1 Research Growth Initiative® 13.0Proposal Deadline: October 24, 2017 5:00:00 Pm
2 Program Quick View and Goals Review Process Preparing The Application Overview Program Quick View and Goals Review Process Preparing The Application Tips for Developing Your Project Narrative rgi.uwm.edu
3 RGI Quick VIEW and GOALSrgi.uwm.edu
4 Internal seed funding program Intended for early stages of projectsWhat 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 disciplines External referees evaluate the proposals rgi.uwm.edu
5 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 rgi.uwm.edu
6 Lead to competitive proposals for external funding Supported Projects Lead to competitive proposals for external funding Lead to self-sustaining research Have an 18-month time frame or less (personnel funded for 12 months only) If you’re in an area that has absolutely no external funding opportunities, this isn’t a good fit If you can complete your entire project in a year to 18 months, it’s not a good candidate for this program rgi.uwm.edu
7 OTHER INTERNAL FundingResearch and Creative Activities Support (RACAS) awards programs/#racas_program Application deadline Monday, November 20, 5:00 PM Arts and Humanities Research Travel Support Applications accepted year-round programs/#travel_award rgi.uwm.edu
8 Review PRocess It may seem strange to start with the review process, but later as we look at the application components, you can be thinking about how they fit with the review criteria rgi.uwm.edU
9 RGI uses external reviewers – we start with your suggestionsReview Process RGI uses external reviewers – we start with your suggestions Nationally recognized in field of expertise related to your work Previous review experience We seek three reviews for each proposal You will receive ratings and comments For reviewers - we start with your suggestions (minimum of six). You will enter their names and contact info in the online application. We look at their websites for grant and review experience. “Stature” is important, but they still need to have appropriate expertise in the specific area(s) of the proposal. Every year we have people decline because they don’t feel qualified to review. RGI has an average 22% funding rate (349 awards out of 1,564 applications)– not bad, but even if you don’t receive an award, there is value in the comments. rgi.uwm.edu
10 External reviewers Conflict of interestCOI 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 We contact four who appear qualified starting mid-November. If at least three haven’t accepted by mid-December, we will ask for more names. (average 54% acceptance rate, and 8% attrition rate) You may send a list of those we should NOT contact to You should check with your co-PIs regarding COI with your suggested reviewers. Every year, we have people decline our invitation because they have a conflict according to our guidelines. rgi.uwm.edu
11 Review criteria: review CRITERIA Significance Work PlanPotential for External Funding Resources rgi.uwm.edu
12 Review criteria Significance The potential of the project to build upon and advance established knowledge or the state-of-the-art Your idea doesn’t have to be completely novel, but it does need to advance knowledge or make improvements on practice in the field rgi.uwm.edu
13 Description of activities Methods Role of personnel REVIEW criteria Work Plan Description of activities Methods Role of personnel Rationale for approach Assessment measures In conjunction with the other application components, your work plan should cover who, what, where, why, when, and how Need to provide sufficient detail for someone else to evaluate what you propose to do, understand why you made the choices you did, and understand how you will be able to evaluate the outcomes or results rgi.uwm.edu
14 Potential for External FundingREVIEW criteria Potential for External Funding Sources for sustaining the project beyond the seed funding period RGI is seed funding. How are you going to continue the project beyond this phase? Need to think about appropriate agencies and foundations, and their program budget and award caps. You need to have reasonable expectation of applying for 3X the award value if your external proposals are funded; doesn’t all have to be from one source. The funder doesn’t have to be a federal agency. One of the best returns on investment from past proposals came from someone in Film who sought and obtained small grants from around a dozen different foundations and agencies. rgi.uwm.edu
15 Access to collections or sites BudgetREVIEW criteria Resources People Space Equipment Access to collections or sites Budget And finally, resources. Your idea is good, your plan for developing or testing that idea is clear, valid, and feasible. Do you have the right resources in place - either through purchase or permission? Does the project leader (and team if applicable) have the appropriate training and experience to successfully complete the proposed work? Does the team bring complementary and integrated expertise to the project? Is the budget reasonable? (not too much, not too little, either) rgi.uwm.edu
16 Rating scale for all criteria1 2 3 4 5 Very high High Medium Medium Low Low Same as last year rgi.uwm.edu
17 Award Selection Based on ratings and commentsAwards will comprise a balanced portfolio across disciplines Applicants with prior RGI awards: Will take into consideration 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 The main factor in making awards is the proposal rating, but there are other factors that we look at – a balanced portfolio, and performance on past awards rgi.uwm.edu
18 Preparing the applicationrgi.uwm.edu
19 APPLICANT EligibilityUWM 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 To apply You must have expectation of a continuing appointment You must have Principal Investigator status. Faculty, and Academic Staff with the Scientist title, automatically have PI status; others with continuing appointments can apply for PI status You can only submit one proposal as lead PI Lead PI must be at UWM External collaborations are possible, but you have to think about how external partners will be compensated. These grants do not allow external salary payments. rgi.uwm.edu
