Faculty Development Award and University Small Research Grant proposals

What is a Faculty Development Award?

The Faculty Development Awards, or FDA, program provides support for travel to international meetings (primarily at international locations) or to meet with program officers from potential external sponsors.

What do FDAs support?

FDA awards only support travel expenses to present a research, scholarly, or creative activity and discovery paper/scholarly work/performance at an international meeting or visit an external funder/sponsor. Travel expenses for graduate students or postdocs are not covered. Travel to your sabbatical destination is not covered as well, but travel from your sabbatical destination to an international conference is, particularly if it is less expensive than traveling from K-State. Proposals will not be accepted to reimburse costs incurred prior to review of your proposal.

Who can apply and when?

To apply, faculty must be either tenure track or tenured and must have at least some percentage of their appointment devoted to research. This percentage must be documented in the Department Head’s Letter Form. New faculty (assistant professors or equivalent and above) can apply to each round of funding (spring and fall) for their first two years at K-State (a maximum of four consecutive proposals), even if they receive funding. Faculty members at K-State for more than two years may apply every round; however, once funding is attained through the either the FDA or USRG program, a faculty member is not eligible for the next round of funding (i.e., there must be one at least round between submissions).

• For travel/projects occurring between July 1 and December 31 apply in spring competition (applications are due March 4, 2024 by 5 p.m.)

• For travel/projects occurring between January 1 and June 30 apply in the fall competition (applications are due October 7, 2024 by 5 p.m.).

• If your trip straddles July 1, you can apply in either round; however, the fall round is preferred when you have enough advanced notification of your meetings.

What are the priorities of the FDA program?

Funding priority is given to an applicant who:

1. is a new faculty member;
2. is in a discipline where outside support is minimal but who is pursuing available opportunities;
3. is shifting research fields or specialties and needs to demonstrate mastery of new techniques or to conduct pilot projects that will enhance the chances of securing extramural funding; or
4. does not already have a startup or other commitments from the university.

Precedence is given to the following reasons for travel in the order given:

1. invitation to an international meeting held outside the United States to give a presentation;
2. recipient of an award;
3. travel to the office of potential external sponsor(s)/funder(s) or travel to an international meeting to present a peer-selected paper;
4. participation in a colloquia or workshop;
5. presentation of a poster session; and
6. invitation to an international meeting held within the United States to give a presentation or address a group (not as a second author on a paper presented by someone else).

Applicants are expected to seek outside support routinely; thus, lower priority is given to previously funded FDA awardees who have not subsequently attempted to obtain extramural support. Applicants with extensive outside support also receive a lower priority.

Opportunities to meet with students at foreign institutions to discuss graduate study at Kansas State University may enhance requests for foreign travel but cannot be the sole purpose of the travel. Faculty Development Awards are not intended for research travel; you should instead apply to the University Small Research Grants program.

What if an opportunity arises outside the competition timeframe?

Proposals are accepted only during the two competition time frames. “Out-of-round” proposals will NOT be accepted.

What is the typical funding range?

The typical funding range is $1,000 to $3,500.

How many FDA proposals can I submit to this current call for proposals?

Due to the limited funding available to this program, a PI may submit only one FDA proposal per competition. PIs should not submit to both the FDA and USRG programs in the same competition.

What are award acceptance and approval contingencies?

You may apply for funding prior to a paper being accepted for presentation; however, the award will be approved contingent on that acceptance, and funds will not be released until your paper is accepted and documentation is provided to ORD.

How are proposals reviewed?

Proposals are reviewed by a committee of experienced researchers composed of representatives from all colleges on a rotating basis. Three primary reviewers are assigned to each proposal to review and score the proposals. Reviewers meet to discuss the proposals as a group. Proposals are then ranked in the session based on their final review assessment by the panel. The panel gives its funding recommendations to the Research Office, which makes the final decision on who is funded and on the level of funding based on the funding available. Proposals are evaluated on scholarly merit, the qualifications of the applicant, and the potential that the proposed activity will lead to outside funding (in fields where such funding is available) or positive impact on work at K-State.

When will I know whether I have received an award?

Award notifications will be sent by December 1 for the fall round and by May 1 for the spring round.

What are the requirements of an FDA grant awardee?

By accepting the FDA funding, you agree to the following:

• The money awarded will be spent within a year as specified in your proposal. You cannot use the funds to attend a different conference/meeting than the one addressed in your submission.
• You will provide a short final report that summarizes how you used your funding and addresses the benefits you and K-State have (and will) receive from this funding (e.g., who did you network with, what new collaborations were established, research projects that will result, conference proceedings, students recruited, etc.). You will also need to attach a copy of your travel voucher or procurement card voucher (do not include supporting documentation). If you visit an external funder, a submitted (or soon to be submitted) proposal should be attached to your report. For fall submissions, reports should be submitted on or before December 1 of the year following the award and on or before May 1 of the year following the award for spring submissions. PIs who do not submit this report are not eligible to receive funding from the FDA/USRG programs until this report is turned in.
• The Office of the Vice President for Research will use the information from your report and input from you to write an article highlighting your trip and what it accomplished.
• If published or verbal information is communicated about your supported travel, you must cite the FDA program as the funding source.
• You will serve on an FDA/USRG proposal review panel if asked.

Application Instructions

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING, the following documentation MUST be included in your packet:

1. FDA Cover Sheet

2. Abstract (1-page maximum): This should be an abstract of your submission, NOT of the paper you are presenting.

3. Detailed Budget with Funding Justification: Round total requested to the nearest dollar. Include pertinent backup documentation (Expedia, Orbitz, etc.) as well as how you arrived at your costs if estimated—see guidance below.

