Faculty Teaching and Research Grants Guidelines for 2023-24

Due date for applications is Friday, September 15, 2023 by 5pm EST

Note - Endorsement Required

Project proposals must be endorsed by the academic unit heads (AUH) of all faculty members included on the proposal. Applicants should share their proposals with the AUH(s) in a timely manner in the interest of comprehensive planning and successful application completion.

The endorsement should note why funds are requested through this funding source instead of being funded by the Department.

Proposals involving more than one faculty member must be submitted by ONE who will act as the lead faculty and/or PI. Applicants serving in this role will not only need an endorsement from their academic unit head, they will also need to confirm in the online submission process that they are acting with the advance agreement of the AUH for any other colleague(s) involved.

Purpose
The College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS) will offer research grants and teaching grants for the 2023-2024 academic year. The purpose of the Faculty Research & Teaching Grants program is to stimulate and assist teaching effectiveness, advance one's scholarship agenda, and reflect academic unit, college, and university-wide goals. Proposals in any field of creative activity may be submitted, and faculty members are encouraged to consider projects involving student activity and those of an interdisciplinary nature. Grants are to be used to sustain activities necessary to complete the proposed activities, including travel expenses and other related costs (see budget section for restrictions). Each grant award will not exceed $5,000.

Inclusive Excellence
A portion of the award funds will be dedicated to projects that seek to enhance CHBS’s inclusive excellence goals. This may include research that provides meaningful opportunities for underrepresented student engagement, or that focuses on the experiences of underserved populations in a particular area of investigation. Research that focuses on the social determinants of health, health disparities, unjust environmental practices that impact population wellness, or that seeks to generate health equity for an underserved population are examples of such scholarship. Proposals that promote inclusive excellence must include a rationale in the proposal.

Faculty Eligibility
The program is open to full-time faculty members of the College, including academic unit heads. Each grant is awarded with the understanding that the recipient will devote sufficient time and energy to ensure successful completion of the project. Faculty members are eligible to apply for both a research grant and a teaching grant for the same year; however, only one grant will be awarded. If a faculty member submits a proposal to both the Teaching and Research areas the proposals must be distinct (i.e., the same proposal cannot be submitted as a Teaching and Research proposal). If the nature of the proposal is associated with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the CHBS Faculty Development Committee advises submitting the proposal as a Teaching proposal. 

Proposals will be accepted from individual faculty members for solo projects or on behalf of a team. If proposals are submitted on behalf of a team, the lead faculty or PI must be a full-time faculty member in the College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS).

Please be cognizant that a candidate submitting a proposal cannot currently be serving on the College Faculty Development Committee.

Reports and Acknowledgements
At the completion of grant activities, a written report detailing project accomplishments and describing the benefits of the grant activity must be submitted to the Office of the Dean (CHBS) by September 1 of the following year. Also, the report should be submitted to the academic unit head as part of the FAR (Faculty Activity Report) for the academic year. Additionally, the recipients may be asked to share information about their grant-funded activities in a CHBS or campus forum or event.

Guidelines for Proposal
The CHBS Faculty Development Committee strongly recommends conforming to the following format:

Project Summary:

Include a short and descriptive project title and a one-paragraph abstract.

Narrative:

Project descriptions will vary with specific intentions of the principal investigators. The proposal must provide information on methodology, scholarly and/or pedagogical significance and other relevant matters; however, the proposer should not presume extensive knowledge of the subject by the reviewers. This description of the project is the only demonstration that the College Faculty Development Committee will have of the substance and potential of your proposed activities. Therefore, since members of these committees may not have a specialized knowledge of your field, the proposal must describe the project in plain, non-technical English.

• Problem – State clearly and briefly a problem to be addressed.
• Justification – Incorporate statements concerning justification of the project, including a concise review of pertinent literature or state of affairs.
• Alignment with Goals – State the objectives of the project and their relationship to individual professional goals, unit mission and goals, and/or University mission and goals.
• Procedures - State the procedures to be used.
• Student Involvement – If applicable, indicate the nature and extent of student involvement. Student involvement is beneficial to these endeavors.
• Timeline - Include a timeline covering all project activities and major benchmarks for assessing progress.
• Future Scholarship – State what future scholarly activities or pedagogical intervention/development might be expected as a result of the grant. Also note research and scholarly activities that might occur after conclusion of the grant, enabling the investigator to seek external funding for long-term project support. These activities could include continued research, publication or presentation in a professional forum.
• Budget – Provide a brief narrative noting how the funds requested are essential for promoting the project.
• Inclusive Excellence - If the proposal promotes inclusive excellence, provide a rationale. This brief narrative should be clearly delineated in the narrative (e.g., with a header).