20 Do not have UWM Principal Investigator status Ineligible Persons Do not have UWM Principal Investigator status Will not have continuing appointment (e.g. have accepted a position at another institution) Received RGI award as a PI in the last two years (funding began July 2016 or July 2017) Did not submit final reports for past RGI, Research Committee, FRACAS, or RACAS awards In general, post-docs and visiting faculty are ineligible If you’ve received an award in the last two years (as a PI), you can’t apply this year. Why the restriction? Limited budget – allows distribution to more people Takes at least two years to see if someone is going to fulfill the deliverables on a project Reporting is an award requirement. If you haven’t fulfilled your past award requirements, you will not be considered for a new award. The reports allow us to demonstrate the outcomes of the program. rgi.uwm.edu
21 Uwm RESEARCH FOUNDATION Catalyst grants and rgi grantsPlease 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 The Research Foundation runs a grant program similar to RGI which is funded through corporate sponsors such as GE Healthcare and Rockwell Automation. Applies mainly to those in Engineering and Physics If you’re going to be submitting a similar proposal to both programs, please let notify rgi.uwm.edu
22 RGI WEBpAGE RGI.UWM.EDU Link to full RFPLink to Online Application (available Sept 18) Link to required templates for supporting documentation and the budget List of past award recipients Access to everything you need for the application is on the RGI webpage, or will be shortly. The Online App should be available by September 18. . rgi.uwm.edu
23 Application ComponentsOnline application - Required Project narrative (Word) - Required Supporting documentation (Word) – Required Biosketches (PDF) – Required RGI budget spreadsheet (Excel) – Required Letters of collaboration (PDF) - Optional There are five required components, and one optional part. The goal is a logical flow and consistent formatting when all the pieces are assembled for the reviewers. rgi.uwm.edu
24 1. Online Application A link to the online application will be on the RGI webpage: Fill in or copy/paste: Your general information Project title Any co-PI’s names, addresses Search terms/keywords Abstract (500 word maximum) Suggested reviewers (at least six) Why project can‘t be completed from start-up funds (Assistant Professors only) There are parts to fill in or copy and paste. When we first contact reviewers, we provide your name,the project title, and your search terms/keywords – something to keep in mind when choosing the title and search terms. We provide the abstract upon request. For Suggested Reviewers, we’re looking for their name, address, institution name, and a website that describes their research or links to their cv When you first login, you will see the General Instructions page. The Start a New Application button is at the bottom of that page. There are instructions/prompts for each part of the application as you go through it. You may complete the sections in any order after the first page. You can complete the application incrementally. Remember to save before exiting. rgi.uwm.edu
25 Biosketches (yourself, any co-PIs) Project narrative 1. Online Application Upload: Biosketches (yourself, any co-PIs) Project narrative Supporting Documentation Budget spreadsheet Letters of collaboration (optional) Other parts are uploaded Biosketches (required) – uploaded on that page of the application Budget, narrative, and supporting documentation (required) uploaded on the last page Letters of Collaboration (optional) - also uploaded on the last page You can view files you’ve uploaded. You can replace any file you’ve entered by uploading a different file. However, once you hit SUBMIT, you cannot make any changes to files or other information in the application, even if it is before the deadline. We strongly encourage you to allow enough time to check all components before hitting SUBMIT. rgi.uwm.edu
26 2. Project Narrative One-inch marginsFormat One-inch margins Font: 11-point Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Georgia, or LaTeX equivalent Enter the project title as a header Components Project Description (six pages maximum) References (no page limit) Upload as Word file (most applicants) or PDF (if composed in LaTeX) This is the main component of the application, and there are obvious ties to the Significance and Work Plan criteria The narrative has two parts – 1. Project Description (six page limit). This is the core of the application. Every other part of the application should relate to and support the project description. Includes tables, charts, figures, etc. 2. References (as needed in support of the project description) Most users will submit as a Word (.docx) file; only those who use LaTeX may submit as a pdf (generally those in Math, Computer Science) rgi.uwm.edu
27 3. Supporting DocumentationUse Word template provided One-inch margins Font: 11-point in Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Georgia Do not leave any section blank; enter N/A if not applicable There is a template for the supporting documentation. This part of the application ties into the Resources, Extramural Funding, and also the Work Plan criteria. rgi.uwm.edu
