Scholarly Pursuit Award

The narrative must meet the following guidelines:

• Pages submitted must be of standard size (8½ inch x 11 inch) white paper. All margins (i.e., top, bottom, and sides of pages) must be at least one inch.
• The narrative must be double-spaced and limited to a maximum of six (6) pages. The type size must be clear and readily legible, in standard size – i.e., 10 to 12 points. Do not reduce or condense type or line size.
• Attachments in the form of appendices may include a list of references cited (no more than 2 pages) and other materials which help clarify your proposal’s content (e.g., a copy of a questionnaire, a letter of agreement for you to use a library collection critical to the research, data tables and/or other illustrations of preliminary results from your research, photographs or other reproductions of prior or preliminary creative or scholarly works). In order to increase the odds that the Faculty Research Committee will have time to review your key attachments, it is to your benefit to be brief. Please do not include a resume or vita.
• The proposed research should be explained in a manner understandable to persons not expert in the field. As much as possible, use terms and concepts accessible to a Faculty Research Committee that has no background in your proposal’s subject area. It is helpful to have a colleague from an unrelated discipline read your proposal before submission to assure your reviewers will have a clear understanding of your proposal.

1. Purpose/Objectives

This section should answer the question, “What do you intend to do?” You should begin with a concise statement of the general purpose or major objectives and goals of the proposed project. This statement, often in combination with the limited objectives or specific aims, should describe the research/scholarly/artistic issue or problem to be addressed, product to be developed, work to be created, external funding opportunity, etc. (If a hypothesis is appropriate for your proposed project, it should be presented as part of this discussion.) The committee will review your proposal to determine the extent to which you have chosen your purpose and goals carefully and logically, and stated them clearly and concisely. Be specific about the results, products, or consequences of your project’s purpose or objectives.

2. Intrinsic Merit of the Project

This criterion considers the likelihood that the project will lead to discoveries or advances within its field or discipline, or have substantial impact on progress in that field or discipline. The concern is that the project is soundly conceived in terms of current work in the field, existing literature on the subject, and appropriateness of procedures for the task. (The term “project” as used in this and the following contexts refers to the central concern of the proposed activity – for example, this may be a current or emerging issue in a discipline such as chemistry or economics, a question of interpretation of an artistic creation or historical event, the technical or procedural choices in the production of an artistic or other creative work, or an assessment of current or alternative social policies or programs.)

3. Relevance/Significance

This section should address the broad importance of the project in the field and its potential to generate quality publications, professional presentation, public exhibit, and/or external funding. For example, will the project address a gap in your field or discipline, make a contribution to an important or noteworthy scholarly or aesthetic issue, advance the understanding of your area of work, have immediate or eventual practical value (e.g., enhance opportunities for students, provide a stepping stone for your interest area, or lead to proposal for outside funding or public exhibit), produce new data and concepts, or test existing hypotheses and assumptions? Will the projects develop a pool of pilot data relevant to an identified funding source or contact base? Document the significance and originality of your project’s approach. Specify likely outlets for dissemination of your results (e.g., journals or other publications, conferences, associations, exhibits, museums, societies, or potential user groups). This section should convince the Committee of the overall merit of your project.

Keep in mind that, while your project may fit in a long term line of research, reasonable objectives for your summer project need to be stated, and will be evaluated.

4. Procedures/Process/Work plan/Methodology/Method of Analysis

This section should describe project activities in detail; describe the sequence, flow, and interrelationship of activities; and present a reasonable scope of activities. If appropriate, a schedule or timetable may be incorporated within the narrative or included as a separate attachment. The case should be made in this section that the methods and procedures are familiar to the applicant and are appropriate for the purpose or objectives already described. If established methods or procedures cannot serve the project, describe how modifications will enable you to overcome shortcomings in existing approaches. Methods of analysis should be clearly explained.

For the entire project, demonstrate an understanding of the linkages between your process or methodology, the activities to be undertaken, the project aims, the limitations on what can be produced or concluded, and the plan for evaluating whether the project has been accomplished.

5. Schedule/Timeline

Schedule/Timetable – Identify or illustrate the plan to allow the work to be completed within the allowable performance period. Due to the nature of the funding, no extensions are possible.

6. Deliverable – Return on Investment (Intended Outcome)

Be specific about what you intend to produce and what the intended distribution of that product will be. You should be able to identify a concrete deliverable to be supplied at the end of your funded period. Specify the intended peer reviewed or juried venue that will be the target of publications or exhibitions. Specify how this deliverable will advance your research program toward extramural funding or provide a tangible return on investment. Note: Stipend funds will not be paid until the deliverable is provided.

