RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES (RCA) GRANT PROGRAM
2015-2016
University of Wisconsin –Stevens Point
University Personnel Development Committee (UPDC)
I. Purpose: The UWSP UPDC Research and Creative Activities (RCA) Grant Program supports the
systematic scholarly investigation or creative production concerning topics worthy of
scholarly/academic attention. In response to a UW-System initiative, UPDC encourages proposals on
issues of inclusivity.
II. Funding guidelines:
A. Eligibility: All faculty, academic staff and university staff are eligible to apply for funding. Employees
must be at least a .5 FTE (a half-time employee).
**Note: Applicants can only apply for one RCA grant each academic year. See General Grant
Policies for more information.
B. Maximum award amount: $7,500
C. Allowable costs: See General Grant Policies for allowable costs. All travel estimates must be
supported by copies of estimates from the State authorized travel agent (TravelWise/Concur).
Please include a copy of the UW TravelWise calculator for Lodging Maximums & M&IE Per Diem
Allowance Calculation. If you are driving, you must include a print out of your trip via MapQuest (or
a similar program) and the Online Driver Authorization Verification
D. Award cycles: RCA grants are usually awarded twice annually during the academic year, once in the
Fall and once in the Spring. Please check the ORSP website for specific deadline dates:
www.uwsp.edu/acadaff/orsp/Pages/default.aspx
Money for grants funded by UPDC will be available up to 90 days after the project period end date.
Any funds left unspent will be returned to the UPDC. If necessary, a no-cost extension may be
requested by emailing the UPDC Chair (twright@uwsp.edu), General Ledger (bsengbus@uwsp.edu)
and ORSP (scourtne@uwsp.edu). Please state the reason for the request and the anticipated project
end date.
E.
Application process:
1. Contact your department chair or direct supervisor to inform them of your intent to apply for
the funding. They will need to approve of your request.
2. Optional: Contact the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP) to review past
successful applications. You can also contact UPDC committee members to learn more about
developing a successful proposal.
3. Write your proposal. Collect supporting documentation such as a letter(s) of support, and
documentation of projected costs.
4. Obtain required signatures on your application cover page (department chair or director).
5. Submit your application with all required signatures in person to ORSP by the required
date/time.
G. Post-award reporting: Recipients of Research and Creative Activities Program grants will provide
the UPDC with a final report. In the report, provide a description of the project so that UPDC
members can evaluate the success of the project. Submit the report detailing the accomplishment
of the objectives(s) to ORSP within 90 days of the completion of the project. UPDC grant recipients
are not eligible to apply for another professional development grant until they submit a final
report to ORSP.
III. Application format:
1. Cover page (see application form)
2. Project narrative (not to exceed five pages)
a. Rationale: Applicants should describe relevant background information, the need for the
present investigation, and the potential theoretical and/or practical implications of the
project’s findings/finished project. Applicants should cite relevant research in-text and
in the reference page (see below).
b. Objectives: Applicants should list in bullet form what they expect to accomplish (e.g.,
“Delineate themes of children-in-law uncertainty,” “Identify synonyms for disability in
the corpus of Old English Literature,” “Determine how pit membranes of grapevines
with different resistance to Pierce’s disease differ in composition,” “Compose and
record tracks for a jazz album”).
c. Methods: Applicants should describe the methodology of their project, specifically:
i. Participants/Subjects, if applicable: Outline who or what will serve as the sample
for the research project (e.g., soybeans, married couples, Illustrations to
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, etc.)
ii. Procedures: How (e.g., samples taken, individuals complete an online
questionnaire, compare the sonnets of Shakespeare to the poems of Wolfram
von Eschenback), when (timeframe for the project), and Where (e.g., laboratory,
studio, participant’s home) the data will be collected and/or objectives will be
met.
1. Participants administering questionnaires or conducting focus groups
and/or interviews should provide a copy of the questionnaire and/or
interview schedule.
iii. Data analysis, if applicable: Describe how the data will be analyzed, including
tests run, experimental design, methods used, etc. Also, applicants should
provide a brief justification explaining why these methods are appropriate for
analyzing their data.
d. Budget justification: Applicants should provide strong justification to support their
estimated costs outlined in the UWSP UPDC Budget Form (see section 6 below).
e. Evaluation: Applicants should explain how the success of their project will be assessed
through independent review, for example peer-reviewed journal article, conference
presentation, juried exhibit, or performance critique. Applicants should delineate
specific venues of evaluation, such as specific journal names, conferences, or potential
exhibitions. If applicable, indicate the likelihood of patentable results.
f. Reference page: Information cited in-text should be properly referenced in accordance
with the conventions of the applicant’s discipline.
3. CV summary (limited to two pages): Applicants should provide a brief CV summary, including all
grants in the past five years, funded or not. Please include title of grant, year of grant, source of
funds, and amount of each grant received. CV summaries should provide evidence that the
applicant has the necessary background and experience to conduct the proposed project.
4.
5.
6.
7.
A brief CV summary (limited to a half page), is required for all UWSP co-investigators.
Summer salary application, if applicable.
Budget
a. UWSP UPDC Budget Form
b. Detailed budget with appropriate justification
c. Certification of matching funds, if applicable
d. Supplemental materials (e.g., price quotes, etc.)
e. Supporting documentation
Letters of recommendation/support: Applicants are required to solicit recommendation/support
letters from Unit Supervisors, Department Chairs, or Discipline Coordinators. If the project
involves collaborative arrangements with outside entities, the application should include letters
of support from the partner institutions, organizations, or individuals.
Additional supporting materials, if applicable (limited to five pages)
a. IRB approval: Prior to beginning any research involving human subjects at UWSP, or any
other location, the applicant must be approved by the University’s Institutional Review
Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects. See Appendix for details.
b. IACUC approval: Prior to beginning any research involving animal experimentation at
UWSP the applicant must be approved by the University’s Institutional Animal Care and
Use Committee (IACUC). See Appendix for details.
c. Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act (WEPA) Certification. See Appendix for details.
d. Environmental Health and Safety Hazards. See Appendix for details.
Any questions regarding the guidelines should be directed to the Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs or the UPDC Chair.
Appendix
Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects
All research involving human subjects must be approved by the IRB. The UPDC encourages applicants to
obtain IRB approval prior to submitting their Research Grant. Applicants may obtain IRB approval after
the grant is submitted, but funds for approved projects will not be released until IRB approval is
obtained and documentation of approval is on file with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
Applicants can access additional information and relevant forms by visiting:
http://www.uwsp.edu/acadaff/orsp/irb/Pages/default.aspx
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
All projects involving animals must be approved by IACUC. The UPDC encourages applicants to obtain
IACUC approval prior to submitting their Research Grant. Applicants may obtain IACUC approval after
the grant is submitted, but funds for approved projects will not be released until IACUC approval is
obtained and documentation of approval is on file with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
Applicants can access additional information and relevant forms by visiting:
http://www.uwsp.edu/iacuc/Pages/default.aspx
Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act (WEPA) Certification:
WEPA is a state law (see current s.1.11 Wisconsin Statutes and Chapter 274, Laws of 1971), which spells
out the state’s environmental policy and requires state agencies to consider the environmental effects
of their proposed actions. Research and development activities of state agencies are considered
actions. DNR procedures for implementing WEPA are outlined in Chapter NR 150, Wisconsin
Administrative Code.
Environmental Health and Safety Hazards
If there are physical, chemical, biological hazards, any hazardous waste management, or radiation issues
associated with your research, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety Officer at 346-2320.