DATE: August 2008
TO: All FSU Faculty
RE: Planning Grant Awards (PGs) 2008 – 2009 Request for Proposals (RFP)

Important Dates and Messages:

• Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 11:59 p.m. This is the CRC’s deadline and it is FIRM, no exceptions; your department or college/school may have imposed an earlier deadline; check with them.
• Award notification, directly to the PI, via email w/attachments, is planned on/about November 6, 2008.
• Award Period aka Performance Dates: December 1, 2008 – November 30, 2009

• Deadline to Apply Electronically: Monday, January 12, 2009, 11:59 p.m. This is the CRC’s deadline and it is FIRM, no exceptions; your department or college/school may have imposed an earlier deadline; check with them.
• A separate deadline for the original Proposal Transmittal Form, with all required signatures in ink, is 4:30 p.m., Monday, January 12, in 109 Westcott.
• Award notification, directly to the PI, via email w/attachments, is planned on/about February 13, 2009.
• Award Period aka Performance Dates: April 1, 2009 – March 31, 2010
• Read all instructions now. Print out a copy of this RFP.

Overview:

The Council on Research and Creativity (CRC) administers several grant programs to support the development of research and creative endeavors by FSU faculty members. These programs, made possible by FSU research-generated funding, aka sponsored research and development (SRAD), have been established to promote faculty scholarship generally, but are also intended to assist and encourage faculty members in seeking additional or continued funding for their endeavors from external sources.

These CRC grant funds can be used only to support research and creative activity.

Herein, the CRC announces the availability of Planning Grants capped at $12,000 each, to FSU faculty for the planning of research. The purpose of this program is to provide the expense funding (which might be research-related travel, stipend for a research assistant, photocopying, and like costs) necessary to perform the preliminary research required for the preparation of grant applications to extramural funding agencies.

Eligibility:

• The CRC will accept proposals from full-time FSU faculty members, or others, listed as eligible to submit proposals (see http://www.research.fsu.edu/contractsgrants/documents/InvestigatorEligibility.pdf).
• Visiting professors, whose only reason for being labeled ‘visiting’ is the expectation that they shortly will attain permanent residency status, are eligible to apply for this award.
• Generally, PIs will not be awarded more than one CRC grant during a fiscal (aka academic) year. Exception: Those faculty who are eligible to apply for the First Year Asst Professor program this year (AY 2008-2009, for Summer 09 funding as a FYAP) may also apply for a Planning Grant in the same academic year.
• Only one application from a PI may be submitted to this PG program per competition round.

Hiatus:

There will be a 2-year hiatus period. Faculty who received a PG award in the fiscal year (FY), aka academic year (AY), 2006-2007 or 2007-2008 will not be eligible for consideration for either competition round this academic year.

Important Notations regarding this PG program to be considered as you prepare your proposal:

• It is the intention of this grant to fund research not already supported by other means. Therefore, faculty who already have a well-recognized, well-funded research program are discouraged from submitting a proposal to this program.
• SRAD funds are invested to support this program with the expectation that successful external proposals will be generated within one year after any award from this program to provide more SRAD funding to the university.
• Proposal elements must be written in clear, concise language so that reviewers from any discipline immediately will be able to understand the scholarly merit of your plan; appropriateness of the research approach and methodology; potential contribution to knowledge or scholarship; likelihood the expected outcomes will be met.
• Evidence of special or non-routine support from the department or college will complement the proposed grant and will be addressed in the Proposal Contents section; see below.
• Reviewers will be following CRC review guidelines and standards for scoring the proposal. The CRC makes final funding decisions based on the number and merit scores of proposals received and funding allocated to the program. Guidelines and standards will be those specifics laid out in these notes and in the proposal text according to the Proposal Contents instructions found later in this RFP.
• The PI is required to choose which discipline-area review group would be the most appropriate for evaluating the proposal, and this requirement is addressed in the Proposal Contents section below.
• Each reviewer will provide 'blind,' electronic feedback, not just a numeric score, which will be shared with the PI and department chair and dean. Reviewer identification will never be known by the PI.

Proposal Preparation Instructions:

Example Proposals: Examples of selected successful proposals are available. Email this program’s coordinator for the instructions to this secure site.

When preparing a proposal to this program, please adhere to all instructions as these make it possible to properly and expeditiously manage the process. Failure to follow instructions may render your proposal unacceptable.

Proposal Text document set-up:

• single-spaced typed pages
• single-sided typed pages
• 11 pt. font with margins no smaller than 1" top, bottom and sides

Proposal Contents

NOTE: Some forms may have been modified. Do not use forms you stored from previous years. Old forms will not be accepted.

