RESEARCH GROWTH INITIATIVE® 11.0APPLICANT WORKSHOPSEPTEMBER 18, 2015

PROPOSAL DEADLINE:OCTOBER 26, 2015

9:00AM

OVERVIEW

1. What is the UWM Research Growth Initiative?

2. Review Process

3. Preparing The Application

4. Tips for Developing Your Project Narrative

5. Q&A

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WHAT IS THE RGI?

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WHAT IS THE RGI?

Internal seed funding program Intended for early stages of projects

Examples:– Data collection

– Archival work

– Establishing proof-of concept

Open to all disciplinesExternal referees evaluate the proposals

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RGI PROGRAM GOALS

Increase research productivity, scholarship, and creative endeavors

Increase external funding – expected to submit extramural proposals totaling at least 3 times the seed funding• Research grants – national/state/local agencies and

foundations

• Fellowships

• University/industry partnerships

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SUPPORTED PROJECTS

Lead to competitive proposals for external funding

Lead to self-sustaining research

Have an 18-month time frame or less

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ELIGIBILITY

UWM faculty and staff with Principal Investigator status and expectation of continuing appointment

May have external collaborators, but lead PI must be from UWM

Lead PIs may submit only one proposal• May be Co-PI on any other proposals

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INELIGIBLE PERSONS

Do not have UWM Principal Investigator status

Will not have continuing appointment (e.g. accept position at another institution)

Received RGI award as a PI in the last two years (funding began July 2014 or July 2015)

Did not submit final reports for past RGI, Research Committee, or FRACAS awards

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UWM RESEARCH FOUNDATION CATALYST GRANTS AND RGI GRANTS

Please inform Kathleen Koch if you will be submitting the same proposal to both programs

The same reviews may be used for both programs, and

The RGI award may be reduced by the amount of the Catalyst Award

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FUNDING CYCLE

Deadline: Monday, Oct. 26 at 9:00am

Final review: Jan.-Feb. 2016

Award announcement: mid-April 2016

Funds available: July 2016

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RGI WEBSITE

RGI.UWM.EDU

Description of the program

Link to full RFP

Link to Online Application (budget spreadsheet is only available through the application)

List of past award recipients

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REVIEW PROCESS

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REVIEW PROCESS

Use external reviewers – start with your suggestions

• Nationally recognized in field of expertise related to your work

• Previous review experience

We seek two reviews for each proposal

You will receive ratings and comments

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EXTERNAL REVIEWERSCONFLICT OF INTEREST

COI for RGI is any of the following:

• Known family relationship

• Business or professional partnership

• Past or present association as thesis advisor or thesis student

• Collaboration or co-authorship with you or co-PIs within the last two years

• Competitive concerns

• Having read the RGI proposal at the request of the PI or co-PIs

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REVIEW CRITERIA

Review criteria:

• Significance

• Work Plan

• Potential for External Funding

• Resources

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REVIEW CRITERIA

Significance

The potential of the project to build upon and advance established knowledge or the state-of-the-art

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REVIEW CRITERIA

Work Plan

Description of activities, methods, role of personnel, rationale for approach, assessment measures

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REVIEW CRITERIA

Potential for External Funding

Sources for sustaining the project beyond the seed funding period

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REVIEW CRITERIA

Resources

People, space, equipment, access to collections or sites, budget

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RATING SCALE

Rating scale for all criteria

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1 2 3 4 5

Very high

High Medium Medium Low

Low

AWARD SELECTION

Based on ratings and comments Awards will comprise a balanced portfolio across

disciplines Applicants with prior RGI awards:

• Significant factors include performance in meeting prior projects’ milestones and deliverables, and submission of outcome reports.

Applicants with extramural awards:• Preference given to those who have made regular expenditures

on the awards.

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PREPARING THE APPLICATION

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APPLICATION COMPONENTS

1. Online application - Required

2. Project narrative (PDF) - Required

3. Biosketches (PDF) - Required

4. RGI budget spreadsheet (Excel) – Required

5. Letters of collaboration (PDF) - OptionalRGI.UWM.EDU 23

ONLINE APPLICATION Link to the application is on the RGI website: www.rgi.uwm.edu

Fill in or copy/paste:

Keywords Project abstract Potential External Funding Timeline: Milestones and deliverables Access to Needed Resources Suggested reviewers (at least four) Budget justification

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ONLINE APPLICATION

Upload:

Biosketches

Budget spreadsheet

Letters of collaboration (optional)

Project narrative

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BIOSKETCHES

Format

• Maximum four pages each

• May use NSF or NIH format

• One-inch margins

• 11-point font in Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Georgia (or LaTeX equivalent)

