New Faculty Research Development Award


The Office of Research endeavors to assist KU-Lawrence and Edwards campus faculty and faculty equivalent unclassified academic staff (UAS) in their efforts to secure funding for their individual or group research programs. The New Faculty Research Development (NFRD) Award is designed to help accelerate individual scholarship and aid in building a sustainable research program. It is our hope that our new colleagues will view this program as an excellent opportunity to kick-start their research efforts soon after their arrival on campus.

Full details of the NFRD program are outlined below. A crucial aspect to the success of this program is mentoring. Applicants should work with their center director, department chair or dean to select a faculty mentor. Mentors will guide applicants in developing their research program and assist in planning and preparing their proposal. Ideally, mentors will be faculty in a related research area with experience and success in obtaining external funding and support.

Awards are managed by the KU Office of Research. Funds may be used for supplies, equipment, travel and salary for graduate and undergraduate student assistants (PhD students whose salary is funded by an NFRD award may be eligible for KU tuition assistance). Up to 1 biweek of salary for the PI and/or research staff may be requested. It is not necessary to apply for the maximum award size; make a case for what you need. Expenditures must also comply with all university travel rules and procedures.

Contact

Proposal deadlines

  • March 1 + Oct. 1

All internal funding opportunities




Information

Option 1: March 1 + Oct. 1

Option 2: March 1 + Oct. 1

Applications must be received within two years of the applicant’s appointment date. Applicants are encouraged to revise the proposal based on reviewer comments and resubmit. Two application attempts are allowed per applicant.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be in their first 24 months on the Lawrence or Edwards campus as either an untenured, tenure-track faculty member or as a faculty equivalent unclassified academic staff (UAS).
  • In addition, only unclassified academic staff with at least 40% FTE job duties dedicated to research are eligible.
  • Requests for exceptions to these requirements should be submitted to nfrd@ku.edu in writing by the applicant’s center director, department chair or dean. It is recommended that exceptions be discussed before a complete application is submitted.
  • Note: Eligible faculty and faculty equivalent unclassified academic staff (UAS) can only receive the NFRD award once.

Awardee obligations

  • Awardees must spend the funds within 24 months of award notification.
  • Any funds not spent during the fiscal year when awarded will require a request for carry-forward to be submitted to the KU Office of Research.
  • At the end of the award period, awardees must submit a report (.pdf) to the KU Office of Research describing implementation of the project and the influence it had on their research program (see instructions below). Option 2 awardees should include a copy of the application for external support that was developed from the NFRD award with their final report.

Send completed application packets to nfrd@ku.edu. If you feel that there is a barrier to submitting a proposal, please contact Jen Arbuthnot at nfrd@ku.edu. The NFRD exists for your benefit, and it is hoped that all new faculty and new faculty-equivalent unclassified academic staff (UAS) choose to participate.

All proposals will be reviewed following the March 1 and Oct. 1 deadlines by a faculty committee. Funding recommendations will be provided to the Vice Chancellor for Research for review and final approval within 60 days of the application deadline.

Review criteria include:

  • Merit of proposed work
  • Feasibility of proposed project within budget and timeline, and likelihood that project will result in a scholarship product
  • Clarity and organization of proposal/project

Additional criteria for Option 2:

  • Probability that project will lead to external funding
  • Evidence of successful mentoring plan

Reviewers will assess these criteria using the rubrics below. Applicants are encouraged to consult these rubrics as they write their proposals:

The review committee reserves the right to ask proposers to revise their proposals, and funding may be awarded for lesser amounts than requested.

Qualifications + procedures

Maximum award size: $8,000

This option is designed to begin building a sustainable program of scholarship, creative activity, and/or research. The proposal may indicate a specific external funding opportunity or possible sponsors in the future.

Application procedures

Proposals must be submitted as a SINGLE PDF (including the budget template provided below) via email to nfrd@ku.edu.

All proposals must be completed in 11- or 12-point font with single spacing and 1-inch margins on each page.

