Iowa State University – College of Human Sciences
Seed Grant Program
Untenured Faculty Research – Request for Proposals
Last updated 8/2015
The College of Human Sciences (CHS) requests proposals (up to $10,000) for seed grant
research projects intended to help untenured faculty members develop as researchers. These
grants are intended to provide seed funding that will lead to longer term, externally funded
research programs. Research proposals must support one of the College themes:
Health and well-being
Education and human development
Science and technology in the human environment
Community enhancement and entrepreneurship
Timeline
Proposals are due at Noon on April 1. Funds will be available by May 15 and must be spent by
June 30 of the subsequent fiscal year.
Eligibility
The project PI must be an untenured faculty member in CHS. Faculty in their first three years of
appointment will receive preference. The CHS encourages, but does not require, collaboration
with researchers in different departments. Cross college collaborations with researchers in other
colleges or institutions are encouraged as relevant, but personnel expenditures can only support
untenured faculty, staff, or students in CHS.
Format
1) Cover page – Complete the cover page template found at the end of this RFP.
a) An untenured faculty member must be the PI.
b) The research mentor must be a tenured faculty member.
c) Signatures must be obtained prior to submission of the proposal.
2) Abstract – 100 words or less describing the project in terms suitable for non-specialists.
3) Narrative – No more than four pages, single-spaced, no smaller than 12-point font,
organized by the topics below:
a) Problem/Issue and Research Questions – Describe the problem to be investigated and
its importance, including specific research questions and/or hypotheses.
b) Methodology – The methodology to be employed, including as appropriate, data to be
collected, variables to be investigated, populations to be studied, instruments or
assessments to be utilized, procedures to be followed. As is true for all CHS research,
the proposed research must meet relevant ethical standards and secure IRB approvals
appropriate to the nature of the research.
c) Plan of Work and Timeline – A plan of work and timeline. Indicate who has responsibility
for carrying out the proposed work.
CHS Seed Grant Program – Untenured Faculty Research
Last updated 8/2015
d) Data Analyses – Describe your plan for analyses of the data.
e) Anticipated Findings – Describe what you expect to find.
f)
Dissemination Plans – Describe the planned distribution of the results (e.g., conference
presentations, publications).
g) External Funding – Describe the potential for securing external funding. Proposals
should describe the investigator’s planned research trajectory, identify specific funding
agencies and programs, demonstrate consistency between the proposed project and the
criteria of those funding programs, and include a timeline for submission. Explicit
description of how results from the proposed research fit the investigator’s planned
research trajectory and will support future external funding should be included.
h) Team Members and Qualifications – Describe the qualifications of the PI(s) to conduct
the research. The research mentor must have expertise in the subject area and/or with
the agency from which future funding is anticipated. The research mentor’s time
commitment may be quite minimal although he/she is expected to provide oversight and
guidance even if not involved in the project directly. Describe the specific importance of
the mentor’s expertise and the role he/she will play in the proposed project.
i)
PI tenure status – Indicate the date of appointment and the tenure clock date for each PI.
j)
Description of previous funding – If applicable, a short mention of previous CHS seed
grant funding awarded, including extramural funding that resulted from the award.
4) Budget and budget justification – No more than four pages, single-spaced, no smaller than 12
point font, organized in chart form by the topics below. Use Sarah Carlson (scarlson@iastate.edu)
to help you create your budget and justification and to verify figures and format.
The budget must be planned as per fiscal year with timing of expenditures aligned with
proposed research activities. Funds must be spent by June 30 of the subsequent fiscal year.
Expenses normally associated with research in the area of the proposal may be requested.
If support for summer salary is requested, the reason why a summer appointment is
appropriate must be made clear (e.g., a letter from the department chair/school director).
The CHS will allow a 17% benefit rate for B base faculty, although full ISU benefit rates are
used in proposals to external sponsors. A budget should reflect the best planning possible
at the time of submission.
Each expenditure is to be justified, noting why it is necessary to allow you to accomplish the
tasks. If and where your department/school provides additional supporting funding, make
that clear.
a) Salary – Salary of ISU employees must be reflected as a percentage of effort and can
include faculty, staff, or student research assistants. Students hired with these funds
must be CHS students.
b) Benefits – Use the ISU benefit rates listed on the OSPA website. For summer salary you
may use a 17% benefit rate for B base faculty.
CHS Seed Grant Program – Untenured Faculty Research
Last updated 8/2015
c) Equipment – Individual items costing $5000 or greater are placed here. Equipment
purchased through this program remains the property of the PI’s department unless
control by another department is otherwise approved.
d) Travel – Only travel directly related to the proposed research activities (e.g., travel for
data collection, participant recruitment, etc.) will be allowed. Use ISU rates to calculate
proposed expenditures. Travel to conferences for the purpose of disseminating findings
will not be allowed.
e) Materials & Supplies – Materials and supplies purchased may be used by cross-college
collaborators and, of course, data can be shared. Materials and supplies purchased
through this program remain the property of the PI’s department unless control by
another department is otherwise approved.
f)
Other – This could include participant honoraria; and expenditures for consultants, advisors,
or analytic expertise external to the University, if such expertise is not available at ISU; as
well as other expenses not covered in the above categories. As these are internal CHS
funds, it is not necessary to include tuition for graduate students in the proposal budget.
