How to Prepare a
General University Research (GUR)
Proposal
Presented by
Leigh Botner, Director
Research Development Office
October 17, 2013
Learning Objectives
http://www.udel.edu/research
1
We will review
•How to prepare a successful GUR
•Campus staff available to assist
•Available web and educational resources
Passionate Ideas
Before you start to write…
Clarify your ideas and develop a clear, concise hypothesis
Develop your objectives and aims
Determine what question(s) you will address
Define the specific experiments/scholarly processes that will test your hypothesis or expand an important idea
Define measurable and realistic outcomes
Identify methods most likely to achieve those outcomes
Be able to articulate credibility and capacity to conduct the project
http://www.udel.edu/research 2
Application Instructions/Guidelines
Different sponsors call them different names
• Use the most current program announcement
• Guidelines are the best source of information about the program, the application expectations, and the review criterion.
• Read them before you start the application, read them again in process and read them again as you prepare to submit
• Keep a copy of the guidelines for your files
• Some large programs also offer webinars
http://www.udel.edu/research 3
GUR Eligibility
General University Research (GUR) grants support full-time faculty for individual
research and professional development
1. First priority is given to untenured, tenure-track, early career faculty members
with research scholarly or creative projects
2. Special consideration is given to projects which:
– Are not sufficiently developed to justify external support
– Promises to expand scholarly endeavors & increase future productivity
– Due to small budget or nature of project would have difficulty in obtaining
external support
– Require additional support to complete an ongoing project
3. Requests for funds to cover fees to attend research institutes or other formal
research study programs will also be considered
4 http://www.udel.edu/research
GUR Restrictions
• No restriction on the number of GUR awards received by an
individual faculty member
– Applicants are NOT eligible to submit if he/she has received an
award between June 2011 and June 2013
– Applicants who received a GUR award prior to June 2011 must
submit all delinquent final progress reports prior to applying
http://www.udel.edu/research 5
GUR Due Dates and Submission Process
http://www.udel.edu/research 6
Requires two online submissions
Date Tasks Details
Full proposal November 8
Must be emailed to Dept. Admin. for entry into the UD Grants System (PeopleSoft) and proposal approval summary (PAS) webform routed to appropriate individuals
Routing is to include PI, Department Chair, College Dean and OSP) Chair’s recommendation Due (November 22) to Applicable Dean
December 6
Full proposal due to RO Sponsored Programs Office via PeopleSoft and Approved PAS Webform
College Overview of Submissions from Applicable Dean Due via email to [email protected]
December 13 Email Acknowledgement from the RO of Receipt of Proposal & Admin Review
Full proposal December 20
Full proposal must be uploaded by the faculty member into the GUR reviewer database by December 20 (faculty member will receive link and uploading instructions from [email protected] once Attachment 2 has been received from Dean)
Who is my Dept. Admin?
http://www.udel.edu/research 7
http://www.udel.edu/research/about/directory.html
Resources for Dept. Admins.
GUR- PEOPLESOFT PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT AND AWARD SET-UP
• http://www.udel.edu/research/training/peoplesoftgrants.html
• Sponsor ID: 0921
• Purpose: RSCH6- University Sponsored Research
• Budget:
– Requested amount entered as direct costs
– Applicable cost share entered from department and/or college
– F&A Pricing Setup
• Choose Industrial Research On Campus for the rate type and overwrite the
F&A rate to zero
– No 1% effort required as cost share for PIs.