The proposal must include the following in one single PDF:

  1. Cover page (1 page)
    Include the following information:

    • Title of the proposal
    • Name and detailed contact information for the lead applicant (title, mailing address, email address, phone number)
    • Department/center that will administer the award
    • Funding amount requested
    • Brief abstract summarizing the proposed project
       
  2. Budget on the NFRD budget template (.xlsx)
    Budgets may include funds to cover:

    • Supplies
    • Equipment
    • Travel
    • Salary and associated fringe benefits for graduate and undergraduate student assistants
    • Up to one biweek of salary and associated fringe benefits for the applicant
    • Up to one biweek of salary and associated fringe benefits for research staff
       
  3. Budget Narrative
    Detail proposed expenditures for the NFRD award, describing and justifying overall budget plan, planned expenditures and timing of expenditures.
     
  4. One-Page Research Plan
    Describe the background and methods to be followed for the project. Explain how the NFRD award enables research beyond other funding the PI has, including startup funding.
     
  5. References Cited
     
  6. CV/Biosketch for PI and Faculty Mentor
    Curriculum vitae for the PI and faculty mentor, using any federally accepted biosketch format. Examples of biosketches:

  7. Current & Pending Support or Other Support
    Use any federally accepted format. No page limitation. Please see:

Maximum award size: $20,000.

A goal of the University of Kansas is to significantly increase the volume of external funding. To this end, new faculty or new faculty equivalent unclassified academic staff (UAS) may apply for increased funding as part of the NFRD program if an opportunity to win a significant grant or award (greater than $200,000) exists as a result of the proposed NFRD award. More competitive than Option 1, this option is also focused on assisting new colleagues in their efforts to build a sustainable research program. 

Application procedures

Proposals must be submitted as a SINGLE PDF (including the budget template provided below) via email to nfrd@ku.edu.

All proposals must be completed in 11- or 12-point font with single spacing and 1-inch margins on each page.

The proposal must include the following in one single PDF:

  1. Cover page (1 page)
    Include the following information:

    • Title of the proposal
    • Name and detailed contact information for the lead applicant (title, mailing address, email address, phone number)
    • Department/center that will administer the award
    • Funding amount requested
    • Brief abstract summarizing the proposed project
       
  2. Budget on the NFRD budget template (.xlsx)
    Budgets may include funds to cover:

    • Supplies
    • Equipment
    • Travel
    • Salary and associated fringe benefits for graduate and undergraduate student assistants
    • Up to one biweek of salary and associated fringe benefits for the applicant
    • Up to one biweek of salary and associated fringe benefits for research staff
       
  3. Budget Narrative
    Detail proposed expenditures for the NFRD award, describing and justifying overall budget plan, planned expenditures and timing of expenditures.
     
  4. Plan to Build Research Program (up to 5 pages)
    Description of applicant's plan to build a research program and how this award will be used to secure external research funding. The focus should be on the overall research plan and the leveraging of external funding with only a brief explanation of research details. Explain how the award enables research beyond other funding the PI has, including startup funding. This description may be up to 5 pages in length, not including references.
     
  5. CV/Biosketch for PI and Faculty Mentor
    Curriculum vitae for the PI and faculty mentor, using any federally accepted biosketch format. Examples of biosketches:

  6. Current & Pending Support or Other Support
    Use any federally accepted format. No page limitation. Please see:

  7. Letter of Support
    Letter of support from applicant's faculty mentor outlining their commitment to and endorsement of the applicant's project and research goals.
     
  8. Mentoring Plan
    See accordion menu below

Prepare + submit a proposal

Use the budget template below as you prepare your proposal, then submit your completed packet by March 1 or Oct. 1.

Detailed budget template instructions

The calculation cells of this budget template have been locked, and you will not be able to alter their contents. Cells highlighted in blue are unlocked and data can be entered on those cells. If you need to add budget lines or otherwise alter the budget template, please contact Nancy Biles for assistance.

  1. Enter the start date of your project in Cell B2.
  2. Choose the appropriate tuition rate type from the drop-down menu in Cell A5. If no GRAs are included in your budget, or if they will not be enrolled in the summer for which you are requesting student salary, you can skip this step.
  3. Enter the PI name in Cell B6.
  4. 5. and 6. Enter the names of any co-investigators in Cells B8, B10, B12, as applicable.
    1. Enter the name of non-co-I senior personnel in Cell B14 as applicable.

