OARDCResearch Enhancement Competitive Grants Program

Research Opportunities and Request for Proposals

Fiscal Year 1998-99

Submission Deadlines

Seed and Matching Grant Proposals - October 5, 1998

Interdisciplinary Team Research Preproposals - November 3, 1998

Industry Small Grant Proposals - November 3, 1998, February 1, or May 3, 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION OARDC RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS SECTION 1. OVERVIEW 1.1 Seed Grant Competition (maximum of $20,000/award) 1.2 Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition (maximum of $100,000/award) 1.3 Matching Grant Competition (maximum of $50,000/award) 1.4 Industry Small Grant Competition (maximum of $ 6,000/award) 1.5 Agency External Competitive Grant Competition (maximum of $20,000/award)

SECTION 2. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 2.1 Eligibility 2.2 Matching Funds 2.3 Funds Available in Each Grant Category 2.4 Deadlines 2.5 Format and Contents of Proposals and Preproposals 2.6 Format and Contents of Preproposals

SECTION 3. REVIEW, GRANT AWARDS, AND POST-AWARD ADMINISTRATION 3.1 Review 3.2 Evaluation Criteria 3.3 Grant Awards 3.4 Post-award Administration APPENDIX

OARDC RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS

* These faculty have completed three years of service and during 1998-99 a faculty representative from each of their academic units will be elected or appointed to replace them on the committee.

INTRODUCTION

This is a request for the submission of research preproposals and proposals for the Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program (RECGP) for 1998-99. All faculty and research scientists in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and OARDC- appointed faculty in the Colleges of Human Ecology, Biological Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine are eligible to receive RECGP funding. Faculty in Human Ecology, Biological Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine who are not OARDC-appointed are eligible only if they have an OARDC-appointed investigator listed on the proposal. Faculty in OSU academic units other than those listed above are eligible to be investigators on proposals but cannot initiate proposals.

Approximately $1,500,000 will be available for the 1998-99 Fiscal Year. Funds from the RECGP will be used to explore creative ideas and to initiate novel research programs that will be attractive to external sponsors and consistent with the mission of OARDC. The purpose of RECGP is to provide seed money for promising research areas in an era when it is becoming more difficult to obtain research support.

The RECGP awards are intended to accomplish the following objectives:

• address problems of importance to agriculture, the food industry, and the environment;
• enhance and encourage creative and innovative research;
• employ RECGP funds to leverage external resources; and
• stimulate new collaborations among OARDC scientists and between OARDC and private sector partners.

We live in a global society and national or international projects which might benefit the citizens of Ohio, directly or indirectly, are eligible for funding.

Eligible faculty and research scientists may be an Investigator on one proposal or preproposal in each competition category. Interdisciplinary collaboration is encouraged. An overview of each of the funding categories is presented in Section 1 and submission details are presented in Section 2. Preproposal and proposal submission deadlines are detailed in Table 1.

Oversight for the competitions will be provided by the OARDC Research Committee which has representation from industry and faculty in the colleges listed earlier. The Charter describing the purpose, composition, and operation of the OARDC Research Committee is posted on the OARDC Internet Home Page. All questions relating to RECGP funding opportunities should be referred to:

F. William Ravlin, Assistant Director, The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center

College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

The Ohio State University

1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, Ohio 44691-4096

Office: (330) 263-3705; Fax: (330) 263-3688; E-mail: ravlin.1@osu.edu

SECTION 1. OVERVIEW

1.1 Seed Grant Competition (maximum of $20,000/award)

This competition is open to all eligible faculty and research scientists who have not received an OARDC or University Seed Grant within the previous three years. The purpose of the competition is to stimulate new innovative research. No external match is required but a strategy for acquiring future external funding will need to be documented. Submission details are presented in Section 2. Proposals must be submitted by October 5, 1998 and have a ten page limit.

Eligible new faculty are encouraged to consider the University Seed Grant Program as a source of support (contact Nancy Ingold at 292-1582 for further details). Additional proposals which demonstrate collaboration between new and established faculty are encouraged and should be submitted to the OARDC Seed Grant Competition. A portion of the OARDC funds will specifically be used to support proposals which include new faculty who will receive the major portion of the requested funds.

1.2 Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition (maximum of $100,000/award)

The purpose of Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition is to stimulate new collaborative partnerships and build on programs of excellence with new avenues of research in emerging areas which are central to the mission of the College. The eligible grant applications must include a minimum of three PIs and at least two from different academic units. Increased weight will be given to mentoring partnerships that provide significant opportunities for new faculty to combine their unique expertise with the programs of senior faculty, inter-campus teams, and teams that combine the social, biological, and physical sciences. A four page preproposal is required by the November 3, 1998 deadline. Finalists will be selected by December 18, 1998 and 20 page full proposals will need to be submitted by February 1, 1999. No match is required but the potential for acquiring future funding must be documented and will be considered when the proposal is evaluated. Please note that the proposal must include a specific plan for acquiring future funding and must identify what further work will be performed with these funds.

