CommonQuestionsandApplicationInformationfor
UniversitySmallResearchGrants(USRG)Program
CommonQuestions
WhatisaUniversitySmallResearchGrant(USRG)?
AUniversitySmallResearchGrant(USRG)isdesignedasaseedgranttosupportsmallresearch
projects,scholarlyactivity,andothercreativeefforts.Thesesmallgrantscancovergraduateor
undergraduatestudenthourlyassistance(butnotassistantships),smallequipment,supplies,
materials,servicesassociatedwiththeactivity,computingfordataprocessing,andtraveltoasite
wheretheactivitywilloccur(butnottraveltomeetingsorconferences).Computersoftwarecanbe
requestedtosupportscholarlyactivitiesinUSRGapplications;however,iftheequipmentalready
existsoncampus,utilizationofexistingequipmentisnormallyrecommended.
WhatitemsareNOTsupportedbyUSRGawards?
TheUSRGprogramdoesnotsupportsabbaticaltravel,construction,publicationcosts,faculty
salaries,classifiedsalaries,orgraduatestudentassistantships.Proposalswillnotbeacceptedto
reimbursecostsincurredpriortothereviewofthegrant.Awardswillnotbegivenforactivities
normallyconsidereddepartmentalresponsibilities(e.g.,designinganewcurriculum,surveying
alumni).
Whocanapplyandwhen?
Toapply,facultymusthaveatleastsomepercentageoftheirappointmentdevotedtoresearch.This
percentagemustbedocumentedintheDepartmentHead’sletter.Newfaculty(assistantprofessors
orequivalentandabove)canapplytoeachroundoffunding(springandfall)fortheirfirsttwoyears
atK‐State(amaximumoffourconsecutiveproposals),eveniftheyreceivefunding.Facultymembers
atK‐Stateformorethantwoyearsmayapplyeveryround;however,oncefundingisattained
througheithertheFDAorUSRGprogram,afacultymemberisnoteligibleforthenextroundof
funding(i.e.,theremustbeoneatleastroundbetweensubmissions).
ForprojectsstartingbeforeJuly1of2016,applyinthefallcompetition.
ForprojectsstartingonorafterJuly1of2016,applyinthespringcompetition.
Whatifanopportunityarisesoutsidethecompetitiontimeframe?
“Out‐of‐round”fundingisNOTavailableforUSRGproposals.
Whatareawardapprovalcontingencies?
Anawardmaybetermedascontingentuponcertaincriteriabeingmet.Forexample,acontingent
awardcanbemadeiftheresearchinvolvesvertebrateanimals(IACUC),bio‐hazardousorradioactive
materials(IBC),and/orhumansubjects(includingsurveys)(IRB)andtheuniversitycompliance
committeehasnotyetcompletedcomplianceapprovals;however,proofofapprovalwillbe
requestedbytheORSPofficepriortoreleaseoffunds.
WhataretheprioritiesoftheUSRGprogram?
Fundingpriorityisgiventoanapplicantwho:
1. isanewfacultymember;
2. isinadisciplinewhereoutsidesupportisminimalbutwhoispursuingavailableopportunities;
3. isshiftingresearchfieldsorspecialtiesandneedstodemonstratemasteryofnewtechniques;
4. willconductpilotprojectsthatwillenhancetheirchancesofsecuringextramuralfunding;or
5. doesnotalreadyhavestartuporothercommitmentsfromtheuniversity.
Applicantsareexpectedtoroutinelyseekoutsidesupport;thus,lowerpriorityisgiventopreviously
fundedUSRGawardeeswhohavesubsequentlynotattemptedtoobtainextramuralsupport.
Applicantswithextensiveoutsidesupportalsoreceivealowerpriority.
Whatisthetypicalfundingrange?
Thetypicalfundingrangeis$2,000to$4,500.
HowmanyURSGproposalscanIsubmittothiscurrentcallforproposals?
Duetothelimitedfundingavailabletothisprogram,aPImaysubmitonlyoneUSRGproposalper
competition.PIsshouldnotsubmittoboththeFDAandUSRGprogramsinthesamecompetition.
Howareproposalsreviewed?
Proposalsarereviewedbyacommitteeofexperiencedresearcherscomposedofrepresentatives.
