REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (ROUND Two)
for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity
FY 2015-2016
Project Period January 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016
INTRODUCTION
The Research Council of the University (RCU) invites applications for mini-grants, assigned time, or
combination of mini-grant and assigned time to conduct research, scholarship, and creative activities. This
ROUND Two is a call for proposals for research to be conducted during the 2016 Winter and/or Spring
quarters.
1) Funding Level
For ROUND Two, CSUB has funds available for course release time and mini-grant support for research,
scholarship, and creative activity during Winter and/or Spring 2016.
2) Eligibility
All faculty (full-time and part-time) may apply for funding of one proposal per year to support research,
scholarship, and creative activities; joint authorship proposals are acceptable. All proposals will be judged
on merit; however, proposals from tenure-track faculty facing tenure and promotion decisions will be
given special consideration. Individuals who have been supported previously through this program are
eligible to reapply; however, individuals who have received support for the past three (3) consecutive years
will receive lowest priority to allow other faculty greater opportunity for support. Required final reports
including title or citations of books/manuscripts, papers and grant applications, from previous RCU
awards must be on file with Grants, Research and Sponsored Programs Office or you will be precluded
from current and future RCU support. Individuals who received RCU funding for Round One 2015-16,
your report is due on August 15, 2016.
3) Deadline
PROPOSALS SUBMITTED AFTER THE DATE AND TIME SPECIFIED WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!
All requests must be signed by Department Chairs and received by Grants, Research and Sponsored
Programs Office (DDH D-108) no later than Noon, Friday, October 30, 2015. Faculty are responsible for
ensuring that the Department Chair has sufficient time to review and sign the cover page of the proposal.
Awards will be announced by early November 2015.
TYPES OF REQUESTS
1) Mini-grant
All faculty may apply for funding for one mini-grant per year. Funds will be provided to faculty for mini
grants to support promising research, scholarship, and creative activities. Priority will be given to those
projects which provide support for student researchers. Travel needed to collect data; consult materials
otherwise not available locally is allowed. Conference travel may be allowed, provided that such travel is
clearly justified as an integral and necessary part of the proposed research. Faculty are encouraged to
submit projects for which the mini-grant serve as seed money for future extramural funding.
Office of Grants, Research and Sponsored Programs • CSU Bakersfield • DDH/D108 • (661) 654-2231
RCU Guidelines Revised July 2, 2015
Page 1 of 4
Mini-grant funds can be used to pay undergraduate and graduate students as project assistants, to cover
supplies and services needed for project completion, to purchase special equipment needed for this project,
and to cover necessary travel expenses. Proposals requesting support for private consultation, the
development of university course curricula, contracted textbooks/software programs will not be
considered. All ROUND Two funds should be encumbered and travel completed by June 30, 2016.
2) Assigned Time
Only tenure and tenure-track faculty are eligible to apply for assigned time. Faculty can apply for assigned
time to be released from one course (normally 3-7 WTU or up to 150 hours) during Winter/Spring Quarter
2016. Faculty must justify the need and use of the assigned time. Please consult with your Department
Chair regarding replacement issues prior to writing your proposal.
PROPOSAL FORMAT REQUIREMENT
The original and six (6) copies of the completed proposal are to be submitted to the Office of Grants,
Research and Sponsored Programs (GRASP). GRASP will not do photocopying. The proposal format is
provided below.
1) Cover Page (two pages maximum). The original cover page is attached to this RFP. Be certain to fill out all
sections completely. Attach the signed original cover page to the original proposal. All copies of the
proposal must have a copy of the cover page with appropriate signatures.
2) Description of Proposed Activity (limit to single spaced two pages max.; 12 pitch font size; 1 inch
margin; and one page of reference)
(a) ABSTRACT. Give a concise statement of the problem and purpose for your study including
methodology. Note that reviewers may not have a background in your field, so try to keep disciplinespecific technical terms and concepts (including mathematical formulae) to a minimum and do not use
undefined acronyms or abbreviations.
(b) PROPOSED ACTIVITY. Give an overview of the proposed activity that clearly shows how the problem
statement is to be addressed, with a timeline and milestones as appropriate.
(c) SIGNIFICANCE. Please state and justify the importance/significance of your project.
(d) OUTCOMES. State clearly the anticipated outcomes of the proposed activity, including plans for future
extra mural support and dissemination.
(e) STUDENT INVOLVEMENT. Define clearly the type of activities for student involvement in the project
and describe the educational merit of that involvement or indicate if student involvement is not
applicable.
Proposals requesting additional funding for on-going programs must specify how the current proposed
activity will extend/complement earlier efforts.
3) Resources ($5,000 max. cash award and/or one course release time), Rationale, and Description of Other
Support (limit to two pages)
(a) Provide an itemized budget and justify with explanation of each budget item.
(b) Provide justification for any request for release time.
(c) List the source and amount of any previous financial support and/or release time for this or any related
project.
(d) List other sources (Faculty Development, SRS, Dean, startup, etc.) of support and/or release time you
have received from CSUB in the last five (5) years.
Office of Grants, Research and Sponsored Programs • CSU Bakersfield • DDH/D108 • (661) 654-2231
RCU Guidelines Revised July 2, 2015
Page 2 of 4
4) Vita (limit to two pages for each faculty member). Provide a vita which contains information relative to
your ability to carry out the proposed project, highlighting outcomes of prior funding from the RCU.
5) Submit a one to two page summary report detailing the outcome of past RCU award
CHECK LIST
It is important that all proposals conform to the instructions provided in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
Conformance is required and will be strictly enforced. Proposals that are not consistent with these
instructions will not be considered by RCU.

