Purpose
The primary purpose of the New Faculty Seed Grant Program is to encourage new junior level faculty to develop research, scholarly, or creative programs that have the potential for sustained professional development and generation of extramural funding.
This program supports identification and submission of proposals to potential external funding sources, helps generate preliminary data to support proposals for external funding, and enhances research, scholarly and creative activities.
Proposals to this program are considered from a broad range of scholarly activities including, but not limited to (among others) agricultural sciences, architecture, arts/performing arts, business, communication, culture, design, education, engineering, entrepreneurship, environment, health, humanities, innovation, leadership, life sciences, multi-disciplinary endeavors, natural resources, physical sciences, security, safety, society, and social sciences.
Important Dates
| Date | Deadline |
|---|---|
| May 16, 2022 | WSU appointment cut-off date |
| November 1 | Competition Announcement Released |
| December 1 | Notice of intent to OR by 5pm (Required) |
| February 1 | Seed grant proposals due by 5pm |
| May 1 | Award Notifications |
| May 10 | Revised budget and scope of work to OR |
| May 15 | Award begin date |
| August 15, 2027 | Award termination date |
| February 16, 2028 | Final Report due to OR |
| March of 2028 | Poster presentation at Faculty Showcase |
Table of Contents
Use the following links to jump to the corresponding section of the RFP.
- Eligibility
- Program Funds
- Program Objective
- Notice of Intent (Required)
- Application
- Review Process
- Review Criteria
- Notification
- Award Terms and Conditions
- External Proposal Submission
- Final Report
- Questions
- Definitions
- Information Session
- Detailed Proposal Instructions
Eligibility
Researchers, scholars, and artists who were appointed as new junior level faculty no earlier than May 16, 2022 are eligible. Eligible Applicants include tenure track assistant professors. Career, Clinical, and Scholarly Track Assistant Professors and Assistant Research Professors are also welcome to apply provided they are not 100% soft funded and their appointment includes a research/scholarly assignment in their home department. Anyone who has received external funding, as a principal investigator (PI) and/or a Co-PI while working at WSU, totaling $100,000 or more at the due date of this proposal is not eligible (excludes start-up funds). Those who have been Co-PIs on externally funded projects need to determine their award allocation amount(s) to confirm that the funding they have received, since becoming employed at WSU, does not exceed the $100,000 threshold.
Program Funds
- $200,000 has been allocated for the New Faculty Seed Grant Program.
- Program funds are provided by the Office of Research and the Provost Office.
- Individual grants may not exceed $25,000.
- Proposals for smaller amounts are encouraged and considered equally competitive.
Program Objective
This program supports projects that will significantly contribute to the PI’s long range goals by kick-starting a more complex project or idea. Projects with a strong potential to lead to significant external funding and/or PI portfolio development are encouraged. Details regarding the specific items this program supports can be found in the budget section of the Proposal Instructions.
Notice of Intent (Required)
A Notice of Intent (NOI) is required and must be submitted by 5pm December 1st in order to be considered for this grant program. Full proposals will not be accepted if an NOI is not submitted.
Only one NOI per PI is allowed.
This form is essential for the selection of the review panels. You will be asked the following:
- PI Name
- Department & College
- Research Administrator’s name
- Title/Rank
- Employment Start Date
- Type of Proposal (Choose One): Basic Research, Applied Research, Arts, or Scholarship
- Emphasis Area (Choose One): Agriculture Sciences, Arts/Fine Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Environment, Health/Life Sciences, Humanities, Math/Computer Sciences, Multidisciplinary, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences,
- Title of Proposal (80 character limit)
- Brief description (one page limit) of the proposed work
Application
Applications are accepted via web form (linked below).
Review Process
The Office of Research is responsible for overseeing the review process in collaboration with Faculty Senate’s Research and Arts Committee. Proposals undergo preliminary review by the program coordinators. Incomplete proposals will be returned to the PI without further consideration. Completed proposals are assigned to the appropriate review panel for evaluation. Proposals then undergo a three-step review process which includes each review panel making preliminary funding recommendations to the Research and Arts Committee who then reviews and gives their funding recommendations to the Vice President for Research who determines the final awards.
