Collaborative UTA - UTD Joint Institutional Seed Research Program
Proposal Submission Deadline: January 17, 2006
Purpose: In a recent joint announcement, UTA and UTD presidents, James Spaniolo and David Daniel, announced a program to foster collaborative research between faculty on both campuses to enhance opportunities for External Research Funding at these institutions. It is expected that each award granted will result in an External Grant submission.
Who can apply: Proposals require at least one Research Investigator from each institution. One of these investigators should be designated as the PI and the other(s) as Co-PIs. Only one proposal may be submitted naming any investigator.
Scope: Areas of research are not restricted but should be in areas of interest to both institutions and suitable for sustained External Funding.
Award Amounts: Grants are intended for seed funding and requests should be reasonable and justified. Total funds available for this program are $250,000. The maximum award for each project is targeted at $20,000, with a $10,000 maximum per project at each institution.
Distribution of Funds: Awarded funds will be distributed to both institutions according to the scope of work and budget justified in the proposal.
Proposal Submission Process:The Lead Principal Investigator must submit one signed original, six photocopies and one electronic version; the electronic version (pdf format) must be sent via email to Grant Administrator. Proposals must be received by 5:00 PM on January 17, 2006. The original signed hardcopy, and six photocopies must be sent or delivered to:
For proposals with UTA PI’s Vice President for Research
The University of Texas at Arlington
346 Davis Hall, Box 19162
701 Nedderman Drive
Arlington, Texas 76019Re: Joint UTD/UTA Seed Research Program
For proposals with UTD PI’s Vice President for Research and Economic Development
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, Texas 75083Re: Joint UTD/UTA Seed Research Program
Awards Announcement Date: on or about March 24, 2006
Award Period: One year, beginning on or about April 15, 2006. Grant funds cannot be carried forward after the award period.
Program Duration: The level of success, as measured by the number of proposals submitted to External Agencies (the intended outcome of this grant program), will dictate the continuance of this program in future years.
Specific grant information and requirements, guidelines for proposal submission, budget forms, coversheets and the like can be obtained at: http://www.uta.edu/research/UTA-UTD-jointprogram.
Policies, Procedures & Application Instructions
Program Scope:
In the joint announcement by the two presidents of UTA (James Spaniolo) and UTD (David Daniel), a joint institutional research program has been initiated for FY 06. Areas of research are not restricted but should be in areas of interest to both institutions and suitable for sustained external funding (Federal, private, etc.). The total amount of funds available for this program is initially set at $250,000, with $125,000 coming from each institution.
Purpose:
To foster collaborative research programs between faculty at UTD and UTA to enhance opportunities for External Research Funding at these institutions. It is expected that each award granted will result in a new external grant proposal submission involving at least both institutions.
Eligibility and Limitations:
All faculty members who are eligible to apply for external support at their respective institution may submit a joint proposal. Proposals are restricted to providing research support at UTD and UTA only. Proposals require at least one Faculty Investigator from each institution. One of these investigators should be designated as the Lead PI and the other(s) as Co-PIs. The grant proposal should be submitted by the Lead PI listing the other investigators as co-principal investigators. Only one proposal may be submitted naming a particular investigator (ie., an investigator cannot be named on more than one proposal).
Review Procedures and Evaluation Criteria:
Each proposal submitted to this program will be reviewed by a joint UTD/UTA Review Panel. The Review Panel will be comprised of faculty at each institution who are not involved in any of the submitted proposals. Members of the Review Panel will be appointed by the VP for Research at UTA and by the VP for Research at UTD. Members of the panel will be chosen in relation to their expertise and relevance to the research areas encompassed by the submitted proposals.
Submitted proposals will be evaluated using a 100 point system. Scoring will apply to the following proposal attributes (maximum score in parentheses).
1. Scientific/Scholarly Merit (maximum 55 points)
Specifically, the areas to be evaluated under this heading are: originality, technical soundness, merits of the collaborative approach, research plan, availability of facilities needed to conduct the research, and appropriateness of budget.
2. Qualifications of the Investigators (maximum15 points)
Specific items to be evaluated under this heading are: experience in the field, synergism in discipline, grant funding record, publication record, and collaboration record. Special consideration may be given to young investigators.
3. Potential for External Funding: (maximum 30 points)
Specifically, the areas to be evaluated under this heading are: impact of proposed research with targeted initiatives of a federal or private agency, plan for obtaining support to continue the research, and, if applicable, the relationship of the proposed work to a response obtained from an agency on a reviewed, but unfunded proposal or white paper.