Threeprimaryreviewersareassignedtoeachproposaltoreviewandscoretheproposals.Reviewers
meettodiscusstheproposalsasagroup.Proposalsarethenrankedinthesessionbasedontheir
finalreviewscores,andthereviewersgivetheirfundingrecommendationstotheResearchOffice,
whichmakesthefinaldecisiononwhoisfundedandontheleveloffundingbasedonthefunding
available.Proposalsareevaluatedonscholarlymerit,thequalificationsoftheapplicant,andthe
potentialthattheproposedactivitywillleadtooutsidefunding(infieldswheresuchfundingis
available)orpositiveimpactonworkatK‐State.Acopyofthereviewrubricisavailableat:________.
WhenwillIknowwhetherIhavereceivedanaward?
AwardnotificationswillbesentbyDecember1fortheFallroundandbyMay1fortheSpringround.
WhataretherequirementsofaUSRGgrantawardee?
ByacceptingtheUSRGfunding,youagreetothefollowing:
 Themoneyawardedwillbespentwithinayearasspecifiedinyourproposal.Youcannot
usethefundstoconductadifferentprojectthantheoneoutlinedinyoursubmission.
 YouwillattendaprogressmeetingofUSRGawardeeshalfwaythroughyouroneyearproject
period.
 Youwillprovideashortfinalreportthatsummarizestheprojectthatwascarriedout,
outlinesyourresults,andaddressestheoutcomesofyourprojectandthebenefitsthatyou
andK‐Statehave(andwill)receivefromthisfunding.Thereportshouldalsosummarizethe
progressyouhavemadeindeveloping1)aproposalforanoutsidefundingsource,2)a
show/exhibitforyourwork,or3)ascholarlyworkforpublication.Youwillalsoneedto
attachacopyofyourexpendituresummaryorprocurementcardvoucher(donotinclude
supportingdocumentation).ReportsshouldbesubmittedonorbeforeDecember1ofthe
yearfollowingtheawardforFallsubmissionsandonorbeforeMay1oftheyearfollowing
theawardforSpringsubmissions.PIswhodonotsubmitthisreportarenoteligibleto
receivefundingfromtheFDA/USRGprogramsuntilthisreportisturnedin.
 YouwillserveonanFDA/USRGproposalreviewpanelifasked.
ApplicationInstructions
TOBECONSIDEREDFORFUNDING,thefollowingdocumentationMUSTbeincludedinyour
packet:
1. USRGCoverSheet
2. Abstract(1‐pagemaximum)
3.
DetailedBudgetwithFundingJustification:Includepertinentbackupdocumentation
(Expedia,Orbitz,etc.)aswellashowyouarrivedatyourcostsifestimated—seeguidance
below.
4. SupplementalFundinginformation,ifapplicable
5. ProjectTimeline:Notethatprojectsshouldbecompletedinoneyear.
6. Narrative(5‐pagemaximum):Explainthesignificanceofyourproject;includeclearlystated
goalsandobjectivesaswellanapproachsection.AlsoexplainthebenefitstoyouandK‐State
ofcompletingtheproposedprojectandhowtheprojectfitsintoyouroverall
career/researchplan;discussyourplansfor1)obtainingextramuralfunding,2)developing
showorexhibitionofyourworkor3)developingscholarlyworkforpublication.Seefurther
guidancebelow.
7. ComplianceApprovalLetter(ifalreadyinplace)ORPlansforSubmittingCompliance
Letter:Neededonlyifworkingwithhumansubjects(includessurveys),animals,biohazards
includingrecombinantorsyntheticnucleicacidmoleculesandinfectiousagents,or
radioactivematerial.Denoteplanstosubmitforapprovalintheprojecttimeline.Ifusinga
survey,pleaseattachittotheletter/plans.
8. ShortVita(2‐pagemaximum)—seeguidancebelow.
9. FundingHistory(seeguidancebelow):Includeinformationforthepast3years.
10. DepartmentHead’sLetterofSupport/Recommendation
Inaddition,youmustfilloutatransmittalsheetviaeSignthatincludessignaturesbythePI,
DepartmentHead,andAssociateDeanorDean.ThisformwillbeinitiatedbyORSPwhenyouhave
submittedyourproposalwithalloftheabovecomponents.
Tosubmit:
1. CreateONEPDFfileoftheitemslistedabove,intheordergiven
2. Emailthefileasoneattachmentto:orsp@ksu.edu
3. SignatureswillbegeneratedbytheeSignsystem.Youwillreceiveanemailfromthe
systemandshouldimmediatelyloginthroughthelinkintheemailandsignasPI.Your
departmentheadanddeanwillthenreceiveemailsrequestingtheirsignatures.Makesure
yourdepartmentheadisawarethatsigningwillberequestedviaeSign.ORSPmustreceive
allsignatureswithinaweekoftheproposalduedate;otherwise,yourproposalwillbe
returnedwithoutreview.YouwillNOTreceivearemindertocompletethistask
Ifyouhaveanyquestions,emailORSP(orsp@ksu.edu)orcall785‐532‐6195.