A complete PG proposal electronic upload (upload instructions follow later in this RFP) will consist of:

• PG DSR Form 1 Proposal Transmittal Form. You must carefully select either the Fall or Spring document based on deadlines. Open the document. Fill it in electronically; save it to your computer. Print out the saved copy. Sign it as the PI. Take the printout to your department chair and dean for signature; note that they may want to read the proposal and see the budget or other document before signing. Once you have all signatures, scan the document and upload it. If you don’t have a scanner, upload the unsigned document.  Note:  You must also bring the original signed document with ink signatures to the program coordinator for additional processing at least before 4:30 p.m. the day of the electronic deadline (see last page of this RFP for the delivery location).
• Abstract   PDF  OR Word Doc Do not make the abstract any longer than the one page form provided.
• Proposal Text. (See Important Notations section above) The proposal text (usually 10 pages or less; excessive length can be a reason for a reviewer to discount a proposal's merit) will contain separately titled sections on the following. Sections should be numbered to agree with the following format. Do not put each section on a separate document page!
  1. Summary of the research or creative activity proposed and any plans to pursue additional external funding support; specific attention must be paid to responding to the points listed in the Important Notations section above and this section as well.
  2. Description, only somewhat technical, of your proposed project, including scientific or creative objectives, data or materials to be used, methods of analysis or performance of the project, basis for evaluation of results or conclusions, and the importance, significance or contribution of your project to the field;
  3. Statement indicating the amount of progress anticipated during the grant period and the intended schedule for completion of the plan (including start and completion dates), publication, performance, etc. If appropriate, briefly describe program mode before the grant period and subsequent work that will be necessary;
  4. A statement indicating evidence that the PI will receive additional support from the department or college; this special or non-routine support may include, but is not limited to, release time from teaching load, graduate student costs, rehearsal or performance space, support technical assistance, lab space;
     1. A proposed schedule of activities, with a budget explanation, is needed.
  5. Statement indicating how your proposal will decisively or significantly enhance your research as outlined;
  6. List any professional obligations the PI has for the award period;
  7. It is expected that this supported research or creative activity should lead to proposals to external agencies for the further support of your proposal research or performance area.
     1. Summarize information on anticipated outside funding sources to support any follow-up activity, including when possible specific programs, amount of money available in those programs, and other pertinent detail; how this award will enhance the prospects of external funding; and plans for submitting proposals to these agencies or foundations;
  8. What federal/state or other grant applications have you made in the last five years, including CRC or Cornerstone grants? Briefly list them, indicating agency, date applied, status and if funded, what was the award amount? This request would appear to duplicate information required in the Support Document (Current & Pending) form below, and so it does; this duplication is intentional.
  9. Keywords for electronic searches;
  10. Statement indicating which review group you want to read and evaluate your proposal. Choices are, and you must indicate one,
      1. Engineering & Natural Science or
      2. Social Science, Business, Education, Law, Public Affairs, Policy Science or
      3. Humanities, Fine Arts & Creative and Performing Arts, and
  11. Statement indicating your permission to use this proposal as an example of an awarded format in the event it is funded.
  12. Documents such as Animal Use Form, any Human Subject approval documents, any Hazardous Materials approvals, DNA, RNA approvals, must be uploaded behind the Proposal Document. This will NOT count as Proposal Text pages.
• Support Document (aka Current & Pending)  PDF OR  Word Doc
  1. Use this form for listing titles of current or pending funds for research projects indicating by what agency funded and at what monetary level for the last five years (include any CRC or Cornerstone funding)
  2. You must summarize prior CRC or Cornerstone awards, if any, for the last five years indicating the outcome of each, including success/failure in attaining additional internal or external funding.
• Proposal Budget   PDF  OR Excel Doc
  1. Use this form to outline your budget plan
     1. Faculty salary is not allowed under this program.
     2. Equipment purchases are strongly discouraged under this program.
     3. Any use of these funds in support of student salary must have the required fringe benefits and any tax considerations deducted from the total award; do not exceed $12,000.
     4. We encourage you to request and justify the full available award amount; there is no advantage to you by submitting a ‘lower bid’ so to speak.
  2. The CRC does NOT support tuition or matriculation fees in its awards. Make certain to select the correct Waiver in Section 43 of the Proposal Transmittal (DSR) Form. Waiver 1 will be the default if no tuition or matriculation fees are being supported.
  3. The CRC will support a stipend for a student hired on this grant; stipend only.
  4. Account close out will automatically occur within 60 days following the award period end date. See also Payback Circumstances later in this RFP.
• Curriculum vita PDF OR  Word Doc
  1. Use this form indicating the PIs name, history of employment, publications, grants and awards (including any FSU awards), and other data pertinent only to the research or activity proposed in this submission.