• Upload in PDF format

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BIOSKETCHES Required Content

• Professional Preparation

• Appointments

• Current and pending support

• Publications

Optional Content, But Helpful• Commercialization experience

• Collaborators, co-authors, co-editors

• Graduate advisors and post-doctoral sponsors

• Thesis advisor and postgraduate-scholar sponsor

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RGI BUDGET SPREADSHEET

Available through the online application Must use current year’s RGI budget spreadsheet Download and save to computer to complete Upload to online application to submit Do not use UWM Budget Development Tool

• Tuition calculation is different

• RGI grants do not include indirect costs

• Online application system will reject anything other than the current RGI spreadsheet

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RGI BUDGET – ALLOWED EXPENSES

UWM Personnel: RAs, post-docs, student hourly

Capital expenditures (expenses that cost $10,000+)

• 50% cost-sharing required

Materials, supplies, publication costs

Purchase of services (e.g., consultants, user fees)

Travel

Faculty may request one course release

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RGI BUDGET – INELIGIBLE EXPENSES

Summer salary for UWM PIs and Co-PIs

Sabbatical salary

Direct salary payments for non-UWM collaborators• All external work must be done on a fee-for-service

basis

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LETTERS OF COLLABORATION

Optional

Primarily intended for• Directors of facilities that will be used in the project• External participants who are integral to the project• UWM collaborators who are not listed on the budget

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PROJECT NARRATIVE

Format• Maximum 6 pages, including figures and tables

• References begin on page 7

• One-inch margins

• 11-point font in Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Georgia, or LaTeX equivalent

• Enter the project title as a header

• Upload in PDF format

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TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR PROJECT NARRATIVE

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PROJECT NARRATIVE - CONTENT

Background

• Articulate the research question

• Provide theory, framework

Significance of Project

• Why does this matter? Why should this research be done?

• Innovations, contributions to the field, broader impact

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PROJECT NARRATIVE - CONTENT

Project Description• Specific hypothesis, aims, methods; include measurement tools

and benchmarks for success

• Obstacles to completion and alternative approaches

• Contribution/roles of team members

Context/sustainability• Where does this project fit in your overall research agenda

• What is the next phase of the project after seed funding

Figures

Bibliography

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SUCCESSFUL PROPOSALS…

Seek answers to significant questions

Take innovative and justified approach

Are placed in the context of the discipline

Have a clearly articulated and integrated research plan

Are methodologically sound

Show attention to detailRGI.UWM.EDU 36

COMMONLY CITED PROPOSAL WEAKNESSES

Insufficient detail in describing approach to problem“This is an intriguing idea, but is not described in sufficient detail to give confidence in the outcomes.”

Insufficient rationale for the need for the study“What is missing is the motivation for doing this work. What new things will be learned in this important field?”

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COMMONLY CITED PROPOSAL WEAKNESSES

Insufficient rationale for approach

“It is unclear why the proposed methods would be particularly effective for the problem under study.”

Failure to demonstrate awareness of research or other activities in this field.

“The proposal is missing some important references.”

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PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

1. Complete Online Application

2. Upload completed RGI Budget form (Excel)

3. Upload completed Project Narrative (PDF)

4. Upload Biosketches (PDF)

5. Upload Letters of Collaboration (optional) (PDF)

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PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

6. Select SUBMIT PROPOSAL button in the online application

7. Submission is FINAL – cannot make changes

8. Proposal automatically routes to Dept. Chair and Dean/Associate Dean for electronic approval

9. WISPER records are NOT required

10.Deadline: Monday, October 26, 2015 at 9:00am

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CONTACTS

Administrative MattersKathleen Koch: kjk@uwm.edu; 229-3699

Technical MattersShane Dunlap: jsdunlap@uwm.edu; 229-3160

Proposal DevelopmentKari Whittenberger-Keith: kariwk@uwm.edu

Michelle Schoenecker: schoene7@uwm.edu

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WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR:

“…a very well structured and argued proposal with a high likelihood of success.”

“It is difficult to identify a particular change that would improve the quality of the proposal.”

“Overall, this is an exciting and well-written proposal from a talented new faculty member. . . . Great potential for a RO1 proposal!”

“The statement on the proposal’s significance . . . not only justifies the project fully, but renders it compelling on a national level.”

“The project will

increase the

national

competitiveness

of UWM in this

field.”

“Therationale,aims, and

methods are outstanding.”

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RESEARCH GROWTH INITIATIVE 11.0APPLICANT WORKSHOPSEPTEMBER 18, 2015

Q & A