Senior Personnel

Principal Investigator (PI) – Enter the biweekly rate for the PI in Cell N7. Enter a percentage value in Cell J7. This represents the portion of salary requested for the PI. If requesting the full 2 weeks allowed, the percentage should be 100%

Co-Investigator (Co-I) or Non-Co-I Senior Personnel – Enter the biweekly rate for each co-I or senior person in Cells N9, N11, N13 and N15, as applicable. Enter a percentage value for each individual in Cells J9, J11, J13 and J15, as applicable. This represents the portion of salary requested. If requesting the full 2 weeks allowed, the percentage should be 100%

The total salary amount requested for senior personnel (PI, co-Is and other senior personnel) will populate in Cell R16.

Other Personnel

Postdoctoral Associate – If requesting salary for a postdoc, enter the name of the postdoc in Cell E19. Enter the FTE for the postdoc in Cell I19. Enter the number of biweeks of salary requested in Cell J19. Do not exceed 26. Enter the postdoc’s biweekly rate in Cell N19.

Technician – If requesting salary for a technician, enter the name of the technician in Cell E21. Enter the FTE for the technician in Cell I21. Enter the number of biweeks of salary requested in Cell J21. Do not exceed 26. Enter the technician’s biweekly rate in Cell N21.

Graduate Student (GRA) – Graduate students who are doing work that is related to their degree program should be categorized as GRAs. If requesting salary for a graduate research assistant(s), enter the number of students in Cell H24. Enter the FTE for the GRA in Cell I24. Enter the number of biweeks in Cell J24. Enter the biweekly rate for the GRA in Cell N24. The minimum biweekly rate for a GRA is $1,908.

Undergraduate Student or Hourly Graduate Student (GA) – Graduate students who are doing work that is not related to their degree program can be categorized as GAs. Enter the number of undergraduate students or GAs in Cell H26. Enter the number of hours per student in Cell L26. Enter the hourly rate in Cell N26.

Other personnel – Enter the name of other personnel who do not fit into the categories above into Cell E30. Enter the number of biweeks of salary requested in Cell J30. Do not exceed 26. Enter the biweekly rate for other personnel in Cell N30. The total salary amount requested for other personnel will populate in Cell R31. Total salaries and wages for all personnel will populate in Cell R32.

Fringe Benefits

Fringe benefits will be calculated based on standard rates for each type of appointment. All of the cells in the fringe benefits section are locked. The total amount of fringe benefits will populate in Cell R38.

Equipment

Equipment is categorized as any item with a useful life of at least one year, and a unit cost of at least $5,000. Items costing less than $5,000 should be included as research materials & supplies (Cell P56). Many proposals will not include equipment. If you are budgeting equipment above this threshold, enter a description in Cell F40, and the unit price in Cell R40. Use additional lines if applicable.

Travel

Travel costs for KU personnel should be budgeted using the Travel Worksheet tab at the bottom of the budget spreadsheet. Do not enter data directly into the Travel section of the budget spreadsheet.

Click on the Travel Worksheet tab.

For trips requiring airfare, use travel table (a). For regional travel using a personal car, use travel table (b).

Travel Table (a) – Enter the number of persons traveling in Cell F19. Enter the number of trips in Cell H19. Enter the number of travel days/trip in Cell J19. Review the rates for airfare (Cell L20), meal per diem (Cell L21), lodging (Cell L22), and car rental (Cell L23) and adjust as needed depending on your destination. You can access allowable per diem and lodging rates for your destination city using the widget at the US General Services Administration website. Travelers requesting a lower per diem rate than the approved rate for their location must complete a per diem exception form before travel.

