Annual Fred Wert Grant for
Collaborative Sustainability Research
APPLICATIONS DUE Monday April 20, 2015, 11:59pm
Project Title:
Applicant's Name:
Graduation Date:
Faculty/Professional Sponsor:
Funding Amount Requested:
If available funds are not sufficient, would you accept partial funding? Y / N
A completed application consists of this form, your research proposal, a current unofficial
transcript, and a recommendation from your faculty/professional sponsor. The sponsor
recommendation must be submitted separately by the sponsor via email, using the form
below. More information can be found at http://www.willamette.edu/
about/sustainability/Fred_Wert_grant. Applications must be submitted prior to the
deadline via email to Joe Abraham at jabraham@willamette.edu. Incomplete
applications may not be considered.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Your proposal should be single spaced with reasonable margins, up to a maximum of four
pages, and include the following sections. Students may work with their sponsor on the
research proposal.
1. Project Description: Explain the purpose of your project. Be specific and direct. Include your
anticipated arguments/hypotheses, references to literature relevant to your discipline, and the
significance of your research. Be sure to adequately describe the relation of your project to at least
one of the “Four E’s” of sustainability—environment, equity, economy, and education.
2. Methods: Describe, as specifically as possible, your research methods (how you will
accomplish your project's goals). For example, if your project includes a survey, indicate how
you will select a sample population and the ways in which you will analyze your data. If you are
conducting a study of literature, provide an annotated bibliography of your principal sources
and specify your critical/theoretical approach. For science projects, indicate what lab
techniques you will employ and the methods of analysis.
3. Schedule: Provide a specific timetable for implementing the various steps of your research
project.
4. Budget: As specifically as possible, provide a budget outline that covers personal expenses,
supplies, travel expenses, per diem, or expenses related to attending conventions, festivals,
etc.
5. Student Background: Identify your academic courses, extracurricular activities, or other
experiences that will enable you to accomplish this project. Be thorough. The information you
provide should convince the committee of your interest in and ability to carry out the proposed
project. If there are inconsistencies or gaps in your academic record, or additional causes for
concern, you should also address those here.
6. Importance to Student: Explain why this project is important to you, and the role it plays in
your development--personal, academic, and/or professional.
7. Broader Impacts: Briefly explain any additional consequences or benefits of your project,
such as community engagement, collaboration with outside scholars or professionals, etc.
Annual Fred Wert Grant for
Collaborative Sustainability Research
Faculty/Professional Sponsor Form
DUE Monday April 20, 2015, 11:59pm
Project Title:
Applicant's Name:
Graduation Date:
Faculty/Professional Sponsor:
Students applying for funding must submit a research proposal and current unofficial
transcript, and work with a faculty/professional sponsor to submit a recommendation using
this form. Student may work with their sponsor on the research proposal, but the
recommendation is to be independently developed by the sponsor. Thank you for providing
thoughtful responses to the following questions and submitting as a word document or .pdf
file. More information can be found at http://www.willamette.edu/
about/sustainability/Fred_Wert_grant.
A sponsor recommendation form must be submitted by the sponsor, via email, and prior to the
deadline to Joe Abraham (jabraham@willamette.edu). Incomplete or late application
materials may not be considered. If you need to provide additional information, please attach
to the email with the sponsor recommendation form.
SPONSOR RECOMMENDATION QUESTIONS
1. How long, and in what capacity, have you known the applicant?
2. How would you describe the applicant’s academic, intellectual, musical, or artistic abilities?
Do you recommend that we fund this project?
3. In your opinion, is the applicant’s proposal feasible? Can it be accomplished as
indicated, and is the applicant capable of accomplishing the project with appropriate
supervision?
4. How is this project significant to the applicant’s educational development? Does the project
represent a contribution to the applicant’s field of interest?
5. The Grant Committee will evaluate the proposal, in part, on whether the sponsor’s
background is appropriate to the project. What aspects of your academic background or
experience will assist the student in his or her proposed research?
6. Describe your role as sponsor, should the project be funded. Be as specific as possible.
7. Is there additional information or comments that would help the Grant Committee to make
its decision?