Proposer’s ability to carry out the project

This criterion considers the capability of the applicant in terms of his/her past training, publication activity, and other scholarly or creative accomplishments. The adequacy of the resources available including ability to complete the work within the award period is also considered. As appropriate, the applicant should include details on recent research/scholarly/creative projects. Beginning researchers may include their student work.

Strategic benefit to the University of the proposed outcome

This criterion considers the nature of the benefit to the university if the proposed outcomes are achieved. This can include for instance, advancement to the reputation of the university through high profile publications.

Budget:

Itemized Budget Form – Required

The maximum request for a Scholarly Pursuit award is $5000. The itemized budget form must include all proposed expenditures. Please note that faculty stipends may not to exceed $3000 per application.  Academic year salary is not an eligible cost.  Student wages are eligible costs.

• The itemized budget form must include all proposed expenditures.
• Budget justifications should be detailed to include the need for personnel support.  Well sourced budget justifications will be given a higher priority in funding decisions including partial awards.
• Review budget justification guidelines below for eligible expensive guidance in specific spending categories.

The budget form must be followed by a Budget Justification page, which supports the need for each budget item (or group of items if related) in order to attain the project’s objective and reflect current reasonable costs.

Stipend (Optional)

• Fringe benefit amounts must be calculated on top of the stipend amount and included on a separate line. (Auto-calculated on the budget template)
• The stipend amount may be split between co-investigators but may not exceed the maximum of $3000.
• A clear justification for why a stipend is necessary to complete the project.
• All stipends awarded will be paid upon receipt of the deliverable.

Personnel

• Explain research assistant duties/responsibilities.
• Research proposals for projects leading toward an academic degree are not eligible.  Research assistants must work directly for the funded faculty member’s project.  The PI must be responsible for the project outcome.
• Requests should include the number of hours and intended pay rate. The rate of pay should be consistent with the GS HR student wage scale. A justification if rate of pay exceeds federal minimum wage or GS wage scale.  (Note:  Student wages should reflect realistic usage.  Student wages will not be re-budgeted.)
• Students employees must be GS students.
• Describe how requested programmers, consultants, translators, research assistants, etc. are essential to the project. Requests should include the number of hours and intended pay rate.

Supplies and Materials

A separate justification is not necessary for individual items. (E.g., disposable supplies, multiple chemical purchases)

Travel

• Travel is supported only when it is clearly essential to the project and will be funded at the lowest possible rate.
• Travel will only be supported for the researcher required to gather data.
• Applicants are encouraged to identify electronic means to meet the need prior to requesting travel funds.  A statement should be included to address the need to travel where electronic means of communication or collaboration are available.
• Applicants requesting funding for travel outside of the United States are urged to investigate the available charters or other low-cost fare options.
• Applicants must document available rates.
• Travel costs for transport, food and lodging must conform to state travel requirements.  (E.g, rental cars and lodging must be through a commercial establishment; meals are paid by the calculated per diem for the local.)
• Travel to conferences – even to present results, cultivate collaborators or get feedback relating to research – is not an allowable expense under this competition.

Equipment

• Only equipment that is specific to the project or unusual for the applicants department will be considered for funding.
• Applicants must justify the need for equipment in reaching the objective/goals of this project and how it is essential in meeting the long-term research agenda.
• Equipment purchased under the grant remains the property of the University following completion of the project. Applicants may wish to consider leasing equipment as an alternative to purchasing it.
• Books, periodicals, databases, and other library materials are not eligible for licensing or purchase under this funding unless a purchase request has first been declined by the Georgia Southern University Libraries. For more information about submitting purchase requests for library materials, contact the GS Libraries.
• If declined for licensing/purchase by the GS Libraries:
  • Justification for the requested books, periodicals, databases, or other library materials must be specific to the funded project.
  • Requests must be for specific titles.
  • Documentation of the Libraries’ denial should be supplied in an appendix to the application.
  • Funded books, periodicals, databases, or other library materials will be the property of the GS Libraries to be made accessible to the funded faculty member unless ownership is declined by the Libraries. If ownership is declined by the Libraries, ownership will revert to the funded faculty member’s home department.
• Basic computer equipment or software will not be considered for funding.  Any computer components requested must be justified to include the reason it is unique to the project.