RESEARCH GROWTH INITIATIVE ® 11.0 APPLICANT WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 PROPOSAL DEADLINE: OCTOBER 26, :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 RGI.UWM.EDU2
WHAT IS THE RGI? RGI.UWM.EDU 3
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 disciplines External referees evaluate the proposals RGI.UWM.EDU 4
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.EDU5
SUPPORTED PROJECTS Lead to competitive proposals for external funding Lead to self-sustaining research Have an 18-month time frame or less RGI.UWM.EDU6
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 RGI.UWM.EDU 7
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 RGI.UWM.EDU8
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 RGI.UWM.EDU9
FUNDING CYCLE Deadline: Monday, Oct. 26 at 9:00am Final review: Jan.-Feb Award announcement: mid-April 2016 Funds available: July 2016 RGI.UWM.EDU10
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 RGI.UWM.EDU11
REVIEW PROCESS RGI.UWM.EDU 12
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 RGI.UWM.EDU 13
EXTERNAL REVIEWERS CONFLICT 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 RGI.UWM.EDU14
REVIEW CRITERIA Review criteria: Significance Work Plan Potential for External Funding Resources RGI.UWM.EDU15
REVIEW CRITERIA Significance The potential of the project to build upon and advance established knowledge or the state-of-the-art RGI.UWM.EDU16
REVIEW CRITERIA Work Plan Description of activities, methods, role of personnel, rationale for approach, assessment measures RGI.UWM.EDU17
REVIEW CRITERIA Potential for External Funding Sources for sustaining the project beyond the seed funding period RGI.UWM.EDU18
REVIEW CRITERIA Resources People, space, equipment, access to collections or sites, budget RGI.UWM.EDU19
RATING SCALE Rating scale for all criteria RGI.UWM.EDU Very high HighMediumMedium 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. RGI.UWM.EDU21
PREPARING THE APPLICATION RGI.UWM.EDU 22
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) - Optional RGI.UWM.EDU 23
ONLINE APPLICATION Link to the application is on the RGI website: 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 RGI.UWM.EDU 24
ONLINE APPLICATION Upload: Biosketches Budget spreadsheet Letters of collaboration (optional) Project narrative RGI.UWM.EDU 25
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 RGI.UWM.EDU26
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 RGI.UWM.EDU27
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 RGI.UWM.EDU28
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 RGI.UWM.EDU 29
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 RGI.UWM.EDU30
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 RGI.UWM.EDU31
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 RGI.UWM.EDU 32
TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR PROJECT NARRATIVE RGI.UWM.EDU 33
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 RGI.UWM.EDU34
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 RGI.UWM.EDU35
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 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?” RGI.UWM.EDU 37
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.” RGI.UWM.EDU 38
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) RGI.UWM.EDU39
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 RGI.UWM.EDU40
CONTACTS Administrative Matters Kathleen Koch: Technical Matters Shane Dunlap: Proposal Development Kari Whittenberger-Keith: Michelle Schoenecker: RGI.UWM.EDU41
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.” “The rationale, aims, and methods are outstanding.” RGI.UWM.EDU 42
RESEARCH GROWTH INITIATIVE 11.0 APPLICANT WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 Q & A