faculty research grant proposals...

The ACPA Commission for Graduate Preparation Programs invites the submission of research grant proposals. The purpose of the Faculty Research Grant is to provide funding for faculty research projects focused on issues in student affairs and higher education. Awards will typically not exceed $1000, though requests for higher levels of funding will be reviewed on their individual merits. The awards will be made for a one-year period, beginning January 1, 2007. The deadline for electronic proposal submissions is 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time, Friday, December 1, 2006.

Please review ALL of the details of grant proposals and process below. Proposals that do not strictly adhere to these guidelines may not be reviewed.

• Purpose of the Grant
• Eligibility
• Grant Award Period
• Selection Criteria
• Review Process
• Post Grant Reporting Requirements
• Proposal Content
• Proposal Length Limitations
• Submission Guidelines
• Commission Grants Coordinator Contact Information

Purpose of Grant. The purpose of the Faculty Research Grant Program is to fund innovative research projects that further the goals of the commission and contribute to the body of knowledge about student affairs and/or higher education administration.

Eligibility. Proposals may be submitted by individual faculty members or by teams of researchers. Both full-time faculty and those who serve in adjunct roles are eligible to apply.

Grant Award Period. Awards will be made for a one-year period (January 1 - December 31).

Selection Criteria. Proposals will be reviewed on the following criteria:

• Relevance To the Goals of the Commission. Priority will be given to the funding of research on topics related to (1) graduate preparation in student affairs, (2) topics related to professional preparation, and (3) other topics of interest to student affairs professionals.
• Feasibility and Design. Research designs should adhere to design conventions of the methodology used, although no methodological tradition is given priority; funding priority is given to those research designs that reviewers deem have the potential to generate important and meaningful results.
• Overall Clarity and Quality of Proposal. Proposals should adhere to the conventions of academic writing, use APA style, and be free from grammatical errors. Budgets much be fully developed and use of funds should be clearly delineated.

Review Process. A four-person Review Committee (appointed by the Commission's Grants Coordinator) will blind review proposals on the above criteria. Depending upon available resources, the Review Committee may recommend that a proposal be funded at a level other than the amount requested.

Post-Grant Reporting Requirements. Upon completion of the study, recipients must submit an executive summary (maximum 1-2 pages) of the study and a summary of expenditures to the Commission's Grant's Coordinator. This report should be submitted within one month of completion of the study or by the conclusion of the funding year (December 31).

Proposal Content. A complete proposal consists of four sections: Project Narrative (4-pages), Project Budget (2-pages) and Proposed Timetable (1-page), and References and Appendices. It is important that all aspects of each section are sufficiently covered in the grant proposal, as indicated below.

• Project Narrative. In a maximum of 4-pages, cover:
  • The rationale for the study
  • The purpose of the study
  • The relevance of the study to the goals of the Commission.
  • The research questions/hypotheses posed in the study
  • The methodology (sample, technique(s), data analysis procedures)
  • Instruments/protocols should be appended to the narrative and are not counted in the 4-page limit.

• Project Budget. In a maximum of 2-pages:
  • Include all costs to conduct the study
  • Reflect other funding received to conduct the study
  • Include the amount sought from this grant
  • Include rationale for budget items.
  • Exclude any costs to produce the report of the study (e.g., photocopying, binding, etc.)

• Proposed Timetable. In a maximum of 1-page, provide a detailed summary of the timeline for the study.

• References Cited and Appendices. Please limit attachments, as the evaluation of the grant proposal will be focused on those items listed above.
  • Include a page of References Cited, if necessary.
  • Include appendices of instruments and protocols.

Proposal Length Limitations. Proposals may NOT exceed 7 pages, not including title page, references, and appendices. Page specifications for each section of the proposal are indicated in the proposal contents, and include: Project Narrative (Max 4-pages), Project Budget (Max 2-pages), and Proposed Timeline (Max 1-page).

Submission Procedures. Proposals must be submitted electronically. Prepare your entry as follows:

• A title page with ONLY the specific title of your research grant and the amount of funding for which you are applying. Do not put your name or institution on the title page or anywhere in the document itself.

• Save as an MSWord or PDF document, with your name as the document name (e.g., smithj.doc or smithj.pdf). Your name or institutional affiliation SHOULD NOT APPEAR anywhere else on the document. Entries will be blind reviewed.

• Send your entry as an email attachment to Elisa S. Abes, Miami University, abeses@muohio.edu or Amy S. Hirschy, University of Louisville, amy.hirschy@louisville.edu. In your email message, please include:
  • Name
  • Position (Assistant, Associate, Full, or Adjunct Professor)
  • Department
  • Institutional Affiliation
  • Title of Grant
  • Amount of Funding Requested
  • Current Mailing Address

• The deadline for sending entries is 5 pm EST on Friday, December 1, 2006.

Entries not prepared in this manner may not be considered for review. You will receive an email confirmation of the receipt of your entry and its eligibility.