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The Graduate College – Graduate Student Senate Original Work Grant (OWG) Guidelines and Proposal Preparation Instructions 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

For questions about the Original Work Grant (OWG), please email gssgrantreview@ohio.edu 

GOALS 

The goal of the Graduate College-Graduate Student Senate (GC – GSS) Original Work Grant (OWG) program is to support the research and creative activity conducted by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University graduate students. Reviewers will offer feedback on all compliant applications. Non-compliant applications may receive feedback if time allows. 

DUE DATES 

The due dates for Original Work Grants are:
Fall Semester - 5:00 pm, September 13th – For expenses incurred 11/1 to 4/30*

Spring Semester - 5:00 pm, March 14th - For expenses incurred 5/1 to 12/31
 

ELIGIBILITY

Any graduate-degree seeking student at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University who is enrolled for at least 1 credit hour in the semester the expenses are incurred can apply for OWG.

The PI (Principal Investigator) must be a registered graduate student (as defined by the Academic Policies in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University Graduate Catalog) during the semester when submitting the proposal and the semester when conducting the research. This program will not reimburse any research that has already been conducted or incurred prior to the expense window specified above (under Due Dates).

You are eligible to receive one OWG per calendar year.

RESUBMISSIONS

If a PI is denied funding, the Review Committee will provide a copy of the comments from the reviewers. Since the composition of the review committee changes every semester, PIs must include a copy of these comments when re-submitting a proposal along with a current signature page and updated budget. If an applicant has more than one resubmission, he or she must include copies of all comments received from each review in subsequent submissions. If a copy of the comments is not included, the resubmitted proposal will be considered non-compliant and removed from the review process.

Note: Resubmissions are not guaranteed funding. Resubmissions must meet all criteria for consideration and will be considered in the current pool of applicants.
 

AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

The maximum amount a principal investigator (PI) can request from GSS Original Work Grant Program is $750.00. The Grant Committee may, at their discretion, adjust the amount based on availability of funds and the budget provided.

USE OF FUNDS

This grant is intended to support direct project expenses such as supplies, materials, research-related travel expenses for data collection (use current mileage from the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University Finance), etc. Equipment can be purchased using this grant if the PI can provide sufficient proof that the equipment does not exist on the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University campus or is not available on loan at a lower cost.

This grant cannot be used for expenses related to conferences, meetings, or seminars (See Travel Awards). Allowable expenses must meet the general guidelines set forth by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University. If you have questions, please check with your departmental administrator or advisor.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION GUIDE

Use of human animals as test subjects

Regardless of the nature of the project, if human subjects are involved (whether it is medical testing, photography, personal interviews, etc.), the PI must contact the Office of Research Compliance for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. If the applicant has obtained IRB approval, the approval number should be provided on the Application Form. In the case of proposals where IRB approval has been applied for but not yet obtained, the PI may still submit the proposal, noting a pending approval.

Use of non-human animals as test subjects

In case of projects where data will be collected on non-human animals, the PI is required by law to obtain the approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

More information on compliance can be obtained at the Office of Research Compliance. If the PI has obtained IACUC approval, the approval number should be provided on the Application Form. In case of pending approvals, the proposal may be submitted.

Proposal Format

The purpose of this document is to provide the primary investigator (PI) with the basic formatting requirements when submitting a proposal for an Original Work Grant. Any deviations from these must be communicated and approved prior to submission.

Submission Method

All submissions must be submitted electronically using the . PDF files are required. Submit the proposal as one document. Submit the Application Form as a separate PDF file.

Multiple PIs

For multiple PIs (graduate student applicants) on one project, only a single proposal can be submitted for consideration. Clear differentiation of roles must be addressed in the proposal, and CVs for all PIs included, with each CV adhering to the stated page limit (see section on Curriculum Vitae for more information).

For multiple PIs where each is responsible for a distinct project within a larger scale study or creative endeavor, each PI is expected to apply for funds in separate, independently written proposals.

Font

The entire proposal must be prepared using a clear and legible font of at least 11-point size. The requirement does not apply to items in the Appendix, CV, and tables/figures. This requirement does not apply to documents not prepared by the PI, such as third-party letters of access, or other documents attached in the appendix.
 

Margins & Spacing

The entire proposal must have at least 1-inch margins, with the exception of items in the Appendix. All pages must be numbered. The font spacing must be double-spaced throughout the entire document unless otherwise noted in the table below.

For example, the CV must have 1-inch margins, but spacing is at the discretion of the preparer. Third- party documents and other material (such as samples of previous work, newspaper articles, etc.) attached in the appendix should be legible but can appear in their original form.

Page Limits

The entire proposal must contain the following sections in the order presented: Title/Cover Page, Abstract, Narrative, Literature Cited, Budget & Justification, and Curriculum Vitae (Optional Sections and Resubmissions as applicable). Each section must be on a new page. The applicant is strongly encouraged to attach these sections in the order shown below. Optional sections include an Appendix and Glossary. Resubmissions must include Reviewer Comments and Resubmission Statement.

PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Reviewers represent a diversity of disciplines and therefore are likely not from the same discipline as the PI. Hence, the PI is advised to structure the proposal in such a way that it makes a convincing argument to an informed layperson.

Abstract

The abstract should provide a full title and summary of the project, and if it is a resubmission make note of that fact. It should also indicate in a summary fashion the nature of the project, how it will be executed, and the significance of the work. The abstract should be written in lay language to be understood by an informed audience of graduate student reviewers from a variety of backgrounds. The PI should avoid the use of discipline- specific language within the text of the abstract.

Narrative

The narrative provides a more detailed and as necessary, more technical explanation of the work proposed (keeping in mind that the reviewers may or may not be in closely related fields). The following elements must be clearly identified in the narrative:

• The goals and general plan of activities,
• Identification, explanation, and justification for research methods/procedures,
• A general timeline,
• The overall significance of the project, and
• How the results will be disseminated (e.g., conference presentation, publication, thesis/dissertation).

Make note of any similar work the PI has conducted and the research in the field. Elaborate on how the proposed project differs from these, any gaps in literature, and opportunities to expand existing knowledge.
If the project is being conducted by a team, the PI should clearly specify his/her role in the project. If the project is being conducted by multiple co-PIs, clear differentiation of roles must be addressed in this section proposal.

Literature Cited

The proposal should include appropriate references to the work cited in the body of the narrative. Literature should be cited using the discipline-specific citation style.

In general, successful grant applications contextualize their projects within the field. If the PI does not cite any work, this section must still be included, stating that no literature has been cited.

Budget

The budget must be in tabular format and should include the following information:

• Cost breakdown for all items/travel necessary to conduct the project (even those not being funded by GSS),
• Cost of equipment that cannot be acquired on loan (justification should be provided), and
• Source of matching funds, pending award/grant applications, and personal funds.
   

Items being funded by GSS should be clearly identified. When the budget total for the project exceeds the amount requested from this grant, the PI should show how the remaining funds will be obtained, including use of personal funds.

Existing equipment or items necessary for the project should be indicated as in-kind match, wherever applicable. If the equipment is purchased, this equipment will become the property of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University.

The budget may include salary expenses, but those expenses may not be charged to the OWG Grant, as these cannot be paid by the grant. Allowable expenses must meet the general guidelines set forth by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ University. If you have questions, please check with your departmental administrator or advisor.

Budget Justification

The budget justification should clearly state how each item in the budget will be used to complete the project. This section should also include an explanation of any specialized equipment/software needed, the steps taken to ensure that it is not already available on campus, and a list of contacted faculty/staff members.

Curriculum Vitae

A professional CV of the PI should also be included in the proposal. The CV should demonstrate that the PI(s) have the necessary skills to complete the project. The CV should be in reverse chronological order and should include:

• Name and contact information,
• Professional/teaching experience,
• List of publications / presentations,
• Awards and accomplishments,
• Relevant courses, and
• Anticipated date of graduation.
   

Glossary

If necessary to save space and explanations within the abstract and narrative, the PI is encouraged to include a glossary of terms used there that are likely to be unfamiliar to graduate or professional students working outside the PI’s field. Words described in the glossary should be in bold font the first time of use in the text of the abstract/narrative.

Appendix

The proposal may optionally include an appendix to provide supporting information related to technologies/processes that will be used in the project and may be unfamiliar to the grant reviewers. The appendix may include figures, designs for artwork, letters of collaboration or support, or permission letters. The appendix should not be an extension of the main narrative. Inclusion of information that should be in the narrative section may render the proposal ineligible for funding.

Resubmission Reviewer Comments and Summary Statement

If a PI has previously been denied funding, the Review Committee will have provided a copy of the comments from the reviewers at the time of denial. A copy of these comments must be included when resubmitting a proposal. If an applicant has more than one resubmission, they must include copies of ALL comments received from each review in subsequent submissions. A resubmission statement must also be included summarizing deletions, additions, or changes to address the concerns or criticisms presented by the review committee.

AWARDING OF FUNDS

Once a proposal is selected for funding, the Grant Committee will determine the amount of funding based on the budget included in the proposal. The award amount may be adjusted based on available funds, and items not in compliance with university requirements will be removed from the award.
Applicants should not expect to be notified of any decisions earlier than the date defined on the awards Graduate College web page.

FINAL REPORT

Each PI is required to submit a . This report should detail how the award was utilized. The report should be submitted, via a web form, by the close of the award window. The final report should include the following:

• Report on status of the project and its outcomes(narrative).
• Complete budget for the actual cost of the project:
• How award money was spent,
• Other sources of funding that were utilized,
• How much out of pocket expense was incurred, and
• Report on dissemination of results (narrative).
• Upload photo(s), if applicable.
   

Failure to submit a final report by the end of the award window will render the applicant ineligible for funding from GC-GSS grants. Additionally, the department to which the applicant belongs may also be disqualified from all future GC-GSS funding. PIs may request an extension by contacting gssgrantreview@ohio.edu.