MANKATO
STATE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL FORMAT

Faculty Research Grants at Mankato State University support faculty research initiatives in all disciplines including basic, applied research, pedagogial research and creative endeavors.

Applications for Faculty Research Grants should be in the form of research proposals not to exceed six pages exclusive of appendix. Each proposal must be accompanied by a Faculty Research Grant Transmittal Form which is available through your College/School office or the Office of the Associate Vice President for Research (AB125).

The proposal should be composed of the following sections:

1. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

This section must be written in language that is clear and understandable to those in other disciplines.

Begin the text with a concise statement of the general purpose and major objectives of the proposal research, the research question, hypothesis, problem or work to be investigated or aesthetic intentions to be fulfilled. The objectives are exact statements of what you want to accomplish in the proposed project.

The objectives should be concrete, attainable results that can be readily identified when you reach them. Choose these objectives carefully and logically, and state them clearly and concisely. Relate the specific objectives to the investigation and be sure that they are reasonable and sustainable.

2. SIGNIFICANCE/NEED

This section must be written in language that is clear and understandable to those in other disciplines.

In this section you should include three topics: literature, gaps and importance. The literature section is one of the most important in the application and should represent a critical review of the literature supporting your research proposal and objectives.

In the remaining portion of this section you should identify the gaps in the knowledge base of this research area, and/or how the results of your research will fill these gaps and/or further our understanding of this research area.

CREATIVE ENDEAVORS

For those individuals whose area of investigation involves the production of a new work of art, this section should explain how the grant would contribute to the development of your work.

3. METHODS

This section is a precise description of the methodology you plan to use. You should relate your methodology to the specific objectives already described. This description should include a logical sequence of the steps and a specific timeline for the conduct of the project.

4. EVALUATION/DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS

This section should demonstrate how you will know you have attained your research objectives described earlier, and how you plan to disseminate your results (specify the exhibits, the journals selected to submit article(s) for publication, etc.)

5. BUDGET

Your budget should itemize the expenses required to complete the project into the following broad categories: supplies, equipment, copying/printing, postage, travel, graduate assistants, student labor, other services. Each category of expenditures must be accompanied by a statement of justification. All expenditures requested must fall within the guidelines for the Faculty Research Grants and relate directly to the stated objectives of your proposal.

You must also include in this section:

1. an itemization of the department's contribution,
2. a schedule for expenditures and its relationship to the methodology, and
   
3. a statement of the time the investigator will devote to the project.
   

TRANSMITTAL FORM

APPLICATION FOR FACULTY RESEARCH GRANT

Final Action

1. Name of Investigator___________Date_______
2. College/School_________________MSU Box____
3. Department/Program________Date of Faculty Appointment_______________________________
4. Project Title_____________________________
5. Amount Requested__________Funding Period From:___________To:___________
   
6. Does this research project: Yes No
   
   1. Involve human subjects?
   2. Involve animals/animal care facility?
      
   3. Use radioactive/hazardous materials?
      
   4. Have copyright or patent potential?
      
   5. Require purchase of equipment.instrumentation/ computer software currently available on campus?
      
   6. Involve utilization of additional space not currently available to the investigator?
      

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      If the answer is "yes to any of these questions, the investigator must attach appropriate documentation of approval of justification for use/purchase.

7. List any external funding agencies which may be potential sources of future funding for this line of research.

SIGNATURES:
Additional signatures and clarifications as required.

FACULTY RESEARCH GRANT GUIDELINES

The purpose of the faculty research grants are to support faculty research initiatives.

1. Grants will be awarded for research that is designed to advance the knowledge of the discipline including basic research, applied research, and pedagogical research.
2. The proposals will be evaluated against following criteria:
   
   1. Significance of the research to the discipline.
   2. Soundness of the design and the methodology.
   3. Attainability of the objectives.
   4. Adequacy of the evaluation and dissemination plan.
   5. Appropriateness of the budget request.
3. Each proposal must be accompanied by a Faculty Research Transmittal Form and, if appropriate, the human subjects review form.
4. Grants will be awarded for a maximum of $4000 or a total of $4000 per fiscal year per investigator. Only one proposal per person will be considered at each application period (Fall, Winter, Spring).In the event of collaborative research among MSU faculty, particularly of an interdisciplinary nature, the $4000 will be waived. Proposals which involve collaborative research must clearly explain the contribution of each investigator.
5. New faculty (3 years or less) will be given a priority for funding. A 10% bonus of the applicant's initial score will be added to calculate the final score.
6. New faculty (3 years or less) who have just completed their terminal degree are strongly encouraged to apply for the faculty research grant to publish, present, perform or exhibit their research or creative work. The only stipulation is acknowledgment on the publication or presentation of the grant support provided by the University.
7. The Faculty Research Committee encourages colleges, departments and/or programs to provide a cash or in-kind contribution on all faculty research proposals. The Faculty Research Committee views such contribution as evidence of college/departmental support and endorsement of the proposal research.
8. Domestic and international travel are an eligible expense. Such requests must be justified in the proposal and the relationship between travel and the research objectives must be clearly linked. Student travel money may be requested provided that the students are an integral part of the success of the research project.
9. The State of Minnesota guidelines for lodging, meals and transportation will be observed.
10. All grant recipients are expected to submit a final written report no later than September 30 of the following fiscal year. Investigators requesting additional funding for ongoing projects must submit a progress report prior to re submission. Those who do not comply shall be ineligible for further grants until a report is submitted. The report is made by following the outline of the form enclosed with the grant award letter. Manuscripts or abstracts based on the research published or submitted for publication should be submitted. The Committee members have a responsibility encourage completion of projects ana appropriate use of funds allocated. Therefore, Committee members may periodically review project progress and expenditures with grant recipients.
11. All funds must be expended within the fiscal year ending June 30. Research funds allocated but unused will revert to the research account for re-allocation. If grantee is not using or planning to use the funds, he/she should notify grantor as soon as possible.
12. All equipment and supplies purchased will remain departmental property unless specifically assigned elsewhere, e.g., ERC. Equipment purchased should be made available to other investigators upon completion of the originally funded research. Once equipment is received, the grantee shall ensure that it is properly entered in the department's fixed asset inventory list.
13. Equipment requests will be funded only if they are an integral part of ongoing research and have the potential for extended use.
14. Any request for funding for computer charges must be accompanied by approval the Computer Services unit. Normally, only computer materials will be charged to the grant as MSU computer time is not charged back. There are additional MSUS funds available for the Minnesota Super Computer facility which you can apply for through the Department of Computer Services at Mankato State University.
15. In order to encourage dissemination of the results of research projects funded by the Faculty Research Fund, applications for payment and costs incurred in publishing this material will be carefully considered. Funding for presenting the findings at a professional meeting will occur only if all other appropriate research requests have been funded.
16. All publications must acknowledge funding support from Mankato State University.
17. If monetary gains are realized as a consequence of the grant, the faculty member may be asked to imburse Mankato State University up to the amount of the grant.
18. All faculty research projects which are funded under this grant may be single research projects or collaborative efforts with students, other faculty, etc.
19. Graduate Assistant stipends may be funded through a Faculty Research Grant. The dollar amount of the tuition reimbursement must also be included in the budget. For more information, refer to the Graduate Assistantship Policies.
20. The MSU News weekly carries deadlines for submission of research proposals.