From RSP: Project Development Awards

http://www.wwu.edu/rsp/documents/pda.shtml  

The purpose of this program is to assist faculty in the process of preparing a grant application for a new project that has high potential for obtaining significant funding from external agencies. The extramural funding to be sought is for supporting research and scholarly activities, which contribute to the mission of the university and professional development of faculty. Funding is for all aspects of the preparation of a significant external proposal, data collection, proposal writing, etc. The Project Development Award (PDA) program budget is $40,000. A maximum of four awards will be made annually, with two awards* in Fall quarter and two awards in Winter quarter.

Please Note:

• Any expenditure not in the approved budget must be pre-approved by RSP and all funds must be expended within one year.
• All expenditures must follow the University’s policies, guidelines, and procedures in regards to expenditures, including, but not limited to, purchase, travel, reimbursements, and items requiring additional special handling.
• Please check with Business Services as to whether or not your purchase requires additional special handling
• RSP only approves funding, and verifies expenditures match the approved budget prior to signing off on purchase forms, services reimbursement, travel, etc.
• These funds are not intended to supplement externally funded grants or gifts.
• Faculty may not exceed 100% effort under any circumstances, including summer.
• No equipment, general purpose software, computers, laptops, or other electronic devices may be purchased with Project Development Award funds.
• For faculty members who currently have externally funded projects, the proposal must not be for an extension of the current work nor for a renewal or continuation of the existing grant. These are intended to be seed grants for new projects.
• Funds may not be combined with Mini-Grants, Grant-in-Aid Projects, Pilot Project Grants, Enhancement of Graduate Research Awards, or Research and Creative Opportunities for Undergraduate Awards.

 

Under the Project Development Awards Program, a faculty member may request:

• One course buyout¹and the equivalent of a Pilot Project Award² funding level,

OR

• The salary equivalent to one Summer Research Grant³ and the equivalent of a Pilot Project Award² funding level,

OR

• Up to $10,000 in support of the project: to hire students, purchase supplies and/or travel⁴.

1          A single course buyout of no more than five (5) credits.

2          For the equivalent of a Pilot Project Award a faculty member may request funds up to $4,000 to hire students, purchase supplies, and travel4.

3          Funding level of the Summer Research Grant as set by the CBA.

4          Travel to complete the project, not to disseminate results.

During the tenure of the award, the faculty member will work on developing a proposal for extramural funding.

Funding Criteria/Guidelines

Eligibility:

• All tenured and tenure-track faculty (with an employment agreement for the following year) are eligible to apply. NTT faculty (with an employment agreement for the following year) may apply, but preference will be given to tenure and tenure-track faculty.
• Faculty members who receive a Project Development Award within a five year period of the closure of a previous PDA are not eligible. First-time investigators are encouraged to seek guidance from experienced scholars/mentors.

The Research Advisory Committee will evaluate and recommend proposals to be supported based on the following:

Criteria:

The purpose of this program is to assist faculty who have the potential for obtaining significant funding from external agencies. The extramural funding to be sought is for supporting research and scholarly activities which contribute to the mission of the university and professional development of faculty. The scope of the project must warrant the amount of support requested.

• Clarity, completeness, and strength of statement of need/problem/creative activity
• Opportunity for advancing professional scholarship of the faculty member
• Likely impact on discipline/students/community
• Clarity and feasibility of endpoints -- specific agencies to which the proposal will be submitted are identified and includes a timeline for submission
• Adequacy of the proposed budget to meet project objectives

Additional details

• The proposal resulting from the Project Development Award is expected to contain support sufficient to engage students in the faculty member's research. Multi-year proposals for external funding are encouraged.
• Results from prior Project Development Awards and whether they resulted in proposals to external agencies must be stated in the application.

Application Instructions

Complete applications must be received by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs by the deadline (announced in Western Today and in Calendar of Internal Deadlines) and should include the following information:

1. Project Development Program Application Cover Sheet (last page of form)
2. Detailed project description (not to exceed five pages; organized like a typical extramural proposal). The description should be written in clear, non-technical language that a colleague from another discipline can comprehend and review fairly. Remember to also keep the criteria in mind while writing the proposal.
3. The expected budget (suggested format) for the proposal to be developed and the funding agency/program to which the proposal will be submitted.
4. A list of all prior internal awards and whether they resulted in external funding proposals or grants.
5. References not to exceed two pages
6. Two page current vita (suggested format)
7. Budget justification detailing each line item for the Project Development Award

The award period is one calendar year, at the end of which the faculty member shall submit a short report to RSP on the results of the project and a timeline for submission of the external proposal.