1.3 Matching Grant Competition (maximum of $50,000/award)

The purpose of the Matching Grant Competition is to stimulate new collaborations with industry and non-profit foundations or other non-traditional sources of funding. A ten page (or less) proposal will be required by October 5, 1998. The proposal will need to clearly document a strategy for acquiring external funding. Proposals that are recommended for funding will then have until October 1, 1999 to acquire a new external match. Grants from competitive grant competitions (such as the NRI) are not considered to be eligible matches. Please note that OARDC funds will only be made available when an eligible (dollar for dollar) match has been acquired.

1.4 Industry Small Grant Competition (maximum of $ 6,000/award)

The purpose of the Industry Small Grant Competition is to stimulate new collaborations with industry and non-profit foundations. A five page proposal will be required. There are the following important differences between this competition and the Matching Grant Competition.

• Grant applications can be submitted on three occasions (November 3, 1998, February 1, 1999, and May 3, 1999).
• Proposals must identify the industry group which will partner in the project. Also, evidence must be provided of their interest or of a grant application which has been submitted to one of their grant programs.
• Only four months will be available to secure the external funds.
• Studies do not need to be innovative but must present sound science which will address new research by the Investigator(s) and will deliver an end product within two years.

Funding decisions will be made based on a review by a subcommittee of the OARDC Research Committee. In cases where industry funding in approved competitive competitions is sought, the ad hoc committee will evaluate a proposal to ensure that it complies with the requirements of the competition; contains solid, measurable objectives; the research is new; and to ensure that the scope of work is consistent with the budget. A minimum of $20,000 will be available during each of the three funding cycles.

OARDC funds will only be made available when an eligible match has been acquired.

1.5 Agency External Competitive Grant Competition (maximum of $20,000/award)

A request for matching funds should be provided prior to submitting a proposal to an approved competitive grant program which requires a match. An abstract or copy of the proposal and the Request for Proposals for the competition must be submitted to Dr. F. William Ravlin, Assistant Director, OARDC at least three weeks prior to the submission deadline established by the external agency for the competition.

If the request is approved, OARDC will provide a brief letter of support for inclusion in the proposal. Matching funds will only be provided if the proposal receives external funding. Requests can be submitted at any time.

SECTION 2. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Eligibility

All faculty and research scientists in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and OARDC-appointed faculty in the Colleges of Human Ecology, Biological Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine are eligible to receive RECGP funding. Faculty in Human Ecology, Biological Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine who are not OARDC-appointed are eligible only if they have an OARDC-appointed investigator listed on the proposal. Faculty in OSU academic units other than those listed above are eligible to be investigators on proposals but cannot initiate proposals. Please note that eligible scientists can only be an investigator on one preproposal or proposal in each funding category. Projects should be completed within two years of receiving an RECGP Award. This time may not be sufficient to complete long-term objectives, but objectives/products that can be completed in two years should be clearly stated. Investigators that have an active RECGP award are not eligible in the category of their currently funded project.

Prior to technical examination, a preliminary review of all proposals and preproposals will be made. Proposals and preproposals that do not fall within the guidelines (e.g., page limitations exceeded, small font size, ineligible investigators, incomplete contact information, or are not received by the submission deadline) will be automatically eliminated from further consideration.

2.2 Matching Funds

Investigators for proposals that are recommended for funding will have until October 1, 1999 to acquire the match. External funds acquired or solicited prior to June 10, 1998 are not eligible. Funds from competitive grant programs of governmental agencies are not eligible matches for the Matching Grant and the Industry Small Grant categories listed in Sections 1.3 and 1.4. A minimum dollar for dollar match is required for the Matching Grant and Industry Small Grant categories.

2.3 Funds Available in Each Grant Category

The amount of funds available in each category will depend on the number and the quality of proposals received in each category. The total amount available is $1,500,000 and it is anticipated that these funds will be partitioned between the categories as follows:

2.4 Deadlines

The deadlines for the 1998-99 RECGP grant opportunities are listed in Table 1. In order to ensure fairness to all participants, no proposals or preproposals will be accepted after 5:00 p.m. on the stated deadlines. Proposals and preproposals can be submitted to the Director's Office in either Columbus or Wooster.

Table 1. Deadlines for the 1998-99 RECGP Grant Program

DATE	ACTIVITY
June 10, 1998	Electronic announcement of request for proposals and preproposals
October 5, 1998	Proposals due for Seed Grant (1.1) and Matching Grant (1.3)
November 3, 1998	Preproposals for Interdisciplinary Team Research (1.2) and proposals for Industry Small Grants (1.4) due
December 4, 1998	Proposal evaluations completed. Awards granted for Seed Grant (1.1) and Matching Grant (1.3) Competitions
December 18, 1998	Finalists in the Interdisciplinary Team Research (1.2) announced
February 1, 1999	Full proposals for the Interdisciplinary Team Research (1.2) and Industry Small Grants (1.4) due
March 12, 1999	Awards granted for the Interdisciplinary Team Research (1.2)
May 3, 1999	Proposals for Industry Small Grants (1.4) due
October 1, 1999	Deadline for Matching Grant (1.3) recipients to secure an external match
Throughout the year	There is no deadline for a submission to obtain External Competitive Grant Matching Funds (1.6)
Note: It is anticipated that Industry Small Grant awards will be made about a month following each of the listed submission deadlines.