4. Supplemental Funding Information, if applicable

5. Detailed Itinerary (1/2-page maximum)

6. Narrative (4-page maximum): Explain WHY funds are needed, WHY the meeting is important to you and Kansas State University, and HOW it fits into your overall career/research plan—see guidance below.

7. Short Vita (2-page maximum): See guidance below.

8. Funding History information for past 3 years: Include FDA/USRG awards with explanation of status/outcomes—see guidance below.

9. Department Head’s Letter Form. Link to form on the ORD website.

To submit:

1. Create ONE PDF file of the items listed above, in the order given

2. Email the file as one attachment to: ord@ksu.eduwith the subject line “FDA Submission”

3. Signatures will be generated by the Cayuse system. You will receive an email from the system and should immediately log in through the link in the email and sign as PI. Your department head and dean will then receive emails requesting their signatures. Make sure your department head is aware that signing will be requested via eSign. ORD must receive all signatures within a week of the proposal due date; otherwise, your proposal will be returned without review. You will NOT receive a reminder to complete this task.

If you have any questions, email ORD or call 785-532-6195.

INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

1. Abstract (1-page maximum)

This should be a summary of your proposal NOT of the research you will be presenting. (The summary of your research goes in the narrative.) Your abstract should briefly address where you are going and why, what is the significance of the meetings you are attending and why this is important to your career. Briefly address the meeting’s networking opportunities, your/the meeting’s plans for publishing your presentation and how this meeting fits into your overall career plan. This section is effectively the key points of your narrative, but in much less detail.

2. Narrative (4-page maximum)

This is your chance to explain why your proposal should be funded, how it will help you attain your goals, and how it will enhance your field of study at Kansas State University. Clearly state the purpose, goals, and importance of your request as well as the significance of the meetings/show/performance. Make the proposed project relevant to your professional development at K-State and your research/professional goals. Consideration is given to the importance of the proposed activity to the applicant’s field, the applicant’s ability to complete the work, and the probability that the work will lead to scholarly contributions such as publications, exhibitions, etc. You should include a short (1/3- to 1/2-page) synopsis/summary of the paper to be presented. Indicate who you will be networking with at the meetings. See the additional questions to think about below for the two main types of travel grants.

The review team consists of a diverse group of individuals from across campus. Make sure your proposal can be understood by faculty who may be reading out of their area of expertise, but be assured they will apply the same academic rigor as to more familiar information. Proposals are reviewed for conceptualization, approach, methodology, reasoning, clarity, and responsible use of resources.

3. Vita (2-page maximum)

Provide a short curriculum vita that indicates previous scholarly or creative work pertinent to the proposed effort. If particular past activities require more extensive treatment, describe them in the narrative section.

4. Funding history

Supply a list of all proposals (include extramural activity, FDA and USRG proposals) prepared in the past three years. Separate the list into Funded and Pending/Not-Funded proposals. List each proposal by title, source, and amount requested. In a one-paragraph report, briefly explain the status/outcome of all FDA and USRG awards received.

5. Budget and justification

Be sure to include an itemized budget with a justification that explains the expenditures and how the included costs were derived. You should include Orbitz/Expedia and conference printouts to document travel, hotel, and registration costs. Also indicate the number of hotel nights and days of per diem you are requesting. Per diem rates should be based on some type of standard such as those for the State of Kansas or the U.S. State Department.

Identify any supplemental funding sources (e.g., co-sponsors, department, etc.) and itemize amount of contribution. The review committee looks favorably on projects that are co-sponsored (while recognizing that disciplines differ in their opportunities for additional funding and co-sponsorship). Funding from multiple sources is neither required to receive an award nor a guarantee of funding. If funds are requested from a co-sponsor and denied, this should be explained. Remember to have co-sponsor(s) sign the application form to document the commitment. If an applicant’s department is providing funds, this should be documented in the department head’s letter form. If an applicant uses personal funds to cover part of the expenses, this can be listed. Personal funding is neither expected nor encouraged by the review committee.

6. Department head's letter form

When fully completed, the upper portion of the Department Head’s Letter Form covers the information required for submission. In addition, the form includes a space for your Department Head to communicate his/her support for this project as well as what the significance of the project is, in particular to you, your department and K-State. If you are an invited speaker, this input should also address how prestigious the invitation is (i.e., invitation to be a key note speaker versus an invitation from a friend/colleague to lead a session).

Additional things to think about

FDA International Conference Proposals should address the following:

• What is the significance of the conference to the applicant’s field?
• What is the participation level and type by the applicant?
• What is the frequency of the meeting (annually, biannually, etc.)?
• How was the peer review accomplished?
• Was this solicited or an open-ended invitation?
• Will the papers or proceedings be published for all or part of the presentations?
• How will Kansas State University benefit from the applicant’s attendance?
• Who will you be networking with at the meeting? How will this benefit you? K-State?
• What are your plans for recruiting graduate students?

FDA External Sponsor Visit Proposals should address the following:

• Give an outline of the project for which outside funding is being sought.
• Why will travel be more effective than contact by email, telephone, or mail?
• Is the project interdisciplinary?
• Is this a large-scale project such as a center or institute? What is the size of the funding sought?
• Will travel include visits to more than one potential sponsor in the same city?
• Will this project carry full overhead rate if funded?

NOTE: An FDA award to visit a funding agency should be considered a commitment by the applicant to complete and submit an appropriate proposal for outside funding.

FDA application (PDF)

FDA department head letter form (PDF)

FDA review form (PDF)