Research Development

2017Proposal Writing Institute

USU’s ResearchDevelopmentdivision will be conducting the ninthannual Proposal Writing Institute in late Spring 2017 to assist researchers in learning to develop high-quality proposals for extramural funding. The Proposal Writing Institute is conducted via a small-group setting allowing for individualized attention and the development of rapport among participants and the various staff members across campus who support them.

Who Can Apply?

USU researchers eager to learn how to write better proposals for external funding of their research are invited to apply.New researchers are especially encouraged but applications are also welcomed fromestablished faculty whomay be less experienced in developing proposalsfor external funding consideration or simply want to improve their efforts.

Institute Overview

Acceptance to participate in the Institute is a competitive process requiring the submission of an application and support of the researcher’s department head/dean/center director.Approximately12 participants will be accepted for the 2017 Institute – each major research college is guaranteed one participant spot, with the remaining participants selected based upon the strength of their applications and the recommendations of theirdepartment heads/deans/center directors.

During the Institute, participants will work on a specific proposal to an extramural funder that must be submitted as a result of the Institute activities. Important considerations in both applying to the Institute and being accepted for participation are the potential for the development of a strong proposal, based on the researcher’s expertise and prior work, and appropriateness of the targeted funding opportunity.

A comprehensive approach to the proposal development process will be achieved during the Institute through presentations, discussions, and small-group activities.Some of the Institute topics include: finding funding; developing a proposal outline from the RFA/RFP and agency guidelines; creating timelines for proposal development; analyzing aims/objectives; building budgets based on project tasks; mock review panel(s); and understanding the proposal submission/resubmission process.

The 2017 Institute will run for 7 half-days (9:00am – 1:00pm) throughout the month of May and into the first of June. Participants will meet on Mondays and Thursdays, with the first session on Monday, May15, ending on Thursday, June 8. There will be no session on Monday, May 29 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

College proposal development specialists serve as the facilitators for the Institute. In addition, faculty members and personnel from various USU offices dealing in matters relating to external funding are involved as the agenda dictates.

Compensation

Participants will be provided $2,500 for their involvement in the Institute. Full attendance of all Institute sessions, completion of proposal-related assignments, and constructive participation in small-group activities is required to receive the first half of the payment ($1,250), which will be processed at the end of the Institute sessions. Participants are expected to write a proposal as the principal investigator (PI) to their targeted external funding agency, solicit a written peer review of the proposal, and submit the proposal for funding consideration. The remaining $1,250 will be paid when a copy of the final proposal, the peer review of the proposal, and proof of submission (approved SP-01 form) are provided by the participant to the Research Development division.

Applications

You must identify the target funding agency and program to which you will ultimately submit your proposal. In addition, you need to summarize your proposal idea and any preliminary work you have doneand arrange for letters of support from your department head/dean/center director as described below.

Proposal Writing Institute applications (item 1 below) must be submitted to your dean’s office who will select and rankno more than 3 applicants and forward the applications to the Research Development division. Your department head/dean/center director must submit his/herletter of support (item 2 below) directly to the ResearchDevelopment division.

Applications received by the Research Development division from the deans’ offices will be reviewed and final participant selections made, with applicant notifications going out in mid-March.

A full application consists of two parts:

  1. A complete Proposal Writing Institute application, including:
  1. Completed and signed Application Cover Sheet
  2. Project Description: A 3 page or less description of the proposal you will be working on during the Institute that includes: 1) a brief description of the project for which you will seek external funding; and 2) the external funding agency and programthe proposal will be submitted to, including why you feel your proposal will be a good fit for the funder and the targeted funding opportunity. It is strongly recommended that before you select a target funding opportunity for your Institute proposal, you contact a program officer to discuss your idea.
  3. Significance to your Career Development: A one-page statement of your expectations as to how participation in the Institute and the proposed project will support and/or enhance your professional development and the goals of the department/college/center/university. Include a summary of your experience with extramural funding to date.

Proposal Writing Institute applications should be submitted to your dean’s office for internal review and ranking.Please check with your dean’s office on its particularinternal submission deadline.

  1. Letters of support (2 letter maximum) from your department head/dean/center director addressing the following:
  1. The scholarly potential of the applicant;
  2. Howparticipation in the Institute and the proposed project will contribute to the applicant’s professional goals and those of the department/college/center/university;
  3. How generating extramural support is essential for the applicant’s career development; and
  4. The research time available to the applicant

Letters of support should be sent directly by your department head/dean/center director in either hard copy formto Research Development in Old Main room 159 (UMC 1450) or electronically to .

A PDF-fillable version of the Proposal Writing Institute application is available at

Questions? Please feel free to contact Jerilyn Hansen, Director of Research Development, at 7-3437 or .

2017Proposal Writing Institute

Application Cover Sheet

Name______

Position/Rank______

Department______UMC______

Campus Phone______Email______

DraftProposal Title______

______

Targeted Funding Agency/Program______

To accompany this application, two letters of support will be sent directlyto the Research Development divisionbefore 5:00pm on Friday, February 10, 2017 from the following people (department head, dean, center director):

Participant Responsibilities:

To participate in the Proposal Writing Institute, I agree to:

Participate in ALL sessions of the Institute and prepare a proposal as the PI for submission to my targeted external funding agency, completing special assignments, contacting funding agency personnel, writing proposal drafts, providing feedback on other participants’ proposals, obtaining a peer review of proposal, and proceeding to complete proposal submission.

Provide an explanation of any conflicts preventing you from participating in any of the scheduled days of the Institute:

Submit the final proposal, along with a peer review of the proposal and proof of submission (approved SP-01 form), to the ResearchDevelopment divisionby April 30, 2018, or as agreed upon with the Director of Research Development.

______

Applicant Signature Date

1450 Old Main Hill / Logan, UT 84322-1450 / PH: (435) 797-3437 / FAX: (435) 797-1367 /