 213 East Bartlett Hall, mail code 0394. 

2)      Project Narratives and Other Application Materials, If Required
Email all other application materials (project narratives, budgets, references, biosketches) required for the grant category to which you’re applying to Hillery Oberle at hillery.oberle@uni.edu.  Please reference the funding category you are applying to in your email subject line. Please do NOT send the proposals by hard copy. 

All items must be received by Hillery Oberle in RSP by 5:00 PM on or before the corresponding deadline date. Late applications will not be considered. 


Review Process

Scholarship Grants
RSP will compile all applications by college and provide them to the respective deans. Deans will give their funding recommendations to Provost to make the final funding decisions. Funding decisions should be made within 10 working days of the application deadline.

Small Scale Project Grants
RSP will evaluate all applications with input from a faculty and staff advisory committee.  For applications proposing grant submissions to the NSF, RSP will give funding recommendations to the UNI NSF EPSCoR Principal Investigator, Joel Haack, who will make the final funding decisions on NSF EPSCoR awards.  For all other applications (non-NSF), RSP will make the final decisions on which projects will be funded.  Recommendations and decisions will be based on the quality of the project or activity proposed (as per the content listed below) and the appropriateness of the external funding opportunity.  Funding decisions should be made within 10 working days of the application deadline.

Large Scale Project Grants
RSP will organize a peer review committee to evaluate and score all applications and make funding recommendations.  Based on those recommendations, RSP will consult with the Provost and make the final decision on which one(s) to fund.  Funding decisions should be made in time for March 1, 2013 project start dates.

Compliance Requirements

Awardees are required to meet all applicable compliance requirements prior to initiating the project.  For example, if human or animal subjects review is required for the project, that process must be completed before the project can move forward.  Applicants planning a December start date are encouraged to take this into account.

Questions

Please direct questions to Anita Gordon, Director of Research Services, at anita.gordon@uni.edu, or Hillery Oberle, Pre-Award Administrator, at hillery.oberle@uni.edu.  All RSP staff can also be reached at 319-273-3217.