5) Curricula vitae – A brief curriculum vita (not to exceed two pages) for each investigator.
Review of Proposals
A sample of a rating form is included in this RFP.
Submission Requirements
Proposals must be submitted via e-mail in a single document (in PDF format) to the office of the
Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education (ADRGE) at chsgrant@iastate.edu with
Untenured Faculty Seed Grant Proposal in the subject line. You will receive an e-mail
confirming the submission was received. If you do not, please contact Nicci Port at
nport@iastate.edu. Retain the hard copy of the signed proposal for your records.
Reporting Requirements
PIs receiving a Seed Grant for Untenured Faculty are expected to:
 Participate in a CHS sponsored seminar to describe progress and results of this project,
as well as plans to secure external funding
 Develop a proposal for further funding directed at a specific agency/foundation
 Report to the ADRGE the submission of proposals based on this funding
 Submit to the ADRGE any publications or papers emerging from this research
 Submit an electronic report of the findings from the funded project (5 pages maximum) to
the office of the ADRGE by August 31 of the year following the award
Papers and publications emanating from the project should acknowledge the support of the
College. Send electronic copies to chsgrant@iastate.edu. Indicate the PI and co-PIs, title of the
project, and date of the CHS seed grant that supported the subsequent work both in the work and
in the communication and submission to the ADRGE. The research results obtained through this
funding may be publicized by the College through its web page and other news releases.
SAMPLE RATING FORM
CHS Seed Grant Program – Untenured Faculty Research
Evaluation Rating Items
Funding recommended
Yes
No
TOTAL POINTS AWARDED
Comments:
Scientific/scholarly quality of the proposed project
Award up to 45 points
The proposed project:
 has a strong rationale, conceptual foundation, or theoretical basis
 is grounded in existing literature that demonstrates the plausibility of the approach or plan
 will employ sound methodology evidenced by clear description of
o the setting for proposed research
o the research questions/problems
o the measures and data collection procedures
o the data analyses procedures
o the consistency among all methodological components
 has activities that are clear, well-conceived, related meaningfully to its purposes, and likely to
accomplish its goal
 has a realistic timeline for accomplishing objectives
Comments:
Potential to secure extramural funding
Award up to 25 points
The proposed project:
 addresses an issue, goal, and purpose that is significant and important for the CHS, Iowa, and the US
 addresses an issue that has sufficient longevity to support funding viability
 is innovative and creative
 has personnel with a history of research work, funding and/or innovation relevant to the proposal
 identifies realistic plans for future external funding by
o identifying a funding agency/business
o identifying a relevant competition and/or funding priority
o providing data that will be relevant to supporting a proposal
o establishing a proposal submission timeline to obtain external funding
Comments:
Strength of researcher/research team
Award up to 20 points
The proposed project personnel:
 have the necessary level of expertise to carry out the project
 have a record of research excellence and/or innovation relevant to the proposal
 have the necessary level of commitment to carry out the project
 meet eligibility criteria (preference for PI within first three years of appointment)
The research mentor:
 has a role that is defined clearly and described adequately
 has expertise appropriate to the project
 has the necessary level of commitment to the project
Comments:
Adequacy of budget
Award up to 10 points
The proposed budget:
 is adequate and reasonable for proposed scope of work
 has justification that is clear and well-articulated
Comments:
Iowa State University – College of Human Sciences
Seed Grant Program
Untenured Faculty Research – Cover Page
Last updated 8/2015
This cover page must accompany your application. Before submitting your proposal, complete
the form, check that the information provided here complies with requirements detailed in the
seed grant RFP, and obtain signatures from each party indicated below. This cover page is
formatted as a fillable form. If you have difficulty filling the fields, please contact Nicci Port for
assistance (nport@iastate.edu).
Project title
Principal Investigator (PI) information
Name
Department <<choose>>
Email
Phone
I certify that this proposal adheres to criteria detailed in the seed grant RFP.
PI signature
Research mentor information
Name
Department <<choose>>
Email
Phone
I have read the seed grant RFP and project proposal. I agree to serve as the research
mentor for this project.
Research mentor signature
Co-PI(s) information
Name(s) / Department(s) / Email(s)
Department chair/School director approval
I have read the seed grant RFP and project proposal. I support the submission of this proposal
and, if funded, will work with the PI to make appropriate arrangements for project completion.
Department chair/School director signature