Research Round-Up
Research Round-Up is a communication devoted to sharing information related to open funding opportunities and research administration procedures.
For additional information on deadlines, processes and procedures, please instead see our Sponsored Programs Support Services webpage.
Friendly Reminder: Proposal Request Form
Individuals serving as principal investigator on a CEHS-led proposal or co-investigator/collaborator on a grant proposal led by another college or external organization must submit a Proposal Request Form a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the proposal due date. Doing so ensures the timely routing of your proposal for review and approval by College administration, Central Sponsored Programs Administration (formerly known as University Research Services), Grants & Contracts Financial Administration, and, if required, University Research Compliance.
Please address any questions or concerns regarding the information contained below to the CEHS Sponsored Programs team: Kayley Watson (Kayley.Watson@okstate.edu), Samar Abid (SamarAA@okstate.edu), or Erin Brown (Erin.Brown10@okstate.edu).
Tip of the Month
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NIH Writing Tips
You’ve planned, you’ve researched, you understand the application…now it’s time to write. A well-written, well formatted application is an important key to success. Remember the details when formatting attachments!
TIP #1: Make Your Project’s Goals Realistic
Don’t propose more work than can be reasonably done during the proposed project period.- Before you start writing the application, think about the budget and how it is related to your research plan. Remember that everything in the budget must be justified by the work you've proposed to do.
- Be realistic. Don't propose more work than can be reasonably done during the proposed
project period. Make sure that the personnel have appropriate scientific expertise
and training. Make sure that the budget is reasonable and well-justified.
TIP #2: Be Organized and Logical
Why? Reviewers are accustomed to finding information in specific sections of the application. This creates an efficient evaluation process and saves reviewers from hunting for required information.Start with an outline, following the suggested organization of the application. The thought process of the application should be easy to follow.
Note: Upon submission, NIH Systems will automatically add: headers, footers (time stamping, tracking number, funding opportunity number, and page numbers). Therefore, do not include headers or footers.
- Write clear headings.
- Use sub-headings, short paragraphs, and other techniques to make the application as easy to navigate as possible. Be specific and informative, and avoid redundancies.
- Bookmark major sections.
- Use diagrams, figures and tables, and include appropriate legends, to assist the reviewers to understand complex information. These should complement the text and be appropriately inserted. Make sure the figures and labels are readable in the size they will appear in the application.
- Use bullets and numbered lists for effective organization. Indents and bold print add readability. Bolding highlights key concepts and allows reviewers to scan the pages and retrieve information quickly.
- Utilize white space effectively.
TIP #3: Write in Clear Concise Language
Why? A reviewer must often read 10-15 applications in great detail so your application has a better chance of being successful if it is easy-to-read and well-written.- Write a clear topic sentence for each paragraph with one main point or idea. This is key for readability.
- Make your points as direct as possible. Avoid jargon or excessive language.
- Write simple and clear sentences, keeping to about 20 words or less in each.
- Be consistent with terms, references and writing style.
- Use the active, rather than passive, voice. For example, write "We will develop an experiment, "not "An experiment will be developed."
- Spell out all acronyms on first reference.
- If writing is not your forte, seek help!
TIP #4: Sell Your Idea on Paper
Capture the reviewers’ attention by making the case for why NIH should fund your research!- Include enough background information to enable an intelligent reader to understand your proposed work.
- Support your idea with collaborators who have expertise that benefits the project.
TIP #5: Edit Yourself, but also Enlist Help
You’ve most likely been looking at the same words, sentences and paragraphs repeatedly! Allow someone with fresh eyes to read your content, check your punctuation, and give you feedback on whether the content flows.- Have zero tolerance for typographical errors, misspellings, grammatical mistakes or sloppy formatting. A sloppy or disorganized application may lead the reviewers to conclude that your research may be conducted in the same manner.
- Remember the Details! There are format requirements, such as font size, margins, and spacing. Make sure you are familiar with them before submitting your application and label sections as directed. You don’t want your application delayed because any of these details are not incorporated.
- If more than one investigator is contributing to the writing, it would be helpful to have one editor not only review for punctuation errors, but ensure that the application has a consistent writing style.
TIP # 6: Share for Comments
You’ve most likely been looking at the same words over and over! Allow someone with fresh eyes read your content, check your punctuation, and give you feedback on whether the content flows.- Request your colleagues or mentors review a first draft of your specific aims early in the process. This step can save lots of valuable time.