Each proposal is assigned to one of the following emphasis areas based on both the emphasis area indicated in the proposal and the review panel which best reflects the proposed work, and not the particular discipline or college: Agriculture Sciences, Arts/Fine Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Environment, Health/Life Sciences, Humanities, Math/Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences or Multidisciplinary (defined as two or more equal emphasis areas). Depending upon the number of applicants, similar emphasis areas may be combined to provide an equal distribution of applicants across review panels. Every effort will be made to ensure that each proposal is placed in an appropriate panel. Reviewers are comprised of a diverse group that may not be experts in your discipline.
Using clear non-discipline specific language is essential to ensuring your proposal is competitive.
Review Criteria
The review panels’ recommendations are based on originality, creativity, scholarly and/or research significance of the proposed activities; its feasibility; availability of adequate facilities; appropriateness of the proposed project to the competition’s purpose; appropriateness of the budget; and a theme of future funding strategy throughout the proposal. Overall, reviewers are seeking proposals that have been judged to represent the beginning of a sound, significant, and long-term project, and have solid potential for generating external funding or portfolio development.
Resubmitted proposals are considered equally competitive as first submissions. They should address the previous year’s reviewers’ comments and revisions should be noted in the proposal narrative.
Notification
Awards will be announced by May 1. Reviewers’ comments for both awarded and denied proposals will be sent to applicants along with the notifications.
Award Terms and Conditions
- If an award is less than the requested amount, a revised budget and scope of work is required before funds are released.
- Protocols for human subjects (IRB), animals (IACUC) and/or biosafety activities (IBC) do not need to be approved before the submission date, but must be reviewed, approved and sent to the Office of Research’s advancement team (or.orap.servicedesk@wsu.edu) before the grant funds are released. Funds are not released until all appropriate protocols have been approved.
- Prior to the grant start date, PI’s are required to attend a mandatory briefing on grants administration, roles and responsibilities of a principal investigator, and post-award program information.
- The awards are for a 15-month period beginning May 15th through August 15th, the following year.
If needed, a one-time only, no-cost time extension request is considered with a strong justification. - If the PI leaves the university prior to the completion of the grant, the remaining funds are to be returned to the Office of Research.
- Any remaining funds after the grant’s termination date are to be returned to the Office of Research.
- Awardees are required to present at the Faculty Showcase following the project’s termination date.
- Acknowledgement of the New Faculty Seed Grant support must be included in any published work or presentations directly resulting from this award, including Showcase posters.
External Proposal Submission
A proposal directly related to the seed grant project must be submitted to an external funding source no more than six (6) months after the award period ends. If the proposal can’t be submitted by this time, the PI needs to contact the program coordinator(s) to discuss alternative timelines for meeting this award condition. Information pertaining to the submitted proposal will be disclosed in the final report.
Final Report
By accepting this award, the PI agrees to submit a final report to the Office of Research. This report will allow the university to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. The final report deadline is February 16, six (6) months after the award period ends. The report will document any publications, presentations, exhibitions, media coverage, sales or marketing, projects, papers, proposals/awards or other accomplishments that resulted from the New Faculty Seed Grant Program’s original support.
Questions
If you have any questions concerning the guidelines, proposal or review process, please contact the program coordinator: Emily Brashear at emily.brashear@wsu.edu.
Definitions
- PI – The Principal Investigator (PI) is the primary individual responsible for the development and execution of the grant.
- Co-PI – A Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) is not the lead but has responsibilities similar to that of the PI, he/ she may lead components of the grant and could be responsible for project outcomes.
- Collaborator – A collaborator is involved in a project but has fewer responsibilities than that of a PI or Co-PI/Co-I. He/she may be involved in one specific component but does not contribute to all parts of the project. For example, if a WSU researcher is hired to provide statistical consultation, they could be listed as a Collaborator.
