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ON-LINE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Online submission requires that you prepare your proposal as a PDF or Microsoft Word file.   Please save your document as a plain .doc if using Microsoft Word version 2007.  If your document includes special equation symbols, it is recommended that you imbed the fonts within the document to ensure that those reading your proposal will be able to see as intended. 

To avoid losing data you have entered, always click on the “Save” button before quitting work on your application.  This button is located near the bottom of the form.  To resume work on an application, select “Application in Progress” button (see below).

Complete applications will consist of:

           Cover letter if Category 6, 7, 9, or Resubmission

           Vita and publications (ONE page maximum)

           Abstract (150 word maximum)

           Proposal (2000 word maximum)

           Past, Present, Potential Funding

           Budget

The deadline for submitting your application to approvers is September 22, 2008.  ALL APPLICATIONS must be approved and routed to the Graduate School by September 25, 2008. 

PLEASE NOTE that faxed, emailed and paper copy applications will not be accepted. 

{Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry and Scholarship Online Application}

{Application in Progress}

• Cover letters (two page maximum) are required for resubmissions and Categories 6, 7, and 9:  Resubmission – attach a cover letter summarizing the changes made in response to the previous reviewer comments.  Category 6 and Category 9 – attach a cover letter explaining a) how the proposed research is significantly different from current or past work, and b) what preparations have been made to be able to make the transition. Category 7 (bridge support for temporarily lapsed funding) – see Special Instructions.

REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS:

• ABBREVIATED VITA AND PUBLICATIONS.  Limit to one page.  Include the following information:  HIGHEST DEGREE:  Indicate your highest degree, degree date, institution, major and minor programs, advisor(s) and dissertation title.  OTHER APPOINTMENTS:  Provide the following for post-doctoral and/or faculty appointments during the previous five years: rank/title, institution, department, supervisor (if post-doc) and time period.  PUBLICATIONS:  List your recent publications (within the past five years) that are related to the project.  (Artistic applicants should list exhibitions, commissions, performances, etc.)  This information is needed to help document the recent productivity and areas of expertise. If your expertise in the proposed area is not clear from your publications, please add a brief statement documenting relevant experience.

• ABSTRACT:  Provide a non-technical abstract of the proposed research.  Attach as a PDF or Microsoft Word file.  Limit of 150 words.

• PROPOSAL.  Limit to 2,000 words (approximately four single-spaced pages prepared in point size of 10 or higher with 1” margins).  Items 2 - 3 listed below are subject to the 2,000-word limit.  References are not included in this space limitation but should be kept to a minimum.  Other Documentation: One additional page may be added for figures,digital images (1200 to 1500 pixels not to exceed 2 MB per image) or letters of collaboration, which are not included in the 2000-word limit.  Do not attach other documents or appendices except by special instructions.  Reviewers may choose to disregard any parts of proposals exceeding the indicated word limits.  Be careful to write in terms that can be readily understood by scholars in your general area (humanists, scientists and engineers, social scientists, etc.), not only by specialists. Avoid jargon; describe the project in a manner understandable by a colleague in a related, but not necessarily overlapping field.  It is strongly recommended that proposals be read and critiqued by colleagues both in and outside of your field prior to submission to ensure ultimate clarity to review panel members who are not experts in the particular field.  This is particularly important for proposals in creative and performing arts. See special instructions for creative and performing arts.

1. CATEGORY JUSTIFICATION:  Provide a short paragraph explaining very specifically how this proposal meets the criteria for the category in which it is being submitted.  Limit is 50 words
2. PRESENT STATUS OF KNOWLEDGE:  Provide a brief overview indicating the nature and importance of the project; place its importance within the context of general knowledge in your field; indicate possible practical significance if applicable.  Include appropriate references from relevant literature to help place the project in context and further indicate your familiarity with the field. 
3. PLAN OF WORK:  Provide a description and a timeline of the work you propose to undertake.  Include history of the project and the present state of knowledge; specify which elements of the project you expect to complete during the grant period; detail the materials and methods to be used, and where appropriate, the hypotheses to be tested or the specific questions to be addressed, and the approaches you will take to reach your goals.  Use sufficient detail to permit a critical evaluation of the project's likelihood of success and address potential significance of the work.
4. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION:  Funding is effective on the start date of the award.  Clearly justify how the items in your budget fit into the plan of work.  Items not justified will not be approved.  If personnel are requested in the budget, the duties must be described and justified.  Please note that funding requests for third-party payments for scholarly or creative work such as honoraria, artistic commissions and consultants may not exceed $3000 or 20% of the total GIA project cost, whichever is smaller.  NOTE:    The Graduate School expects that non-category 2 requests for equipment will include some matching funds, typically 30-50%.  Attach commitment letter(s) from other sources and also indicate whether the requested equipment will be shared by others.
5. NEED JUSTIFICATION:  Clearly justify why other available funding, including start-up funds, cannot be used to finance the proposed project.  Insufficient need justification may result in the assignation of a low need score and automatic elimination of the proposal from further consideration.
6. WORD COUNT:  Please provide the word count of items 2-3 above.

• PAST, PRESENT AND POTENTIAL FUNDING:  A printout detailing your Grant-in-Aid and/or Faculty Summer Research /McKnight Summer Research activity for the past five years will be attached to your application.  Provide a record of your other research funding for the past five years, including present and potential funding.  This information is important in reflecting the efforts of the applicant to obtain other funds, especially in the case of renewal applications. List all your U of M departmental/college research grants including start-up (start-up reports will be requested from colleges for those applicants hired within the past two years), matching and Experiment Station funds, or funds associated with your position, e.g., endowed chair, McKnight Professorship.  Provide a breakdown of the budgets for such funds and indicate how much remains uncommitted to a specific line of expenditure.  You must provide a thorough explanation of why such uncommitted money cannot be used to finance the proposed project in the Need Justification section.  List all your external research grants irrespective of relevance to proposed work, whether you are principal or co-investigator.  Any real or apparent overlap (monetary or subject) of other funded projects with this proposal must be explained.  Applications submitted but not funded within the last two years should also be listed (indicate “not funded”). 

• BUDGET:  (See Expenditures Allowed) General areas of support include personnel such as graduate or undergraduate research assistants (See Personnel Grid), operating supplies and services, equipment, and limited travel.  Prepare an itemized budget on the Budget Template using the EFS budget-only values.  Items MUST be justified (Proposal – Budget Justification).  Please note that publication costs may not be included in the budget.  GIA funds are intended for the support of the underlying research or scholarly work, rather than the product of that activity.   Limit to one page. 

• APPROVER ROUTING:  After completing your online application and answering all compliance questions, you must now designate approvers and route to their attention for approval.  This is to ensure that appropriate administrators are aware of the proposal and that the objectives are in keeping with departmental and collegiate goals.  It is strongly recommended that you check with your respective departmental/college offices to confirm the identity of your approvers.  Enter the Internet ID for your Department/Division Head and Dean/Chancellor/Provost.  Click on “Submit to Approvers” button and application will be sent to approver(s) simultaneously. Although, you will not be able to edit after routing to approver(s), you will be able to view the status of your application.  Applications must be routed to approvers by September 22, 2008.  Approvers must sign off and submit to the Graduate School by September 25, 2008.  Note: Applicants from the coordinate campus UMM should check with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Office for that internal campus deadline.  An email message will alert you when your application has been received at the Graduate School.

Questions may be directed to 612-625-2356 or facgrant@umn.edu

Revised 07/08