GRIN FONTemplate Guidance

The proposal should specify the justification, objectives, technical background, planned activities, methods, and science delivery in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to assess the feasibility and potential success of proposed work.

Proposal bodies (template on attachments tab) exceeding the page limit (5pages) cannot be submitted. The completed document must be converted to pdf prior to attachment. Proposers should ensure that any embedded graphics/pictures properly convert.

Project applications must meet all requirements in the FON. Proposals that do not meet all requirements will not be considered for funding.

  1. Overview

The overview section should include:

  • Problem Statement. Summarize the issue(s) to be addressed and why the project is responsive to the issue.
  • Objectives. Clearly state project objective(s) in measurable terms. This sub-section also should include a brief statement of the hypotheses to be tested or questions to be addressedand a description of the resultant information or product(s) that will be provided at the end of the project.
  • Benefits: Summarize the benefits to be derived from proposed research, including scientific advancements and the deliverables to be provided, audiencestargeted, and mechanisms of delivery.
  • Task Statement Relevancy. Describe how the project objectives, hypotheses, and expected research outcomes directly respond to the task statement’s allowed topic areas. A clear linkage must be demonstrated to at least one of the topic areas.

The Overview section is intended to provide reviewers with concise evidence that the proposal is responsive to the task statement, demonstrates important work, and provides useful outcomes.

Note: The Overview section is used by JFSP for two purposes: to develop a project abstract and to evaluate relevancy to the topics articulated in the task statement. As a result, proposers should cut and paste the first three sub-sections of the Overview—Problem Statement, Objectives, and Benefits—into the Abstract field in the Details tabof the JFSP database and the fourth sub-section—Task Statement Relevancy—into the Task Statement Relevancy field in the Details tab. Both fields are limited to 4000 characters, including spaces. If selected for funding, the Abstract becomes the publicly accessible description of the project.

II.Relation to Approved Thesis or Dissertation Research

Include a brief summary of the student’s approved thesis or dissertation research, as well asa brief summary of proposednew work. Describe the linkage of the proposed work to the existing work. Proposals must build on or extend the student’s approved research plan to be considered.

III.Technical Background

Provide a brief summary in regards to how the current state of the science frames proposed research and methodologies. In this regard, proposers should demonstrate in a concise manner a command of the relevant literature.

  1. Methods

This section should describe procedures proposed for conducting the project in sufficient detail that an expert reviewer could understand and replicate the proposed work.

This section should resemble an abbreviated methods section typically found in research study plans or scientific peer-reviewed journal articles. At a minimum, methods should succinctly describe the following if applicable or appropriate:

  • Conceptual model, as applicable, of system behavior that provides the basis for the proposed study design
  • Study sites
  • How methods tie to specific objectives
  • Protocols for data collection
  • Materials to be used to conduct the investigation
  • Experimental design
  • Sample design, including procedures for sub-sampling
  • Power analyses to justify sample sizes and statistical power
  • Proposedstatistical analysis procedures including response variables, independent variables,andcovariates

If the proposal will use a standard method, e.g., Brown’s fuel transects (Brown 1974), a reference is sufficient; otherwise, please be specific.

Students should ensure this section is sufficiently detailed but succinct. Use tables or graphics when needed to clarify sample sizes, especially when the experimental design is complicated in this regard.

Note: Although not required, the JFSP strongly encourages students toobtain statistical review of your study design prior to proposal submission to ensure the statistical design and methods in the proposal are adequate to accomplish the stated objective(s).

V.Management/Policy Relevance and Science Delivery

Briefly describe how proposed work is relevant to a specific management or policy issue. Proposals must then include a description of how results and products will be effectively exchanged with field managers or other end users, as appropriate.

  1. Project Duration and Timeline

Proposals generally will not be approved for longer than two years. Proposals must clearly state how research activities, including the final report and other deliverables, can be completed within the project term. Proposals should provide a proposed timeline by Gantt chart or other means for the project that identifies the significant milestones to be achieved. The JFSPexpects investigators to outline realistic schedules in their proposals that include reasonable allowances for time likely to be lost to inclement weather and other issues.

Funding by agreements or other appropriate funding transfer documents is typically not available until late summer or later following funding approval decisions by the JFSP Governing Board. Applicants should adjust project schedules accordingly.

VII.Deliverables

Proposals must provide specific details on deliverables that will result from proposed work, along with estimated delivery dates. Use the following deliverable types, as applicable, to complete the Deliverables table in the proposal:

Final Report:

  • A final report must be submitted by all funded projects via the final report tab in the JFSP database by the project end date. Final report guidance is posted on the JFSP web site (
  • For those proposals involving new data collection, generation, or compilation, metadata, in accordance with an approved Data Management Plan, are considered part of the final report submittal. Associated data sets should be provided to the chosen repository within six months of report submittal.

GRIN Task Statement-Specific Deliverables (if applicable; these will be specifically described in the task statement):

  • User guide,model, or decision support tool are examples

All final narrative deliverablesshould include an electronic version suitable for distribution, posting, etc. Descriptions in English units with metric equivalents in parentheses are recommended. Models or decision support tools, if not provided directly to JFSP via the JFSP database, may be provided via links to the web site of the institution at which they are hosted. Proposals should indicate preliminary plans for delivery or hosting.

Annual Progress Summaries:

  • Annual progress summaries are due on September 30 of each year and must be submitted via the JFSP database.
  1. Other Products

The JFSP also encourages all projects to update JFSP periodically on products or activities that are developed ancillary to the project, such as:

  • Book or book chapter
  • Masters thesis
  • Ph.D. dissertation
  • Refereed publication
  • Non-refereed publication
  • Conference/symposia/workshop proceeding
  • Field demonstration/tour summary
  • Invited paper/presentation
  • Poster
  • Photos
  • Training session summary
  • Website development
  • User guides, models, or decision support tools that are not identified as a formal deliverable

Identify any products planned in collaboration with the JFSP Fire Exchange Network. Complete the Other Products table in the proposal as applicable.

ProposalBody Template – GRIN FON

Proposals must use the following template to be considered

Page limit for this template is 5 pages and you must use at least 11 point font

Proposal Title

Principal Investigator Name and Affiliation

Student Investigator Name and Affiliation

I.Overview

<Narrative>

1.Problem Statement

<Narrative>

2.Objectives

<Narrative>

3.Benefits

<Narrative>

  1. Task Statement Relevancy

<Narrative>

II. Relation to Approved Thesis or Dissertation Research

<Narrative>

1.Summary of Existing Work

<Narrative>

  1. Summary of Proposed New Work

<Narrative>

III. Technical Background

<Narrative>

IV. Methods

Note: Investigators may use different subsection headings that are relevant to proposed work.

1.Study Site(s)

<Narrative>

2.Sampling Design

<Narrative>

3.Field Measurements

<Narrative>

4. Data Analysis

<Narrative>

V.Management/Policy Relevance and Science Delivery

<Narrative>

VI. Project Duration and Timeline

Project Milestone / Description / Delivery Dates

VII. Deliverables

<Narrative> (Final report, metadata, and task-statement specific deliverables, if applicable, should be listed in the table below)

Table x. deliverable, description and delivery dates

DeliverableType (see proposal instructions) / Description / Delivery Dates

VIII. Other Products

<Narrative>

Table x. other product, description, and potential availabilitydates

Product Type / Description / Availability Dates