Academic Program & Faculty Development Fund

1. Academic Program &Faculty Development Fund Workshop September 11, 2009

2. Origin of the Fund • $6M came to the University from a generous anonymous donor • Binghamton University Foundation Board allocated $2M for this purpose • Funds will be expended over several years • Aim: to advance the University’s mission

3. Binghamton’s Strategic Goals • Invest in academic excellence, innovation, growth, and diversification. • Enhance engagement and outreach • Create an adaptive infrastructure to support our mission  • Foster a campus culture of diversity, respect and success 

4. Hopes for the Fund • Foster substantial contributions to the intellectual life of the campus • Foster important collaborative work across academic units • Create the hallmarks of the future • Leverage additional resources coming to the campus

5. Specific Purposes Monies from the fund will be used in the following ways: • For support or startup of strategic academic initiatives • For support of faculty needs in scholarship or instruction

6. Purposes con’t • For multi-disciplinary/collaborative projects/symposia with short-term and long-term promise • For enhancing the scholarly resources available to students and faculty

7. Criteria for Project Proposals • Extent to which the project advances our mission and strategic goals • The intellectual contribution/significance of the proposal both short-term & long-term • The extent/reach of the proposal – faculty, students, staff, community involved/affected

8. Project Criteria con’t • Feasibility • Amount of other support – real funds and contributions “in kind” • Clarity of anticipated outcomes and ways to determine success • Potential for generating additional funds

9. Criteria for Scholarship & Teaching • Extent to which the project advances our mission and strategic goals • The intellectual contribution/significance of the proposal both short-term & long-term • The potential impact on the discipline(s)/profession(s)

10. Teaching & ScholarshipCriteria con’t • The potential impact on students • Feasibility • Clarity of anticipated outcomes and ways to determine success • The potential for generating additional funds

11. Awards • Anticipate funding 5-10 proposals for up to $250k • A second call for proposals Oct 2010 for roughly same funding parameters Want to stimulate work that will “make a difference” for Binghamton in the years to come

12. Budget • All expenses must be fully justified • Budgets for approved projects may be modified

13. Process • Develop a single paragraph describing what you intend to do, paragraphs should be e-mailed to provost@binghamton.edu • Full proposals will be invited based on a review of these paragraphs

14. Deadlines • Paragraphs of Intent Due: • October 1, 2009 • Proposals invited: • October 5, 2009 • Proposals Due: • November 16, 2009

15. Review Process • 5 member committee: 4 faculty whose work lies within the intellectual traditions of the Humanities, Sciences & Engineering, Social Sciences, and Fine and Performing Arts and 1 senior administrator • Recommendations to the Provost who will make the final decisions

16. Tips for writing successful proposals Experiences of a Grant Reviewer

17. Plan • Talk to other people about your idea • Collaborative projects tend to address bigger picture ideas and accordingly excite reviewers • Make it clear what role each person will play in the project • Get feedback on your draft before you submit the proposal

18. Title • Project title should be concise • Readily understandable by a lay audience • Asphalt transformations across geomorphic inclines in volcanic thrusts • Design of mountain highways

19. Subheadings • Use subheadings when proposal length exceeds one page • Example • Summary • Introduction/Objectives • Background • Methods • Projected outcome • Research team • Budget justification • That helps reviewers find answers to their questions • And it gives you an outline!

20. Anticipate • Anticipate what reviewers will want to know and address that, even if questions in guidelines don’t ask that • If there is a finite end to project, say so • If project should continue, state how you will make it sustainable (e.g., what your plans are when funding for this proposal ends)

21. Assessment • How will you and others know whether your project was successful? • Will you be able to provide both quantitative and qualitative evidence of success? • When will you and others know if your project was successful?

22. Budget • Provide a well-researched, reasonable and justified budget • Make sure you have covered all costs • If additional funds from other sources have been promised, say so • If additional funds from other sources are needed, but not as yet acquired, say so

23. Deadline • Plan ahead so you meet the deadline • Everyone has lots of things to do, so it is only fair that everyone has the same deadline

24. Good luck! • Guide for writing a funding proposal http://www.learnerassociates.net/proposal/ • Interdisciplinary research guides: http://www.issti.ed.ac.uk/publications/briefingnotes A Short Guide to Developing Interdisciplinary Research ProposalsProfessor Joyce Tait and Dr Catherine LyallA Short Guide to Reviewing Interdisciplinary Research ProposalsDr Catherine Lyall, Ann Bruce, Professor Joyce Tait and Dr Laura MeagherA Short Guide to Building and Managing Interdisciplinary Research TeamsDr Catherine Lyall and Dr Laura Meagher • Proposal Writer’s Guide http://www.drda.umich.edu/proposals/PWG/pwgcontents.html

25. Thanks for your interest QUESTIONS?