INCOMPLETEPROPOSALSWILLNOTBEACCEPTED
FurtherGuidance
1. NARRATIVE(5‐pagemaximum)
Thisisyourchancetoexplainwhyyourproposalshouldbefunded,howitwillhelpyouattain
yourgoals,andhowitwillenhanceyourfieldofstudyatKansasStateUniversity.Clearlystate
thepurpose,goals,andimportanceofyourrequest.Maketheproposedprojectrelevanttoyour
professionaldevelopmentatK‐State.Considerationisgiventotheimportanceoftheproposed
activitytotheapplicant’sfield,theapplicant’sabilitytocompletethework,andtheprobability
thattheworkwillleadtoscholarlycontributionssuchaspublications,exhibitions,etc.
Thereviewteamconsistsofadiversegroupofindividualsfromacrosscampus.Makesureyour
proposalcanbeunderstoodbyfacultywhomaybereadingoutoftheirareaofexpertise,butbe
assuredtheywillapplythesameacademicrigorastomorefamiliarinformation.Proposalsare
reviewedforconceptualization,approach,methodology,reasoning,clarity,andresponsibleuse
ofresources.
2. FUNDINGHISTORY
Supplyalistofallproposals(includeextramuralactivity,FDAandUSRG)preparedinthepast
threeyears.SeparatethelistintoFundedandPending/Not‐Fundedproposals.Listeachproposal
bytitle,source,andamountrequested.Inaone‐paragraphreport,brieflyexplainthe
status/outcomeofallFDAandUSRGawardsreceived.
3. BUDGETANDJUSTIFICATION
Besuretoincludeanitemizedbudgetwithajustificationthatexplainstheexpendituresandhow
theincludedcostswerederived.Includeinformationonhourlyratespaidanddocumentationon
costsofequipmentthatwillbepurchased,usefees,shippingetc.Ifyoumusttraveltoaresearch
site,includeOrbitz/Expediaprintoutsandusestandardizedmileageandperdiemrates‐‐
https://admin.ks.gov/offices/chief‐financial‐officer/travel‐information‐for‐state‐employees.
Identifyanysupplementalfundingsources(e.g.,co‐sponsors,department,etc.)anditemize
amountofcontribution.Thereviewcommitteelooksfavorablyonprojectsthatareco‐sponsored
(whilerecognizingthatdisciplinesdifferintheiropportunitiesforadditionalfundingandco‐
sponsorship).Fundingfrommultiplesourcesisneitherrequiredtoreceiveanaward,norisita
guaranteeoffunding.Iffundsarerequestedfromaco‐sponsoranddenied,thisshouldbe
explained.Remembertohaveco‐sponsor(s)signtheapplicationformtodocumentthe
commitment.Ifanapplicant’sdepartmentisprovidingfunds,thisshouldbedocumentedinthe
departmenthead’sletter,ifincluded.Ifanapplicantusespersonalfundstocoverpartof
expenses,thiscanbelisted.Personalfundingisneitherexpectednorencouragedbythereview
committee.
4. FUNDINGHISTORY
Supplyalistofallproposals(includeextramuralactivity,FDAandUSRG)preparedinthepast
three(3)years.SeparatethelistintoFundedandPending/Not‐Fundedproposals.Listeach
proposalbytitle,source,andamountrequested.Inaone‐paragraphreport,brieflyexplainthe
status/outcomeofallFDAandUSRGawardsreceived.
5. THEVITA(2‐pagemaximum)
Provideashortcurriculumvitathatindicatestheapplicant’spreviousscholarlyorcreativework
pertinenttotheproposedeffort.Ifparticularpastactivitiesrequiremoreextensivetreatment,
describetheminthenarrativesection.
6. THEDEPARTMENTHEAD’SLETTER
ThislettershouldcommunicatethatyouhaveyourDepartmentHead’ssupportforthisproject
aswellaswhatthesignificanceoftheprojectisinparticulartoyou,yourdepartmentandK‐
State.Itshouldalsoconfirmthatyourfacultyappointmentdoescontainsomeresearchtenths
andaddresswhetherornotyouhaveaccesstoalternatesourcesoffunding(e.g.,startupfundsif
youareanewfacultymember,otherexternalfunding).Finally,thelettershoulddocumentany
supplementsupportcommittedtotheprojectbyyourdepartment.