Instructions for the Research Grant Application
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Fill out the Research Grant application form completely. Provide a 150 word abstract of
the project that summarizes it for the general reader. Provide a detailed budget and
justification for requested expenses. Insert the narrative, timetable, bibliography, and CV
into the appropriate parts of the application form. Make sure the CV is in the appropriate
format (see instructions below).
Discuss the distribution of funds requested in the budget with your Chair or Dean and
together formulate a plan for released time, if this is part of the funding request.
Address each of the numbered points (see below) in your narrative, separating the
sections of the narrative using the bold-faced headings.
Save the grant application as one Word or PDF file and email it to the Faculty
Development mailbox (facdevctr@stthomas.edu) before 4 p.m. on February 1.
Ask your Chair/Dean to complete a letter of approval using the Chair/Dean approval
form from our website, to be sent directly to facdevctr@stthomas.edu by the February 1
deadline in order to complete your application requirements.
The narrative is limited to 5 pages for Level 1 and 6 pages for Level 2. All text must be
double spaced, with 12 point font, and 1 inch margins.
1. Background, context, and goals for the project -This section should provide enough
background information, based on your own work and the work of others, in a way that
minimizes disciplinary jargon as much as possible (if necessary to include, provide definitions)
so that non-technical readers can understand what has been done and why it is important in the
context of the field. These statements should then lead to your stated goals for this particular
project.
2. Plan of work -This section should provide a description and justification of the work that will
achieve the goals of the project. In particular, list the specific tasks that must be accomplished,
an estimate of the amount of effort this will require, and the methods by which the work will be
done. The description of methods should provide enough detail in a way that minimizes
disciplinary jargon as much as possible (if necessary to include, provide definitions) so that nontechnical readers are able to judge the feasibility of the project. If you are requesting released
time from teaching, tell us why, in your view, you cannot reach the goals stated in this proposal
while teaching a regular load.
3. Project's value– Please comment on how this proposal enriches and advances your scholarly
agenda and why this work is significant in your field and deserving of support. This section must
include a description of how the proposed work will contribute to your plan for professional
development and how it enhances your teaching and/or the education of your students and/or
promotes your scholarship.
4. Evaluation and Dissemination of the project – This section should relate back to the goals
and objectives described in section 1. Describe how you will assess the degree to which your
objectives have been met and your plan for disseminating the results of this project to the
intended audience(s). For all levels of Research Grants, a product is expected that is
disseminated to a professional audience, including books, journal articles, writing for public
audiences, presentation at a professional conference or seminar (for which proposals are
Revised 5/6/2015
competitively reviewed), external grant proposals, professional practice and consulting, software
products, or other output defined by Boyer (Scholarship Reconsidered, 1990) or UST’s Faculty
Handbook. State specific journal, publisher, conference titles, considered as potentials for
dissemination.
5. Appendices – please list appendices on separate pages
1. A detailed Timetable for the project, showing tentative plans for initiation, duration, and
completion of the proposed work. This can be in tabular or narrative form, but is limited
to one page.
2. A Bibliography in two sections: A) Works Cited in the “Background, Context, and
Goals” section of the narrative portion of the proposal; and B) Relevant Literature
integral to the project but not cited specifically in the narrative. The latter category is
intended to demonstrate applicant familiarity with the current literature and readiness to
engage in the project.
3. An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (four page limit, single spaced) that is organized with
the following information:
o name, department and contact information (phone, email, mailbox)
o education (years and degrees)
o academic appointments (years and titles)
o grants and other honors or awards (last 10 years);
o publications (last 10 years);
o other professional activity relevant to the project (e.g., consultancies, travel,
organizational leadership, collaborations).
Revised 5/6/2015