- Basic Research – Basic research, in this context, is scientific research aimed to advance fundamental understanding. It seeks to fill in knowledge that we do not already have. Basic research fuels applied research.
- Applied Research – Applied research develops technology or techniques for real world applications.
- Arts – Arts is defined, in this context, as the creation of visual, print or literary, auditory or performing work of art. Works of art may or may not be subject to juried review or competition for exhibits or performance.
- Scholarship – Scholarship, as defined here, is the creation of a work that is peer reviewed and publicly disseminated. It may be, but is not limited to a monograph, an edited collection, a book chapter, a manuscript translation, or a journal article.
Information Session
Detailed Proposal Instructions
In general, be succinct and explicit. Proposals that are not complete or have not followed the provided instructions will be returned without further consideration.
Format and Preparation
12-point font size and 1” margins only. Use plain language understandable to a scientist/scholar/artist outside of your field. Proposals that do not adhere to these specifications will be returned without review.
Proposal Elements
Follow the links below to jump to the instructions for that element.
- 12-Line Publication Abstract
- Proposal Narrative (no more than five single-spaced pages)
- Background
- Objectives and Significance
- Methodology and Assessment
- Facilities and resources
- Timeline
- Future Funding Strategy
- References Cited (two pages max)
- Current, Pending, and Past Support (two pages max)
- CV or Biographical Sketch (two pages max)
- Budget and Justification
- Signed Letters of Collaboration from PIs and/or Collaborators
Abstract
Maximum length: 12 lines
The summary should be succinct, using plain language understandable to a scientist/scholar/artist outside of your field, describing what you want to do, why it is important, and how you will achieve your objectives. This must be camera-ready for publishing the award announcements to the general public. 10-point font can be used for this portion only.
The abstract will be submitted in a document along with your Proposal Narrative and References Cited.
Proposal Narrative
Maximum length: 5 single-spaced pages
Direct the narrative to an educated lay audience. Use plain language understandable to a scientist/scholar/artist outside of your field.
Title and prepare each section as follows:
- Background: Explain the problem or project to be pursued and the expected outcome. What special talents, training or ability do you bring to the resolution/execution of the proposal? Discuss any relation with other WSU programs. PIs in year two, three or four of their appointments please indicate what efforts you have initiated toward research, scholarly or artistic activities appropriate to your discipline. What is the relation of this proposed work to the larger research, creative, and/or scholarly activities you are working toward? Is this a resubmittal? If so, include and note your responses to the reviewers’ comments from last year’s competition.
- Objectives and Significance: This section should be an explicit statement of the hypotheses to be tested and/or the objectives to be achieved. Define the significance of the proposed project to a lay audience. Cite and evaluate related work where appropriate.
- Methodology and Assessment: Indicate the appropriateness of the suggested approach to each question, objective and/or hypothesis. Discuss how your design and procedures are appropriate and adequate to make significant progress toward attaining objectives. Explain your assessment plan for determining if your objectives have been met.
- Facilities and Resources: Specify the facilities to be used. List existing major equipment and/or computers that will be used noting each location and pertinent capabilities. Provide any information describing other resources available for the project including available support services and any key personnel.
- Timeline: Identify the “schedule of events” for the project and specify the amount of time that you (and others) will spend on each task.
- Future Funding Strategy: Describe the strategy you will use to solicit future external funding (federal and/or non-federal) for this project, related projects, or ongoing portfolio development. Indicate what sources of funding you will seek, and in what areas. Explain how your funding strategy fits with the proposed work. Describe any other optional funding opportunities.
Examples of non-federal sources may include, but not be limited to, state, county or local governments, the private sector, foundations, group organizations, industry/corporations, associations, societies and foreign sponsors. If you need assistance in identifying potential funding sources please contact the Office of Research. - Multidisciplinary: If the proposed work is considered multidisciplinary please provide a justification on why and the benefits to the different disciplines involved.
References Cited
Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages
Your References Cited will be submitted in a document that also includes your Abstract and Proposal Narrative.