28 3. Supporting DocumentationComponents Budget Justification Access to facilities, equipment, other resources NOT included in budget Project timeline milestones (up to 10) List of anticipated creative/scholarly outcomes Potential sources of external funding Potential for commercialization (where applicable) Comparison with similar projects Budget justification - Provide a brief rationale for items requested in your budget. Make sure there is consistency among the Project Description, Project Budget, and Budget Justification for the items requested. Access to resources – If you need specialized resources that AREN’T in your budget, here’s the place to explain that you either 1. have them, or 2. have access to them Timeline Milestones are critical, sequential stages of the project that need to be completed before you’re able to move to the next part of the project List of expected creative/scholarly outcomes from the seed-funding phase – template has room for six, you can add rows for more List of potential external funders – How will the project be funded after the RGI? Be as specific as possible Potential for Commercialization – if applicable, otherwise enter N/A Comparison with other internal or external projects – description of how the proposed project compares with your current or pending projects (we want this, and reviewers have requested this) rgi.uwm.edu
29 4. Biosketches Format Maximum five pages eachMay use NSF or NIH format, but must include current and pending support One-inch margins Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Georgia, or Computer Modern font, 11 points minimum, for consistency with the rest of the application Upload in PDF format All application requirements (including formatting for the biosketches) are covered in the RFP. rgi.uwm.edu
30 4. Biosketches Required Content Optional Content, But HelpfulProfessional Preparation Appointments Publications Current and pending support Optional Content, But Helpful Collaborators, co-authors, co-editors Graduate advisors and post-doctoral sponsors Thesis advisor and postgraduate-scholar sponsor You can use an existing biosketch as long as it is CURRENT, meets the page restriction (5 pg max), and contains the required content. NIH and NSF don’t require listing current and pending support, but we do. rgi.uwm.edu
31 5. RGI Budget SpreadsheetAvailable via online application and at rgi.uwm.edu Must use this 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 You must use the budget template provided, for the reasons listed When you open the file, the first worksheet has specific instructions for the budget. The second worksheet is the budget template. rgi.uwm.edu
32 5. RGI Budget – Allowed expensesUWM 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 Purchase of Services would also include participant incentives such as gift cards Note: there is a $3,000 limit on travel to present the results of your research; there is still NO restriction on the travel budget for conducting research rgi.uwm.edu
33 5. RGI Budget – Ineligible ExpensesSummer salary Sabbatical salary Direct salary payments for non-UWM collaborators All external work must be done on a fee-for-service basis Ineligible items (and there’s no where to enter them in the budget template) If you are purchasing facility time, it will be with an institution or company, not an individual rgi.uwm.edu
34 6. LETTERS of collaborationOptional Primarily intended for Directors of facilities that will be used in the project (internal and external) External participants who are integral to the project UWM collaborators who are not listed on the budget Don’t include them if they don’t add anything. Must be specific to THIS proposal. Generic letters “We have worked well with Dr. X in the past, but are not involved with this project” will be discarded. Do include where they make sense. Remember the resources criteria – here is how you can verify that you have access to some resources rgi.uwm.edu
35 Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 5:00:00 p.m. RGI Funding Cycle Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 5:00:00 p.m. Final review: Jan.-Feb. 2018 Award announcement: mid-April 2018 Funds available: July 2018 RGI timeline rgi.uwm.edu
36 Tips for developing your project DESCRIPTIONrgi.uwm.edu
37 Project DESCRIPTION - contentBackground 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 rgi.uwm.edu
38 Project DESCRIPTION - contentAims, Activities, Methods, Assessment 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, tables, charts, etc. (must fit within the 6-pg project description limit) rgi.uwm.edu
39 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 detail rgi.uwm.edu
40 Commonly cited proposal weaknessesInsufficient detail in describing the project “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?” rgi.uwm.edu
41 Commonly cited proposal weaknessesInsufficient 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.” rgi.uwm.edu
42 Complete online application fields Upload biosketches (PDF) Proposal Submission Complete online application fields Upload biosketches (PDF) Upload completed RGI Budget (Excel) Upload completed Project Narrative (Word) Upload Supporting Documentation (Word) Upload Letters of Collaboration (optional) (PDF) rgi.uwm.edu
43 Proposal SUbmission Recommend proofreading/reviewing all parts before step 8 – you may replace any uploaded file until you submit the proposal Click the SUBMIT PROPOSAL button in the online application Submission is FINAL – cannot make changes, even if it is before the deadline WISPER records are NOT used with RGI rgi.uwm.edu
44 RGI Proposal Submission DEADLINETuesday, October 24, 2017 5:00:00 p.m. Late submissions will NOT be accepted. You will see a time clock on the application. It is for our server. It is the one that will be used in determining whether an application has been submitted on time. rgi.uwm.edu
45 Contacts Program Manager Technical Assistance Proposal DevelopmentKathleen Koch: Technical Assistance Shane Dunlap: Proposal Development Michelle Schoenecker: Kari Whittenberger-Keith: rgi.uwm.edu
46 What we like to hear: “…a very well structured and argued proposal with a high likelihood of success.” “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.” “Overall, this is an exciting and well-written proposal from a talented new faculty member Great potential for a RO1 proposal!” “The rationale, aims, and methods are outstanding.” Sample comments from past proposals “It is difficult to identify a particular change that would improve the quality of the proposal.” rgi.uwm.edu