RESEARCH GROWTH INITIATIVE 10.0APPLICANT WORKSHOPSEPTEMBER 5, 2014

PROPOSAL DEADLINE:OCTOBER 6, 2014

9:00AM

OVERVIEW

1. What is the UWM Research Growth Initiative?

2. Review Process

3. Preparing The Application

4. Tips for Developing Your Project Narrative

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WHAT IS THE RGI?

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WHAT IS RGI?

Internal seed funding program Intended for early stages of projects

Examples:– Data collection

– Archival work

– Establishing proof-of concept

Open to all disciplinesExternal referees evaluate the proposals

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RGI PROGRAM GOALS

Increase research productivity, scholarship, and creative endeavors

Increase external funding – expected to submit extramural proposals totaling at least 3 times the seed funding• Research grants – national/state/local agencies and

foundations

• Fellowships

• University/industry partnerships

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SUPPORTED PROJECTS

Lead to competitive proposals for external funding (e.g., NSF, NIH, NEA)

Lead to self-sustaining research

Have a one-year time frame

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ELIGIBILITY

UWM faculty and staff with Principal Investigator status and expectation of continuing appointment

May have external collaborators, but lead PI must be from UWM

Lead PIs may submit only one proposal• May be Co-PI on any other proposals

Co-PIs can be non-UWM employees or eligible UWM employees

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INELIGIBLE PERSONS

Do not have UWM Principal Investigator status

Received RGI award in the last two years (funding began July 2013 or July 2014)

Did not submit final reports for past RGI, Research Committee, or FRACAS awards

Will not have continuing appointment (e.g. accept position at another institution)

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UWM CATALYST GRANTS AND RGI GRANTS

PIs may submit the same proposal to both programs and list the same set of potential reviewers, BUT

The same review may be used for both programs, and

The RGI award may be reduced by the amount of the Catalyst Award

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FUNDING CYCLE

Deadline: Monday, Oct. 6 at 9:00am

Final review: Jan.-Feb. 2015

Award announcement: mid-April 2015

Award letters sent: mid-May 2015

Funds available: July 2015

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REVIEW PROCESS

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EXTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS

Must suggest at least four external reviewers outside of UWM who have the expertise needed to evaluate your proposal

We seek two reviews for each proposal

Review criteria:• Quality

• Return on Investment

• Risk

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REVIEW CRITERIA

Quality• Excellence and novelty of concept; appropriateness of

approach or methodology

• Clarity of project plans

• Degree of scientific/intellectual merit

Rating Scale• Proposals are scored from 1-9

• 1 = Exceptionally strong with essentially no weaknesses

• 9 = Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses

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EVALUATION CRITERIA

Return on Investment• Probability of securing extramural funding or engaging in

commercialization

• Potential for self-sustaining the RGI investment phase

• Expectation: 3x requested budget

Rating Scale• High: Outstanding potential outcomes (top 10%)

• Medium: Average potential outcomes (next 40%)

• Low: Low potential outcomes (bottom 50%)

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EVALUATION CRITERIA

Risk of Failure• Availability of necessary skills and experience

• Likelihood of completing the project within proposed timeframe

Rating Scale• Low Risk: Highly likely to achieve milestones and

objectives

• Medium Risk: Likely to achieve milestones and objectives

• High Risk: Unlikely to achieve milestones and objectives

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REVIEW PROCESS

Proposals evaluated by external reviewers and ranked according to the criteria

• Quality rating is the main factor in making funding decisions

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EXTERNAL REVIEWERS

Must suggest four external reviewers

• Nationally recognized in field of expertise related to your work

• Previous review experience

You will receive the reviewers’ comments

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EXTERNAL REVIEWERS

Do not recommend reviewers with a conflict of interest:• Known family relationship

• Business or professional partnership

• Past or present association as thesis advisor or thesis student

• Collaboration on a project or on a book/article/report within the last 48 months

• Co-editing a journal, compendium, or conference proceeding within the last 24 months

• NEW: Having read the RGI proposal at the request of the PI or co-PIs

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AWARD SELECTION

Awards will comprise a balanced portfolio across disciplines

Applicants with prior RGI awards:• Significant factors include performance in meeting prior

projects’ milestones and deliverables, and submission of outcome reports.

Applicants with extramural awards:• Preference given to those who have made regular expenditures

on the awards.