Travel Table (b) – Enter the number of persons traveling in Cell F31. Enter the number of trips in Cell H31. Enter the number of miles per trip in Cell I31. Enter the number of travel days per trip in Cell J31. If returning home on the same day, do not enter anything into Cell J31. Review the rates for meal per diem (Cell L33) and lodging (Cell L34) and adjust as needed depending on your destination. You can access allowable per diem and lodging rates for your destination city using the widget at the US General Services Administration website. Travelers requesting a lower per diem rate than the approved rate for their location must complete a per diem exception form before travel.

When you click back to the Year 1 tab, the total travel request will populate in Cell R47.

Participant Support Costs

This section is only for non-employee, non-student participants in training. Incentive payments to human subjects should not be included here. They should be entered as Other Direct Costs. Many proposals will not include any participant support costs.

Enter the number of participants in Cell E53. Enter the stipend amount per participant in Cell N49. Enter the stipend amount per participant in Cell N50. Enter the subsistence amount per participant in Cell N51. Enter the other costs per participant in Cell N52. Total participant support costs will populate in Cell R54.

Other Direct Costs

The descriptions in Cells E56, E57, E58, E59, F67 and F68 have been included as common types of project expenses. They can be revised to accommodate other types of expenses that may apply to your project, including incentive payments for human subjects or usage fees for KU service labs, for example.

Research materials and supplies – Costs for materials and supplies, including equipment under $5,000 unit price, should be entered in Cell R56.

Publications – Includes publication costs for electronic and print media to disseminate results.

Consultant Services – KU employees are not allowed to serve as consultants on sponsored projects. They must be paid through the payroll system at their current rate of pay. If you are requesting salary for KU employees for this project, they should be included in the Senior Personnel section above. Enter payments to non-KU employees on the Consultant services line (Cell P58), including payment of travel costs, if applicable.

Tuition – If requesting tuition for GRAs, enter the number of GRAs to receive tuition in Cell N66. Summer tuition rates will be populated in Cell H65 based on the tuition rate schedule you selected in Cell A5. This rate will be multiplied by the number of GRAs specified in Cell N66, and the total tuition amount will be populated in Cell P66. If you have budgeted for GRAs to work during the academic year, they may be eligible for tuition assistance.

Total other direct costs will populate in Cell R73.

The total budget amount will populate in Cell R74.

Year 2 – If you are budgeting expenses in Year 2, follow the guidelines above using the Year 2 tab of the budget spreadsheet. Total project costs will populate Cell Q77.

Sample mentoring plan

The mentoring outline should cover the following items:

Who:

  • List the mentor designated to guide the mentee and their contact information.

What:

  • Highlight goals and outcomes.
  • Describe how the mentor will help the mentee reach these goals.

When:

  • Create a timeline detailing the frequency and format of how the mentee will receive feedback from the mentor.

    • Examples:

      • List the frequency, location, and method (phone/email/face to face) of the mentor-mentee meeting.
      • Will meetings be formal or informal interactions?
      • Are the meetings one-on-one or a group activity with other mentees?
      • List the specific grant-related items on which the mentor will assist or train the mentee and method of training provided (e.g., drafting a study survey, conducting data analysis).
      • How will the mentee’s performance be evaluated by their mentor?

Submitting NFRD final report

Please submit your NFRD final report (.pdf) within 30 days of the project end date. Please submit the report as a PDF to nfrd@ku.edu

The NFRD final report should consist of this cover sheet and the following sections:

  1. A one-paragraph summary of the project activities. Any necessary deviations from the activities proposed should be noted in a separate paragraph.
  2. A list of the outcomes of the project (e.g., publications, presentations, juried exhibits, professionally produced CDs, scholarly awards, external grants awarded, etc.), with full citations.
    Abstracts of all project-related publications and grants.
  3. Curriculum vitae for the PI and faculty mentor, using any federally accepted biosketch format. Examples of biosketches:
  4. Current & Pending Support or Other Support form in any federally accepted format. No page limitation. Please see: 
  5. Use any federally accepted format. No page limitation. Please see:
  6. Name of the funding agency or foundation, length of the award, and amount of the award for any grants received related to the project.
  7. Suggestions for improving the NFRD award program.

Option 2 NFRD recipients should also include:

  1. A copy of the application for external support that was developed from the award.
  2. Information on the status of that application.