- Allow time for an internal review by collaborators, colleagues, mentors and make revisions/edits from that review. If possible, have both experts in your field and those who are less familiar with your science provide feedback.
- Ask those who are providing a review to use a critical eye and evaluate the application using the peer review criteria
- Allow sufficient time to put the completed application aside, and then read it from a fresh vantage point yourself. Also, try proofreading by reading the application aloud.
- Conduct your own review based on the NIH's five peer review criteria. How would you rate your own application?
- Prior to submission, look over the entire grant application one final time. Remember, you want a convincing proposal that is also formatted according to the application guidelines, punctuation error-free, clear to read, and is to the point!
For Your Information
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Explore the Redesigned NIH Grants and Funding Website to Simplify Finding Information
on Your Journey With NIH
NIH launched the new NIH Grants and Funding website this week. Designed with the needs of the extramural research community in mind, the new site is intended to enhance your journey through the NIH grants process with a modernized interface and powerful features to make finding critical information easier than ever. We encourage you to explore the site at your leisure, and to familiarize yourself with the new content and layout.
A key change involves a redesign of the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts and related funding information. The new tools reduce reliance on activity codes and other NIH jargon to help you explore opportunities for funding in a more intuitive way.
The new site also includes improved grants process information. A visual process flow walks you through preparing to apply through post-award monitoring and reporting. Take a look at the redesigned How to Apply – Application Guide, which incorporates the new process flow.
Please note that many URLs have changed with this redesign. Although redirects are in place to minimize impact, we encourage you to update any references you may have to the site. While URLs for individual funding opportunities and notices have not changed, the links for the ‘Save Results’ feature of the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts have changed, so we encourage you to update your saved searches.
Happy exploring!
- CSPA announces new proposal writing service, “Weekly Proposal Edit Hours!”
The Central Sponsored Programs Administration (CSPA) within the Division of the Vice President for Research is pleased to announce a new addition to our proposal writing services called Weekly Proposal Edit Hours!
EVERY WEDNESDAY 2:00 PM TO 5:00 PM
Quick grant editing/consultation is now available through the Central Sponsored Programs Administration. A grant writer will be available weekly in 45-minute sessions to answer your editing and other grant support questions.
Click Here to schedule your session Weekly Proposal Edit Hours
To learn more about our services visit Proposal Support Services
To request additional Proposal Writing or Editing services click here Proposal Request Form
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Navigate NIH Grants Policies in FY2025 with Confidence. Webinar Registration Now Open!
Mark your calendar and join your peers for the upcoming webinar, NIH Grants Policy Updates: FY2025 Edition, on October 17, 2024, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET! This live, virtual event is an invaluable opportunity for grant administrators, research compliance officers, and anyone involved with NIH grants to stay informed on the latest policy news. Expert presenters from the NIH Office of Extramural Research will cover crucial updates on grant policies, systems, and resources and discuss how these changes could affect your institution's compliance processes. Attendees can submit questions during registration, which may be addressed during the live Q&A session. Ensure you and your team are prepared for the upcoming fiscal year-register today!
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Broader Impacts Toolkit Available
Advancing Research Impact in Society has an online Broader Impacts Toolkit to assist applicants to NSF. It includes a planning checklist and BI Wizard, among other features. The resources and tools on the site are designed to help Researchers and BI Professionals develop projects and partnerships that will satisfy the Broader Impact requirement of National Science Foundation (NSF) proposals, and help you fulfill your interest in communicating your science.
Funding Opportunities
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LIMITED SUBMISSION: NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement-Focused EPSCoR
Collaborations Program (RII-FEC)- FY25
https://okstate.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1948396
Internal Submission Deadline: Friday, November 1, 2024
Funding Organization's Deadline: Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Applicant Type: The focus area for the RII-FEC program will be announced via a biennial Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) found at the EPSCoR Program links.
Internal Selection Process:
The OSU Division of the Vice President for Research has established an internal review process to select the OSU applicant(s). Applications will be reviewed according to the sponsor's selection criteria (see below). Consideration will also be given to OSU institutional strengths and strategic directions.
Potential applicants must submit, using the "Submit to Internal Competition" button to the right, the following information:
- A Project Description.
1-1: Overview.