• Routing of PAS is to include PI, Department Chair, College Dean and Office of
Sponsored Programs.
http://www.udel.edu/research 8
GUR Formatting Requirements
• Use the 2013/2014 GUR Grant Application format found at
http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/funding.html
• Single spaced with 1 inch margins
• Use 11 point font- Times New Roman
• Application page limit= 5 (cover page & project description)
• Reference citations should immediately following the project description
– Appendices: REQUIRED
Attachment 1: Budget and justification (2 page limit)
Attachment 2: Past GUR progress reports and/or copy
of closely related external proposals
**Letters of support and/or collaboration/commitment- Not allowed
• Pay particular attention to section page limits for:
– Significance of the Proposed Work- ½ page max
– Description of Proposed Research/Scholarly Activity- 1 ½ page max
– Additional Information in Support of Proposal- 1 page max
http://www.udel.edu/research 9
Side-by-Side Comparison of Major GUR Writing Components and Review Criteria
http://www.udel.edu/research 10
Side-by-Side Comparison of Major GUR Writing Components and
Review Criteria
Application Components Five Faculty Senate Review Criteria Dean's Overall Summary
Educational Background RO will assign default eligibility rankings
Relevant Publications -Untenured tenure track Asst. Professors =10
Professional and/or Research Experience -Senior faculty projects= 6
Significance of Proposed Work Significance of the Problem/Quality of the Idea Relevance to Field
Description of Proposed Research or Scholarly Activities Adequacy of the Research Plan Overall Quality
- Specific Aims/Goals & Objectives
- Methodology: Study Design/Work Plan/Argument for Scholarly Activity
-Target population for Empirical Research/Target Publications
-Data Analysis Plan/Evaluation
-Timeline of Activities (Should align with Budget and Justification) Justification of Resources/Appropriateness of Timeline
Benefits Expected Promise of Development/Potential for Outside Funding
Plans for Submission of the Project to other Funding Sources
Current and Pending Research Support
Previous GUR Grants
Results Obtained on Previous GUR Grants
Additional Information in Support of Proposal
Attachment 1: Budget and justification Justification of Resources/Appropriateness of Timeline
Project Budget and Period
• Typical maximum- $6,000 but exceptionally well justified proposals could be
considered at higher amounts based on individual merit
• Supports such costs as:
– Technical assistance
– Equipment
– Supplies
– Travel
– Graduate student research assistant stipends plus fringe benefits
– Faculty summer stipends (fellowships- no fringe benefits)
• Maximum budget allocation for salaries is $5,000
• Cost sharing is not required
• Project duration= 24 months (June 1, 2014- May 31, 2016)
11 http://www.udel.edu/research
GUR Specific Budget Advice
• Use Attachment 1 as template
• PI’s may request summary salary stipends (max. $5K or 1/9 of AY
salary, whichever is less)- No fringe benefits
• Fringe Benefits (other than PI)
– Fringe Benefit Rates for 7/1/13 until amended may be found
under UD Proposal Guide on the RO website
– http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/proposalguide.html
http://www.udel.edu/research 12
Who are the GUR reviewers?
http://www.udel.edu/research 13 http://www.facsen.udel.edu/sites/viewcomm.aspx?id=14
How is GUR
Review
Conducted?
VPR, Chair of Faculty Senate Research
Committee and I just met in October to
discuss the process and the number of
new members
Research Committee will be convened in
November to discuss the review
process
RO will review all proposals for administrative compliance
•Applicants failing to follow total page limits, section limits and failing to include required attachments will be returned
•Applicants will have one week to correct the applications and resubmit into the Reviewer Database
RO will create default rankings for
eligibility in the reviewers’ access
database and upload College Overview
http://www.udel.edu/research 14
How is Review Conducted?
January 2014: Reviewers will asked to conduct online reviews by end of Jan
February 2014: Entire committee will physically meet to discuss online rankings, online comments and funding available to be distributed. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Research Committee will provide the VPR with a list of recommended awardees. Final decisions are made by VPR.
March 2014: Awards Announced
June 2014: Funding available as of June 1, 2014
http://www.udel.edu/research 15
The Good News!
GUR Overall Success Rates are High!
AY 2006/07 – 2011/13
http://www.udel.edu/research 16
Applications received: 203
Awards: 155
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Agriculture &Natural
Resources
Arts &Sciences
Earth, Ocean &Environment
Engineering HealthSciences
Business &Economics
Education &Human
Development
5
138
2 0
11
32
15
3
107
1 0
10
25
9
GUR Overall Success Ratio
Applications
Awards
What happens when I get the award?
