FACULTY RESEARCHFUND
Application Criteria andProcedures
Purpose
The A-StateFaculty Research Fund provides financial support (seed money) for faculty efforts toconductpilot or feasibility studies or pursue creative expression. These funds should encouragescholarlyactivitiestoprepareforapplicationtostate,federal,foundation,orotherlargerfundingopportunities.
Administration
Proposals are submitted to Research & Technology Transfer (RTT) and reviewed by theFacultyResearch Awards Committee (FRAC). FRAC is composed of one faculty member from eachacademiccollege, a representative from the Council of Chairs, and the Associate Vice Chancellorfor Research. Thecurrentcommittee roster is available on the RTT website. Proposals from each college will be presentedanddescribed to FRAC by the representative from that college. Therefore, applicants arestronglyencouraged to consult with their representative before submitting a proposal. Make sureyourrepresentative understands yourproposal.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are those who hold tenure-track faculty appointments. Funds are intendedtoprovide "seed" grants, therefore preferential consideration will be given to applicants whousedprevious grants to expand their scholarly activities beyond the funded activity, or to obtainoutsidefunding, or who are first time recipients. In the evaluation process, extra consideration will begivenfor each of the following categories: (1) a first time recipient to the fund; (2) a non‐tenuredapplicant;
(3)an applicant who has not received this award for at least 10 years. Only one proposal perPrincipalInvestigator (PI) will be considered by the committee. A committee member who has submitteda proposal will be replaced for the purposes of evaluating that year’sproposals.
Use ofFunds
Useisgenerallyunrestrictedaslongasitdirectlyrelatestoresearchorcreativeexpression.Duetolimited funding, computer equipment is not normally funded. FRAC recommends thefollowingguidelines:
*No funding to support activities normally supported by academicdepartments;
*Inclusion of students in the project isencouraged;
*PIs cannot receive wages and benefits from FRAC funds during the academic year, but summer months are allowable;
*If presenting the research, travel to conferences may be eligible forfunding.
These guidelines are not absolute, and FRAC will consider allsubmissions.SubmissionProcess
The proposal must be signed by the applicant's chair and dean and must be received by RTT by5:00
p.m.on the date listed on the RTT website. Contact RTT for additional information,x2694.
ProposalFormat
The following proposal format isrequired.
1.CoverSheet-Completethecoversheetelectronically.Includeanabstractof300orfewerwords.Abstract should be appropriate for publication on the RTT website. Handwritten forms willbereturned without review. *Electronic signatures will beaccepted.
2.Narrative – Provide a four‐page project narrative. Page limit includes all tables and graphics butdoes not include references which may be attached on a separate page. Please minimize the use ofhighlytechnicallanguage,andexpressideasinlanguageandgraphicsaccessibletofacultyoutsidethefield.Be concise andinclude:
a.Scope (what), significance (why), and objectives (how) of theproject;
b.Brief review of related work by Pl and/or others, including theoreticalframework;
c.Methodology/Plan of work, including analysis plan or evaluation/assessmentplan;
d.Timeline of activities from initiation tocompletion,
e.Dissemination plan, including plans for state, regional and/or nationaldissemination;
f.ImpactofthisprojectonabilityofPItoobtainfutureexternalfunding(specifyplansforstate,regional & national fundingproposals).
3.Reference List.
4.Budget – Provide a one-page detailed budget with justification for costs.
5.Curriculum Vita - Provide a CV (limited to 4 pages) for the applicant (templates available at:
6.Supplementary Information – Unless a project qualifies for exemption, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is necessary prior toanyexpenditureoffunds.IfIACUCorIRBapplicationhasalreadybeenapprovedpleaseattachapprovalletter. No other supplementary materials will beaccepted.
EvaluationCriteria
Each proposal will be evaluated on the merits of items 2.a. - f. above, appropriateness ofrequested budget to proposed scope of work, and appropriateness of the PI's qualifications and previousresearch experiences for successfully completing theproject.
AwardPeriod
Decisions on awards will be made before the end of the Spring semester. Funding becomes availableandmust be spent during the following fiscal year: July 1 through June30.
A FINAL REPORT must be submitted to RTT by July 31 immediately following the close of the fiscalyear of the award. Failure to provide the report in a timely manner will make the PI ineligible for future FRAC funding. The report should include an abstract for publication on the RTT website and abrief(approx. 2 page) summary of: 1) the research/scholarship plan, 2) outcomes, and 3) plans tofurther theactivities.
FACULTY RESEARCH FUND
Application Cover
Fiscal Year
Principle Investigator: ______Dept:______
E-Mail: ______Phone:______
Other Investigators:______
Proposal Title:______
Have you received funding in the past? _____YES _____NO If yes, how many times? ______
Date of last award: ______Are you tenured?_____ YES _____NO
Indicate scholarly activities or external applications since previous funding. Attach additional pages if necessary.
Proposed Budget
Funds RequestedFunds from Other Sources
Stipends$______$______
Travel$______$______
Supplies & Materials$______$______
Other (Specify)$______$______
TOTAL REQUEST$______
Signature of Applicant: ______Date: ______
Signature of Department Chair: ______Date: ______
Signature of Collegiate Dean: ______Date: ______
Committee Member Evaluation:______Scope & Significance
______Relevance
______Objectives / ______Methodology
______Results
______Budget / ______Contribution
______Dissemination Plan
______TOTAL