Research Compliance Notes:

• Research activities requiring compliance review and approvals (human or animal subjects, DNA, RNA, hazardous materials or marine lab facilities for example) will require the completion and submission of appropriate forms seeking approval for such research BEFORE such research is attempted and BEFORE any award funds are released to the PI. See human subjects website, site for animal research information, site for Environmental Health & Safety or SRS forms page for other compliance requirements which may apply to your research or performance plan.
• Also see new note above, item #12, under Proposal Text.

Special Notes:

• No-Cost Time Extension. To request a no-cost time extension, no later than 30 days prior to the current award period end date, send a detailed email to Jan Townsend at jtownsend@fsu.edu indicating (1) why you need this extension and (2) suggesting a new award period end date. The CRC will consider your request and advise you by return email. It is possible that the CRC may need to discuss this request with your department chair or dean before rendering a decision.
• For additional advice on preparation of this proposal, PIs should consult colleagues who have been successful in CRC funding competitions.

How to Electronically Submit a PG Proposal:

You Must Use:

• the CRC/CS Online System.  The CRC has its own process and is NOT part of OMNI workflow.
• DO NOT SUBMIT A PROPOSAL INTO OMNI FOR THIS PROGRAM.  If you mistakenly submit a proposal into OMNI for this program, you must email jtownsend@fsu.edu with the Proposal ID Number so that she can locate the proposal and take the necessary action.

The CRC and Cornerstone programs utilize a special on-line proposal submission process which provides

• an electronic method for submitting your proposal to the program administrator (Jan Townsend),
• an electronic method for the administrator to assign those proposals to reviewers, and
• an electronic method whereby those reviewers can submit their evaluation score and comments regarding the proposal back to the program administrator.

This office, acting as in the role of an agency (similar to NSF, NEH or NIH) will require that you submit your proposal through the CRC/CS On-Line Proposal Submission process. You do not need special training to use the CRC/CS On-Line system. It is only through this process that your proposal will be accessible to reviewers so that evaluations can be recorded and funding recommendations made, and perhaps awarded.

To begin the process, you will need to completely read the instructions in this announcement. Prepare and save the various proposal elements in your computer. See Proposal Contents section above for specific forms required for submissions.

Once you have done this, then go to https://submissions.research.fsu.edu and follow the simple instructions.

1. If you have completed a PROFILE for the CRC/CS Online process in the past, DO NOT make a new PROFILE. Go right to #3. If you have never submitted a proposal through our system, first make a PROFILE so our database will know who you are.
2. Start the Submit a New Proposal process by answering all the questions and uploading all the required elements.
3. You will have an opportunity to submit/store/save your proposal and update/edit it until the posted deadline for the program.
4. You will receive an email confirmation of your proposal submission, even in its initial form, providing you with a login name and passcode so that you can revisit your proposal in the CRC/CS system until you are satisfied that it is final, or the deadline is reached, whichever comes first!

You should note that proposals received after the deadline will not be processed and incomplete proposals will not be accepted, so please revisit your proposal to make certain it is complete before the deadline.

CRC Required Reports

Within 30 days of the close of the award period, the awarded PI will be asked to electronically report the results of this funding, plans for the next phase of research and the submissions of external proposals resulting from this award. This report is required. The PI will be sent an email reminder with directions to the website for filing the report and the required login information. This award will be followed via this report process for two years beyond the award year.

Payback Circumstances

• PIs who later find that they have funding from another source for similar or same support are requested to decline acceptance of this award so that funds can be redirected to provide support for other applicants who would otherwise go unfunded.
• Deans and department chairs note:
  • In the event the PI resigns from FSU prior to Fall 2009 or Spring 2010 for those awarded the Spring round, the awardee's dean or department chair has the responsibility of notifying the CRC's program coordinator. Any expense support received by the PI from this program prior to an effective resignation date from FSU must be repaid to the CRC by the PI, the dean or the department chair.
  • Sixty (60) days after the award period ends, if it is determined by the program coordinator that an award has a positive balance, the CRC will reclaim the unused portion of this SRAD project. Conversely, if sixty (60) days after the award period ends, the award appears overexpended, has a negative balance of more than $100, the program coordinator will contact the designated departmental representative via email to review the records and then make arrangements for the proper transfer of the negative balance to another of the department’s SRAD projects.
  • If there is no response from the department after the required email notification, the Office of the Vice President for Research will deduct any negative balance from the departmental SRAD account. If there are insufficient funds in the departmental SRAD account, the department’s E&G or future SRAD distribution will be tapped for the negative balance. Department chair and dean will be notified via email.

  Questions?

  Jan Townsend, Program Coordinator – CRC and Cornerstone -- Office of the Vice President for Research, Florida State University, 109 Westcott Building, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1330 Direct line: 850.644.8636 jtownsend@fsu.edu.