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PREPARING THE APPLICATION

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APPLICATION COMPONENTS

1. Online application - Required

2. Project narrative (PDF) - Required

3. Biosketches (PDF) - Required

4. RGI budget spreadsheet (Excel) – Required

5. Letters of collaboration (PDF) - OptionalRGI.UWM.EDU 21

ONLINE APPLICATION

URL: www.rgi.uwm.edu Basic project data Project abstract Milestones and deliverables Anticipated return on investment Minimum of four external reviewers Upload required biosketches, project narrative,

RGI budget spreadsheet, and optional letters of collaboration

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PROJECT NARRATIVE

Format

• Maximum 6 pages, including references, figures, tables

• One-inch margins

• 11-point font in Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Georgia

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PROJECT NARRATIVE - CONTENT

Background• Articulate the research question

• Provide theory framework

Project Description• Specific hypothesis, aims, methods; include

measurement tools and benchmarks for success

• Obstacles to completion and alternative approaches

• Contribution/roles of team members

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PROJECT NARRATIVE - CONTENT

Significance of Project• Why does this matter? Why should this research be

done?

• Innovations, contributions to the field, broader impact Sustainability beyond RGI funding

• Potential sponsors

• Potential project scope and budget

Figures

BibliographyRGI.UWM.EDU 25

BIOSKETCHES

Format

• Maximum four pages each

• May use NSF or NIH format

• One-inch margins

• 11-point font in Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Georgia

• Upload in PDF format

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BIOSKETCHES Required Content

• Professional Preparation

• Appointments

• Current and pending support

• Publications

Optional Content, But Helpful• Commercialization experience

• Collaborators, co-authors, co-editors

• Graduate advisors and post-doctoral sponsors

• Thesis advisor and postgraduate-scholar sponsor

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RGI BUDGET – ALLOWED EXPENSES

UWM Personnel: RAs, post-docs, student hourly

Capital expenditures (expenses that cost $10,000+)

• 50% cost-sharing required

Materials, supplies, publication costs

Purchase of services (e.g., consultants, user fees)

Travel

May request one course release (will not be included in project budget)

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RGI BUDGET – INELIGIBLE EXPENSES

Summer salary for UWM PIs and Co-PIs

Sabbatical salary

Direct salary payments for non-UWM faculty• May pay them as a consultant

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RGI BUDGET SPREADSHEET

Must use required RGI budget spreadsheet• Provided at the end of the online RGI Application

Download and save to computer to complete

Upload to online application to submit

Do not use UWM Budget Development Tool

• Tuition rates are different

• RGI grants do not include indirect costs

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PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

1. Complete Basic Project Data online form

2. Upload completed RGI Budget form (Excel)

3. Upload completed Project Narrative (PDF)

4. Upload Biosketches (PDF)

5. Upload Letters of Collaboration (optional) (PDF)

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PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

6. Select SUBMIT PROPOSAL button in the online application

7. Submission is FINAL – cannot make changes

8. Proposal automatically routes to Dept. Chair and Dean/Associate Dean for electronic approval

9. WISPER records are NOT required

10.Deadline: Monday, October 6, 2014 at 9:00am

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TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR PROJECT NARRATIVE

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SUCCESSFUL PROPOSALS…

Seek answers to significant questions

Take innovative and justified approach

Are placed in the context of the discipline

Have a clearly articulated and integrated research plan

Are methodologically sound

Show attention to detailRGI.UWM.EDU 34

COMMONLY CITED PROPOSAL WEAKNESSES

Insufficient detail in describing approach to problem“This is an intriguing idea, but is not described in sufficient detail to give confidence in the outcomes.”

Insufficient rationale for the need for the study“What is missing is the motivation for doing this work. What new things will be learned in this important field?”

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COMMONLY CITED PROPOSAL WEAKNESSES

Insufficient rationale for approach

“It is unclear why the proposed methods would be particularly effective for the problem under study.”

Failure to demonstrate awareness of research or other activities in this field.

“The proposal is missing some important references.”

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WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR:

“…a very well structured and argued proposal with a high likelihood of success.”

“It is difficult to identify a particular change that would improve the quality of the proposal.”

“Overall, this is an exciting and well-written proposal from a talented new faculty member. . . . Great potential for a RO1 proposal!”

“The statement on the proposal’s significance . . . not only justifies the project fully, but renders it compelling on a national level.”

“The project will

increase the

national

competitiveness

of UWM in this

field.”

“Therationale,aims, and

methods are outstanding.”

CONTACTS

Administrative MattersKathleen Koch: kjk@uwm.edu; 229-3699

Technical MattersShane Dunlap: jsdunlap@uwm.edu; 229-3160

Proposal DevelopmentKari Whittenberger-Keith: kariwk@uwm.edu

Michelle Schoenecker: schoene7@uwm.edu

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