Office of Student Creativity and Research
Summer Proposal Guidelines
Purpose
The OSCAR Fund facilitates Student Creativity and Research. Awards include funds for supplies,
services, and project travel (excluding meal costs).
Eligibility
A student must be enrolled in a credit-bearing experience at UWSP when applying for the grant and
conducting the research.
To be eligible for and receive Summer OSCAR Funds, a student must be enrolled and earn a grade
for a course during the summer session.
Students must complete the Application Form and Budget Detail Worksheet on the OSCAR
website, print, and obtain signatures. Submit the hard copy of these documents and attachments
to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), Room 208 Old Main, no later than 12:00
noon on Friday, May 6.
Funding Limits
Individual undergraduate student summer projects are eligible for awards up to $1,500. If you are
working on an undergraduate student research team, each student may earn up to $1,500 per
project. For example, if there are four undergraduate student researchers you may request up to
$6,000 for the summer project ($1,500 per student). Undergraduate students are permitted to earn
a maximum of $3,500 from the OSCAR Fund throughout their undergraduate experience.
Individual Graduate students may earn up to $2,000 per summer project and $3,000 throughout
their graduate student experience.
Project Funding Dates
Summer OSCAR Funds are for projects that Start and End in the Summer. Supplies, services, and
project related travel must conclude by August 10, 2016 (reimbursement receipts must be dated
on or before August 10, 2016). Grant funds must be expended by 90 days after project end date.
***NOTE – Projects do NOT need to be completed by AUGUST 10 – You can continue to work on
your projects after this date. However, you must encumber your funds by this date.
Notification of Awards
Proposals are reviewed within ten days of the submission deadline. Following the meeting at which
the OSCAR Advisory Council reviews proposals, the Accounting Office is notified and account
numbers are assigned for all successful grants. As soon as accounts are set up, letters are sent from
the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs notifying applicants whether their grant request is
funded. This process may take up to a month after the deadline for submission.
Don't be afraid to ask your faculty mentor for help in preparing this application for funding. It
should be your proposal prepared with the advice and guidance of a faculty member.
Office of Student Creativity and Research
Summer Proposal Guidelines
Faculty Support
The faculty member who provides the guidance for the research will provide a letter of support as
part of this application. This support letter should certify the nature of the research, the originality
of the proposal (verify the student(s) as the author(s)), the needs as expressed in this grant
application, the ability of the student to conduct the research, and the expected outcome(s). In
addition, the faculty member must indicate their willingness and ability to oversee grant
expenditures.
General Guidelines
OSCAR Advisory Council members represent a wide variety of disciplines. Prepare your proposal for
readers who may have no direct professional knowledge of your academic subject; it should be selfexplanatory for an intelligent reader outside your field of study. Your proposal should be a
complete document that can stand alone. Proposals that are incomplete, do not follow the
guidelines, or are not submitted in the proper format may not be evaluated, subject to the Review
Committee's discretion.
All proposals are evaluated on the basis of organization, completeness, clarity, rigor of design, value
of the experience to the individual, and strength of the faculty mentor's support. You will receive a
critique of your grant proposal. A copy of the rubric used by the review committee is posted on the
OSCAR website for your reference.
Include other sources of direct financial support for the research project (departmental support, a
faculty mentor's grant support, personal out-of-pocket contributions, etc.).
Grant Application
The application includes: cover sheet, narrative, timeline, and vita. Please be sure to complete all
information requested and provide all signatures needed.
Budget Detail
The Excel worksheet contains a summary of expenses (including matching support). If more room is
needed for justification, please attach a separate sheet.
Please provide detail and justification for each item requested. Itemize all requested services and
supplies. Do not use categories such as "other" or "miscellaneous." Include quantity (when
appropriate) and the unit cost of each item. Travel includes transportation fares and tolls and
lodging. Provide a brief explanation of any unusual or out-of-the-ordinary expenses. Workshop or
training registration fees should be listed under services and supplies.
If you are supplementing this request with personal and/or other sources of funds (a grant obtained
by your faculty mentor), identify these funds. Provide the total budget then identify which parts will
be funded by OSCAR Funds and matching/personal funds in the space provided.
Office of Student Creativity and Research
Summer Proposal Guidelines
Certification of IRB/IACUC Approval
If your research includes human or animal subjects, be sure to include IRB or IACUC approval.
Final Report
Students are expected to present the results of their URSCA funded research at UWSP college
symposiums or UW-System Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (hosted
by UWSP April 21, 2017). If neither of these options is possible, students must submit a final report
to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs within 90 days of the project end date or prior to
graduation.