The narrative of the proposal is not to exceed four double-spaced typed pages or 1,250  words.

Budget:

A detailed budget is required. The budget should clearly link specific activities of the proposal with anticipated costs. College support of each grant will not exceed $5,000. Review the Guidelines for Expending Funds (PDF). These regulations and rules are very important when planning for the Grants you will be submitting. All awarded funds must be spent no later than May 15. All travel, supply purchases, payments to subjects etc. must be completed and paid for by this date also. Please include as much detail as possible for each budget item included in the proposal and avoid general categories such as “miscellaneous supplies.” Some requests may need to be explained in more detail (for example, how were honoraria calculated/what criteria were used).Of note, funds cannot be used to supplement faculty pay, for publishing expenses, or to fund graduate student work (e.g., graduate student completing thesis/dissertation).

Current Vita:

The proposer shall provide an up-to-date outline of professional activities and accomplishments relevant to the proposed project and indicative of one's ability to successfully carry out the proposed project.

Note that the College Faculty Development Committee will evaluate grant applications first and foremost on the merit of the proposal. Professional credentials will be considered when reviewing proposals of equal or comparable merit and when determining the applicant's potential to successfully accomplish grant activities.

Criteria/Governing Policies

The College Faculty Development Committee will review all proposals eligible for consideration. The Faculty Development Committee shall make recommendations regarding funding to the Dean. The Faculty Development Committee will make recommendations based on the following criteria and governing policies.

Criteria:
The CHBS Faculty Development Committee will use this rubric to aid in the evaluation conversation. This tool aligns with the narrative elements above. 

Governing Policies:

• Competition is open to all full-time faculty members of the College.
• Proposals must be written in a clear and concise manner.
• If eligible, faculty may apply for both a research grant and a teaching grant for the same year; however, in the case that both proposals are accepted, only one grant will be awarded.
• Proposals for teaching grants may include activities related to program development, curriculum development, course revision or refinement, development of assessment techniques, and the use of technology in instruction.
• Awards will not be given for completing degree requirements or merely polishing a dissertation for publication. Proposals clearly identified as extensions of completed dissertations may be submitted.
• Support will not be given to projects intended for funding by publishers and directly related to remunerative publication contracts; further, grant funds will not be awarded for publication fees or other costs associated with research dissemination.
• Grant funds cannot be used to supplement faculty salaries.
• If projects involve research or data collection using human subjects, the proposer must acknowledge that Institution Review Board (IRB) approval, according to policy number #1104, is required of all awarded grants. IRB approval and details of the approved IRB protocol must be submitted to Julie Love before any expenditures can occur.
• If projects involve research or data collection using live, vertebrate animals, the proposer must acknowledge that Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval, according to policy number #2202, is required of all awarded grants. IACUC approval and details of the approved IACUC protocol should be submitted to Julie Love before any expenditures can occur.
• Faculty are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the University's Intellectual Property policy (#1107).
• Final decisions are made by the Dean and informed by the Faculty Development Committee regarding the relative merit of each proposal.

Proposal Submission

• Complete online application: https://forms.office.com/r/y9Fh4FbwUS
• Submit all application materials to: chbs-dean@jmu.edu.

APPLICATION CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS

• Project summary and abstract
• Narrative not to exceed four double-spaced typed pages or 1,250 words
• Current Curriculum Vita
• Endorsement letter from academic unit head (forward an email approval from the AUH or attach as a PDF file)
• Itemized budget justification form - (This form is required.)
• You will be asked to verify that you have reviewed the Guidelines for Expending Funds (PDF) which also includes information regarding laboratory safety and handling of chemicals.

To ensure the completeness of your application, please include the applicant or lead faculty member's name in the file name of all application materials to be attached. CVs should include the faculty member's name in the file name.

INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Notification of Grant Award

The Dean of the College will notify grant recipients in writing by the end of the fall semester.