Award Period:
One year, starting on or about April 15, 2006
Grant Payments:
Awarded funds will be distributed to both institutions according to the scope of work and budget justified in the proposal. All awarded funds will be provided at the start of the award period. The distribution of funds will be handled through each institution’s Grant and Contracts Office according to their policies and procedures. No grant funds will be distributed to investigators at an institution until all regulatory requirements at that institution have been fulfilled (IRB approval, IACUC approved protocols, biosafety review, safety training, etc.).
Grant Carryovers:
No carryovers beyond the grant end date will be allowed. All unspent funds at an institution at the end of the grant period will revert back to the VP for Research’s office.
Award Amounts:
Grants are intended for seed funding and requests should be reasonable and justified, and not to exceed $10,000 for each project at each institution ($20,000 max per proposed joint project). For a proposal with exceptional merit and with high potential of attracting immediate federal funding, it is possible for granting one such proposal with a greater amount. Each institution will award funds to investigators at their institution. One institution will not transfer funds to the other. Therefore, it is expected that PIs will propose budgets equitably distributed between the two institutions. Amounts awarded may differ from submitted budget requests at the discretion of the Review Panel.
Award Bonuses:
During the course of the grant period, should a joint Federal Grant proposal be submitted relating to the funded project, or as an outcome of the funded project, a bonus of $2,000 will be provided to the project from each institution. These bonus funds can be carried forward into the next year, and can be used at the discretion of the investigators (subject to the bounds on expenditures of State funds).
Grant Budgets:
Budgets broken out for each institution will be prepared for each proposal submitted. State funds are being used to support this program. Accordingly, expenditures will restricted by state regulations for expenditure of state funds. Funds may be utilized for direct expenditures beneficial to the research in the following allowed categories under this program:
1. Personnel Support: Funds can be used for Post-doctoral, graduate and undergraduate student assistantships, as well as for technical staff. No support for Faculty Salaries permitted.
2. Expendable scientific items, services and equipment maintenance needed for the execution of the proposed research project.
3. Equipment: modest amounts may be considered
4. Publication expenses
5. Local Travel (between institutions, or in the Metroplex).
Funds may not be budgeted or used for the following:
1. Faculty salaries
2. Fringe benefits
3. Travel to conferences, workshops, etc.
4. Building construction, alteration, renovation, rent, or utilities
5. Student tuition or fees
6. Student Scholarships or Fellowships
7. Membership dues
8. Overhead
9. Non-UTD or non-UTA personnel.
Grantee Requirements:
The Lead PI on the proposal will be responsible for monitoring the research progress and providing the year-end research report. The year end report requires a statement of the research objective, a brief report on the research progress made under the grant, a list of publications resulting from the grant, and a list of External Agencies to whom grant requests were submitted (PIs, amount, duration, etc.). The final report is due to the Grant Administrator 60 days after the termination of the grant.
Submission Deadline:
The Lead Principal Investigator must submit one signed original, six photocopies and one electronic version of the complete proposal; the electronic version (pdf format) must be sent via email to grantadministrator@uta.edu.
Proposals must be received by 5:00 PM on January 17, 2006.
The original signed hardcopy, and six photocopies must be sent or delivered to:
| For proposals with UTA PI’s
Vice President for Research Re: Joint UTD/UTA Seed Research Program |
For proposals with UTD PI’s
Vice President for Research and Economic Development Re: Joint UTD/UTA Seed Research Program |
The Lead Principal Investigator is responsible for verifying that submitted proposals have been received by the Grant Administrator. No notifications of receipt will be provided by the Grant Administrators.
Award Notifications:
Awards will be announced on or about March 24, 2006
Final Report:
The Lead PIs are responsible for filing a Final Report within 60 days of the termination of the grant. Reports are to be submitted to the Program Administrator.
Copyrights and Patent Rights:
All copyrights and intellectual property developed during the course of a funded project will be governed by the policies of the individual institutions and the UT-System Board of Regents. A memorandum of understanding between UTD and UTA will be signed outlining the methods for handling jointly developed intellectual property in the name of the UT-System Board of Regents.
Grant Application:
The application must include one original and six copies on 8 1/2” x 11” white paper single sided using a font size no smaller than 11 pt. The application must contain the following components:
1. Title page using the program form with scientific summary
2. Description of the project, not to exceed four pages, including figures, tables, etc.
3. Bibliography for the description of the project (not to exceed two additional pages)
4. A two-page biographical sketch for each principal investigator in a consistent format, including a list of current funding.
5. Budget page with the budget broken out separately for each institution (not to exceed $10,000 at each institution).
An application kit (cover page and budget template) can be downloaded from here
Program Duration:
The level of success, as measured by the number of proposals submitted to External Agencies (the intended outcome of this grant program), may dictate the possible continuance of this program in future years.
Other Questions Or Concerns:
Additional questions or concerns not addressed or clarified here should be directed to your VP for Research Office.