CWS Infrastructure Support Grants
The CWS supports laboratory infrastructure to meet its mission of advancing scientific
research and knowledge for understanding, protecting, and restoring water resources
and their sustainable use by humans and ecosystems around the Great Lakes and the
world. The purpose of the Infrastructure Support program is to build capacity on
campus and provide services to the MSU community and the state of Michigan.
This competition is designed to support technicians in a laboratory; equipment
expenses are not eligible.
Note: CWS has matching funds available for extramural support of equipment purchases. Requests for
matching funds for equipment must be submitted with a brief proposal related to extramural sources of
funds to CWS; requests will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility Requirements
1. One or more of the investigators must have faculty membership status in the
CWS. (Faculty members are those listed as interdisciplinary collaborators by
CWS; please see cws.msu.edu for more information.);
2. PI’s lab offers fee-for-service analyses to CWS faculty, MSU, and outside
community;
3. Lab is on list of CWS laboratories (see cws.msu.edu for more information); and
4. PI provides price list for CWS to post on the Center website.
Type of Award
CWS offers up to $60,000 in infrastructure support funds for a 2-year period to support
technician salaries and benefits. CWS requires at least a 50-50 match for technician
salaries and benefits from the PI. This must result in full-time support for a technician
for 2 years. These funds are not eligible for support of graduate students. They are
intended to develop sustainable technical infrastructure within CWS and MSU. CWS
expects to award up to two infrastructure support grant during this 2007 funding cycle.
Submission and Review Process
Proposals should be submitted electronically using the form provided by CWS to Allena
Tapia (tapia@msu.edu). Proposals should be written for a general scientific audience.
Proposals will be distributed to reviewers suggested by the CWS Advisory Committee
and/or CWS faculty for review. Proposals will be reviewed based on criteria below and
recommendations for support or no support will be submitted to the co-directors, who
will decide upon funding.
Due Date
Proposals are due February 1, 2007.
Review Criteria
All funding applications should support the mission of CWS. In addition, CWS will use
the following criteria to review proposals:
1. Plans and ability of the laboratory to support CWS projects.
2. Faculty expertise to guide the quality of the lab work.
3. Possibility of external grants that the PI and collaborators will generate as a
result of increasing lab capacity.
4. Likelihood of sustaining long-term support for the technician through intramural
and extramural contracts and grants.
5. Relation to priority research areas of CWS, which include:
 antibiotics in water and development of microbial resistance;
 viral pathogens and waterborne disease;
 effects of stressors with global origins (e.g., atmospheric nitrogen,
mercury deposition and invasive species);
 ecosystem services and human activities in lakes and their watersheds;
 microbial biodiversity and biogeochemical processes in complex aquatic
landscapes;
 watershed influences on coastal ecosystems of large lakes;
 algal toxins and water supply;
 perfluorinated organic compounds; and
 international programs investigating effects of climate, landscape, and
cultural diversity on the coupling of human and ecological systems.
Agreement for Funding
Faculty receiving funding will be expected to:

Submit a one-page annual report beginning 12 months after funding is
awarded. Reports should include any/all publications, including abstracts
presented at national and local meetings that are derived from the project.

Acknowledge CWS in all publications that result from work supported or
partially supported with CWS resources such as: “This material is based upon
work supported in part by the Center for Water Sciences at Michigan State
University.”

Participate in Center activities, such as review committees, seminars, and
workgroup meetings.

Provide a summary of project results to CWS to be posted on the Center web
site

Agree to add data sets or information on new methods or techniques to CWS
resource database

Provide price list for services to post on the CWS website.

Agree to provide services for CWS projects that would not exceed more than
25% of the total time for the technician (i.e. 50% of CWS’ portion of funding
or the equivalent of 6 months). This assignment can be negotiated with CWS
Directors.
Center for Water Sciences
Application for Infrastructure Support Grants
Applicant Information
Name of PI:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Name(s) of co-PI(s):
Department (list department for lead PI):
Administrative Contact for Department:
Name:
Phone:
Email:
Department Common Unit Code:
Project Abstract (<500 words)
Briefly describe the laboratory and how CWS funds will be used to assist in building lab capacity. If
applicable, provide information on how support from CWS will generate future opportunities for research.
Budget Request
Amount of Funds Requested: $
Brief budget description. Approved budgetary items may include technical support (salary support
should include fringe benefits), supplies, and equipment. Budgets should not exceed $35,000. Itemize
each category and indicate the specific amounts requested. Provide a brief (250 words or less)
justification for each item requested. PI must show 50% matching funds for technician salary.
Laboratory Description (DO NOT EXCEED 10 PAGES.)
Attach a laboratory description. Your description should include:
1. Purpose of the lab and current capabilities (including number of samples processed)
2. Current research projects
3. Service provided to those outside your lab
4. How award will expand capabilities of lab (including number of samples processed)
5. Objectives of long-term research programs that this funding will support
6. Relevance of the services provided by the lab to the CWS mission and plans to support
ongoing CWS projects
7. Data sets, models, and key methods or techniques that will be applied and/or developed
8. Potential for technician to train students and post-docs
9. Long-term impact of the project on potential extramural funding
10. Pricing structure
11. QA/QC statement
Curriculum Vitae
Attach 2-page CVs for all PIs according to NSF style recommendations (see
www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/nsf04_23/2.jsp#IIC2f).