Current, Pending, and Past Support
Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages
Answer the following questions:
- List WSU internal funding received in the last four years: dates, amounts awarded and what purpose these funds were dedicated for (do not include start-up dollars). Explain how the seed grant award would be used differently from this support and/or enhance your proposed work?
- List extramural funding you received since your WSU appointment. If you currently have external funding, explain what percentage of effort is being contributed to the project. If you are a Co-PI list the amount of your portion of the award. If similar grants are already funded, clearly articulate how the seed grant will provide a significant incremental contribution to your scholarly productivity.
- List extramural proposals pending (date submitted, agency, title, amount, and time period).
- Has external support been solicited by you or a colleague for this project? If yes, where? What is the status of the request(s)?
- If a request has not been submitted, will it? If yes, where?
- Describe how the results of this project will be made public? If publishing, what periodicals or venues do you intend to submit relevant project outcomes to?
CV or Biographical Sketch
Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages
If needed, a template will be made available on request.
Budget and Budget Justification
Contact your unit’s financial/budget manager to facilitate budget preparation. The budget form will need to be initialed by the certified grant budget administrator in your area/unit. A full list of grant administrators is available on MyResearch, click on department contacts. There is no F&A required for this competition.
This program will support expenditures that directly contribute to the successful completion of a project. All budget items must be reasonable, allowable, and necessary for project completion.
Use this Budget and Budget Justification template.
Budget Categories
- Salaries: Faculty buyout with approved release time, partial graduate student support and postdoctoral appointments are allowable. Clearly state all base salaries, time committed to the project and amount of salary applied to the project.
Though not typically granted, under extraordinary circumstances a very strongly presented justification of why up to two months summer salary for the PI are required to complete the proposed project can be included. Additionally, a strong justification will be required for any graduate students that will be fully supported by this funding. Fully supported, 20 hours per week, graduate students must be integral to the project’s success and must work 100% on this project while being paid from these funds. - Wages: Wages are permitted. Clearly state wages broken down by positions, include hourly payment rate.
- Goods and Services: Include all supplies and services required to complete the project,itemize by major items. Contact the responsible personnel for cost estimates of services, if included. The review panel looks with disapproval at requests for funding “miscellaneous” goods and services.
- Travel: Domestic and/or international field work, data collection, training, educational purposes, presentations, or conferences directly related to the proposed work. Be sure to follow WSU travel policies when calculating travel costs. Check with a university approved travel agent or website for the most cost-effective travel to the destination.
- Equipment: The PI’s chair or director must certify that the equipment to be purchased is not already available for use on this project. Major equipment items ($5,000 or more) are not typically supported but can be included with a very strongly presented justification and the required certification. Personal computers may be purchased for field data collection or other special applications other than general office use.
- Benefits. Please note: For campuses other than Pullman,confer with the financial/budget manager on how benefits are paid out dependent upon the WSU Central Finance or separately to the individual campus. For Pullman proposals, the usual benefits covered by Central Finance should not be included in the budget. For all proposals there are some benefits that are never covered by central (time-slip benefits, QTR) please work with your financial/budget manager to account for these.
- Other: Provide a detailed description of other budget categories that will be requested. It is highly recommended that you contact the program coordinator(s) to confirm cost allowability.
This program does not support the following:
- Civil service staff salaries
- Journal subscriptions
- Supplemental awards to existing projects
- Student led projects or senior thesis projects
- Commercial licenses
- Membership dues
- Facility renovations
- Purchase of vehicles or other modes of transportation
Budget Justification
Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages
Two pages max. The appropriateness of the budget is a significant factor in the selection process. All requested budget items must be accompanied with a strong justification of how they will contribute to the successful completion of the project. Please be aware that the review panel will consider your budget justification very carefully in an effort to maximize the number of beneficiaries to this program. A strong justification pertains very specifically to summer salary and full-time graduate student requests. Any items that appear non-critical will be at risk for reduced funding during the review process.
Revised Budget
If a proposal is awarded at less than the amount originally requested, a revised budget and scope of work is required to be submitted to the program coordinator(s). Funds will not be released until these documents have been received.