1-2: Summary of Results from Relevant Prior Support.
1-3: Research, Collaboration, and Workforce Development.
1-4: List of Participants.
1-5: List of all organizations and companies involved in the project (including location).
*Additional pages may be added for references.
- CV or Biosketch for all Senior/Key Personnel (up to three pages for each person);
- Estimated budget (up to one additional page in length).
No OSU researchers may apply to this opportunity outside of the limited submission process. For detailed item description and to apply for this limited submission, please use this link: https://okstate.infoready4.com/#limitedsubmissions
Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to christine.johnson@okstate.edu
- Rural Renewal Initiative Seed Grants for 2025
https://ruralrenewal.okstate.edu/seed-grants.html
Deadline: November 8, 2024
Synopsis: OSU faculty members are invited to apply for a research seed grant through the Tier 1 Rural Renewal Initiative. The proposed research project may include up to $90,000 in total direct costs and should have a duration of 2 years. One-page pre-proposals and supporting documents should be sent to ruralrenewal@okstate.edu by 5:00 p.m. CST, November 8, 2024.
Background and purpose: The mission of the Rural Renewal Initiative is to catalyze the renewal of rural communities and places in Oklahoma and beyond through interdisciplinary research, student mobilization, and community engagement. We aim to work with faculty, students, and rural communities to discover effective ways to enhance human, natural, and technological capitals, which reduce vulnerabilities and build resilience. This seed grant program is designed to generate a highly interdisciplinary research portfolio positioned for exponential growth through external funding. A key feature of these efforts will be participatory research, driven by priorities and questions generated jointly by the community and the researchers. This seed grant program aims to catalyze a broad spectrum of research recognizing the complex and “wicked” nature of rural problems that must be organized, interpreted, and communicated using a robust conceptual framework for rural communities as coupled human and natural systems, uniting existing models for vulnerability, community capitals, and resilience building.
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LIMITED SUBMISSION: 2025 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program-FY25
https://okstate.infoready4.com/#limitedsubmissions
Internal Submission Deadline: Monday, December 2, 2024
Funding Organization's Deadline: Thursday, January 30, 2025
Internal Selection Process:
The OSU Division of the Vice President for Research has established an internal review process to select the OSU applicant(s). Applications will be reviewed according to the sponsor's selection criteria. Consideration will also be given to OSU institutional strengths and strategic directions.
Potential applicants must submit, using the" Submit to Internal Competition" button to the right, the following information:
- A brief CV or Biosketch.
- A brief description of the proposed project.
- Estimated budget.
- Additional pages may be added for references.
No OSU researchers may apply to this opportunity outside of the limited submission process. For detailed item description and to apply for this limited submission, please use this link: https://okstate.infoready4.com/#limitedsubmissions
Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to christine.johnson@okstate.edu
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INTERNAL Research Project Grants in Humanities, Arts, and Design-Based Disciplines
(HAD RESEARCH GRANTS)
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-22-226.html
https://okstate.infoready4.com/#internalfunding
DEADLINE: November 15, 2024
The Division of the Vice President for Research is requesting proposals for Research Project Grants in Humanities-, Arts-, and Design-Based Disciplines. These awards are up to $10,000.
Proposals will be evaluated by a review committee established by the Division of the Vice President for Research. The committee will consider
(1) the intellectual significance and/or artistic merit of the project, including the project’s potential contribution to the field and potential impact;
(2) the appropriateness of the methodologies, theory, or strategies, and the feasibility of the plan of work;
(3) the qualifications and experience of the faculty member in relation to the project’s goals and the stage of the faculty member’s career;
(4) the potential for success, including the likelihood that the project will be completed within the projected timeframe; and
(5) the appropriateness of the budget
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[USDA] Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, Competitive Grants Program: Education
and Workforce Development
DEADLINES:
- Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education: December 5, 2024
- Predoctoral Fellowships: October 24, 2024
Program Area Description
The AFRI EWD Program Area RFA addresses projected shortfalls of qualified graduates in the agricultural, food, and renewable natural resources sectors of the U.S. economy (Employment Opportunities for College Graduates). This RFA seeks applications for education and training grants that focus on further enhancing the distinct components of the pipeline for developing the workforce in the food and agricultural sciences. The AFRI EWD Program Area has four overarching goals:
- Growing Agricultural Literacy and Workforce Development for the Future offers institutional grants to provide K-14 teachers and administrators with increased knowledge of the food and agricultural sciences and help them develop improved curricula to train the agricultural workforce for the future. See Part I C.1 “Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy” (Program Code A7501).