By signing the award letter you agree to
the terms and conditions described
in the guidelines
Agree to submit a final progress report within 90 dates after the
end of the project period to [email protected] using the
format available at
http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/gur-guidelines.html
May need to submit a modified budget
through PS to match the amount of the
award
Work with your Dept. Admin.
http://www.udel.edu/research 17
What happens when I get the award?
• See FAQ for details: http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/gur-faq.html
May request re-allocation of funds between budget
categories or request a no cost extension, if
applicable
• Refer to “GUR Spending Procedure” in guidelines Dept. Admin can assist you with all necessary
expenses
http://www.udel.edu/research 18
Charlie Riordan Vice Provost for
Research
Research Office
19
UD’s Research Development Network
Leigh Botner Research
Development
Daniel Flynn College of
Health
Sciences
Janine
Sherrier College of
Agriculture &
Natural
Resources
Doug
Doren College of
Arts & Sciences
Mohsen Badiey
College of
Earth, Ocean &
Environment
Joan Buttram College of
Education &
Human
Development
Kristi Kiick College of
Engineering
Bintong
Chen College of
Business
Assoc. Provost
Research Development
Position Currently Vacant
New Faculty Research Orientation
Thursday, November 7th
from 3pm-5pm, in the Perkins
Student Center Gallery Room
This event will provide you
with an opportunity to meet the
Research Deans, your
colleagues and the research
administrators.
http://www.udel.edu/research 20
Finding Funding Opportunities
Research Office Website
21
http://www.udel.edu/research
External Funders of Sponsored Research
and Scholarly Activities
• Government Agencies (Federal and State)
• Foundations (Private, Public, and Corporate)
• Public Charities and Other Nonprofit Associations
• Corporations
22
Important to consider multiple types
Important to understand how the review
process differs for each
http://www.udel.edu/research
Finding Funding Opportunities
Research Office Website
23
http://www.udel.edu/research
http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/funding.html
COS PIVOT Questions/Training:
Contact Carol Rudisell at [email protected]
or 302-831-6942
Proposal Preparation Assistance
Research Office Website
Office of Graduate & Professional Education
24
www.udel.edu/research
Researcher’s Toolbox
http://www.udel.edu/research 25
UD Proposal Guide
http://www.udel.edu/research/researchers/index.html
Staff Directory
Corporate and Foundation Relations
26
Works in
partnership
with RO Contact
Donna Tivald
302-831-3125
http://www.udel.edu/research http://http://www.udel.edu/giving/cfr.html
Hard to Find Proposal Resources www.udel.edu/research
Select For Researchers
Select UD Proposal Guide
• Writing Resources-
http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/proposal-writing.html
• Data Management Plan Resources-
http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/datamanagement.html
• Guidance for Preparing a Post Doc Mentoring Statement
– http://www.udel.edu/research/preparing/proposalguide.html
– Scroll down to bottom of page
– Select UD Proposal Guide FAQ (#8)
http://www.udel.edu/research 27
Resources at UD’s Library Research Guide
• Foundation Directory Online
• http://www2.lib.udel.edu/database/fdo.html
• Community of Science (COS-Pivot) – Funding
Opportunities
• http://www2.lib.udel.edu/database/cospivot.html
• Federal Grant Opportunities
• http://www.grants.gov/
Contact: Carol Rudisell, UD Librarian
http://www.udel.edu/research
Research Funding Workshops
Co-sponsored by the Morris Library & RO
• Research Funding Online- Faculty
– November 6, 2013
• Research Funding Online- Graduate Students
– October 30, 2013
Time: 10 a.m.- noon
Location: Morris Library, Instruction Room 116A
Seating is limited and registration is required.
– http://guides.lib.udel.edu/content.php?pid=338798&sid=2857540
http://www.udel.edu/research 29