Formatting: Application must be single spaced, 1 inch margin, and 12 pitch font.

Cover page: Must be signed by you, your chair, and not to exceed 2 pages maximum.

Proposed Activity: Must be limited to one page of reference and 2 pages maximum containing
the following subsections: Abstract, Proposed Activity, Significance, Outcomes, and Student
Involvement, if any.

Resources: Must be limited to 2 pages maximum; contain itemized budget with justification;
contain justification for release time, if applicable; contain a list of all previous support from
CSUB in the past 5 years, including startup funds, release times, Dean’s support, RCU, etc.

Vita: Must be limited to 2 pages maximum and contain information relative to your ability to
carry out the proposed project.

Outcome of prior support: Submit a one to two page report detailing outcome of prior RCU
support
CONFORMANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION
It is important that all proposals conform to the instructions provided in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
Conformance is required and will be strictly enforced. Proposals that are not consistent with these
instructions will not be considered by RCU. Particular attention is given to proposal length, content and
formatting, including the page limitation on the Description of Proposed Activity and other proposal
sections, such as the budget and vita.
Human or Animal Subjects Research
Are humans or animals involved as subjects in your research project? If so, please supply an
IRB (humans) or an IACUC (animals) authorization letter prior to award decision.
Office of Grants, Research and Sponsored Programs • CSU Bakersfield • DDH/D108 • (661) 654-2231
RCU Guidelines Revised July 2, 2015
Page 3 of 4
Human Subjects:
Please see definition of human subjects research at the following link:
http://www.csub.edu/grasp/Research%20Compliance/IRB/DefHSResearch/index.html
Animal Subjects:
The principal investigator on every IACUC protocol, as well as others having substantial contact with the
animals must be certified as having appropriate training in the Humane Care and Use of Animal Subjects
(HCUAS). Training materials for this purpose are available online:
http://www.csub.edu/grasp/Research%20Compliance/IACUC/HCUASTraining/index.html
Round Two Project Period: January 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016
For additional information please contact the
Office of Grants, Research & Sponsored Programs, DDH D-100 [x2233]
Office of Grants, Research and Sponsored Programs • CSU Bakersfield • DDH/D108 • (661) 654-2231
RCU Guidelines Revised July 2, 2015
Page 4 of 4