- Training or Retraining of Agricultural Workers provides institutional training grants to develop a technology- and data-savvy workforce ready for the field and industrial jobs. See Part I C.2 for “Agricultural Workforce Training Grants at Community Colleges” (Program Code A7601).
- Developing Pathways provides formal or non-formal education experiential learning for students to enter or gain skills applicable to the food and agriculture fields. This RFA seeks to support the development of non-formal education activities that cultivate interest and build public confidence in the safe and enhanced use of technology in food and agricultural sciences. See Part I C.3 for “Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education” (Program Code A7801). This RFA also offers grants that propose formal experiential learning for undergraduates in food, agriculture, or allied disciplines and helps them learn the technical and leadership skills required for employment in the food and agricultural sectors or in graduate programs. See Part I C.4 for “Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates” (Program Code A7401).
- Advancing Science supports graduate and post-graduate education in food and agriculture disciplines. See Part I C.5 and Part I C.6 for “Predoctoral Fellowships” (Program Code A7101) and “Postdoctoral Fellowships” (Program Code A7201), respectively.
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[Oklahoma Humanities Council] Grants for Humanities Scholar Research Fellowships
https://www.okhumanities.org/grants/grants-for-humanities-scholar-research-fellowships
DEADLINE: December 15, 2024
This funding opportunity is available to U.S. accredited public and 501(c)(3) institutions of higher education to support individual Humanities Scholars. The scholar must hold an earned Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy degree in one of the humanities disciplines as defined by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The humanities disciplines include history; philosophy; languages; linguistics; the study of literature; archaeology; jurisprudence; the history, theory, and criticism of the creative and performing arts; ethics; comparative religions; and those aspects of the social sciences employing historical or philosophic approaches. The latter may include cultural anthropology, sociology, political theory, and international relations. The scholar must be a resident of Oklahoma or be employed in Oklahoma.
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[American Heart Association] All Currently Open Funding Opportunities
AHA Funding Programs with Open Deadlines
Below are the AHA research programs with open deadlines. Please see each program’s web page for specifics. Before beginning an application, review the eligibility and requirements that apply to all AHA research awards on the AHA Application Resources page.
Career Development Award
Proposal deadline: Wednesday, December 5, 2024
Supports highly promising healthcare and academic professionals in the early years of first professional appointment to assure the applicant’s future success as a research scientist in the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular disease research.
Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the California Walnut Commission, the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), and the AHA/VIVA Physician Research Award.
Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science
Proposal deadline: Thursday, February 6, 2025
To enable current AHA awardees to identify and serve as mentors for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups in science and medicine. - [Mental Research Institute] Small Grants to explore and support the development of
innovative interactional, systemic approaches to understanding and improving human
relationships
This grant requires a 501c3 status; please consult with Everett Miller at the OSU Foundation (emiller@osugiving.com) if you are interested in applying for this grant.
The Mental Research Institute provides small grants to fund breakthrough research projects that use an interactional approach to facilitate healthy relationships. Before applying, please insure that your research project is aligned with MRI’s mission “to explore and support the development of innovative interactional, systemic approaches to understanding and improving human relationships.”
Funding from MRI will range up to $75K based on the availability of funds and the scope of the project. Small grants, up to $5K, will be considered for graduate students for their doctoral dissertation project related research. Such projects must have been approved by their dissertation/project committee.
DEADLINE: Proposals are normally reviewed on a rolling monthly basis.
- [Robert Wood Johnson Foundation] Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a
Culture of Health
https://www.rwjf.org/en/grants/active-funding-opportunities/2020/pioneering-ideas-submission.html
Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health welcomes proposals that are primed to influence health equity in the future. We seek ideas that address any of RWJF’s Pioneering Ideas for an Equitable Future team’s four current areas of focus described below: 1) Future of Evidence; 2) Future of Social Interaction; 3) Future of Food; and 4) Future of Work. Additionally, under Open Exploration, also described below, this call for proposals seeks ideas that might fall outside of these four focus areas but which offer unique approaches to advancing health equity and our progress toward a Culture of Health.
DEADLINE: Proposals will be accepted throughout the year on a rolling admission.