2.5 Format and Contents of Proposals and Preproposals

All proposals and preproposals are to be submitted on standard 8.5" x 11" paper with typing on one side of the page only. In addition, all margins are to be at least 1", type size must be 12 point or larger, and no more than 6 lines per inch. All pages except the Cover Page, Table of Contents, and requested attachments should be numbered at the bottom center of the page. Page numbering should start with 1 on the page that contains the Project Description. A sample proposal is available. If you would like a copy of this proposal, please contact the Grant Coordinator.

Proposals for the funding categories listed in Sections 1.1, 1.3, and 1.5 are limited to ten (10) pages and Section 1.4 is limited to five (5) pages. Full proposals for the Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition (Section 1.2) have a page limit of 20 pages. The page limit applies to all the materials (including tables and figures) which are presented in Items C, D, and E (Project Description, Budget Narrative, and References). Use of human subjects, animal welfare, conflict of interest, hazardous materials and procedures, etc. will be handled according to existing University Policies and Guidelines.

Preproposals are required only for the Interdisciplinary Team Research Competition ( Section 1.2) and are limited to four (4) pages. The four page limit applies to the materials presented in parts B, C, and D (Project Description, Budget Narrative, and References). Full proposals for this competition have the same requirements as all other proposals except they have a page limit of 20 pages (see the previous paragraph).

Proposals and preproposals must contain the following sections and must be assembled in the order indicated in Table 2.

Table 2. Required Preproposal and Proposal Sections and Organization.

Cover Page

The cover page must contain all of the following information:

• competition being applied for;
• whether the proposal is a new submission or a resubmitted proposal from a previous OARDC competition;
• the title of the project;
• the names, titles and academic units of each of the investigators;
• contact details (including a complete campus address, phone, fax, and e-mail address) of the investigator who has overall responsibility for the project;
• the duration and requested budget total; and
• a brief project summary.

The format for the Cover Page is presented in the Appendix.

Table of Contents

Each proposal must contain a table of contents with page numbers, which should be assembled as the second page but not numbered. A Table of Contents is not necessary for preproposals.

Project Description

The project description must contain the following components.

Introduction. Include a clear statement of the objectives of the proposed study, including hypotheses to be tested and any additional products to be developed.

Rationale and Significance. Concisely present the rationale behind the proposed research. State the issues addressed by the research (such as production efficiency, economic viability, social impacts, and/or environmental quality) and identify how the citizens of Ohio might benefit from this research. Describe the probable end products of the study and their significance. The current status of research in this field should be presented and the most significant published work in this field, including the work of the PIs should be summarized. Any innovative features or unique combinations of expertise of the proposed project should be identified (particularly for interdisciplinary proposals). The relationship of this research to the program or programs of the PI's and particularly how it differs from current or pending funded projects should be carefully explained.

Research Methods. This section must include:

• a description of the experimental design and research approach;
• an outline of the methods/techniques which will be used;
• means by which experimental data will be analyzed or interpreted;
• means of applying results, or accomplishing technology transfer, where appropriate;
• potential pitfalls and/or limitations of the proposed procedures; and
• a schedule of activities (not needed for preproposals).

Resubmission Responses: If the proposal is a resubmission, it should contain a section describing how the concerns expressed by reviewers have been addressed. A brief summary should be presented after the research methods section and additional details (if needed) can be included as an attachment. All reviews are kept on file and will be referred to by the panel for any resubmitted proposals.

The Project Description for Preproposals needs only limited reference to previous research by others and a detailed schedule of activities is not required. However, the hypotheses and objectives should be clearly stated and justified, and the disciplinary integration should be apparent in a general description of the experimental plan.

Budget Narrative

Provide a brief summary (not more than one page) describing what equipment will be purchased and the type of personnel (graduate students, post-docs, technicians, etc.) that will be supported by the budget as well as the role of these personnel. Also, if international travel is requested, please explain major expenditures, airfare, auto rental, etc.

References

All references cited should be listed and should conform to an accepted journal format.

Collaborative Arrangements and Matching Funding Plan

Any collaboration or contractual arrangements with other organizations or personnel associated with other organizations must be identified. Evidence should be provided in a letter of intent which should be included as an attachment at the end of the proposal. Depending on the nature of the funding category, details must be provided on how the required matching funds will be acquired or on how future external funding will be sought.

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum vitae should be submitted for each Investigator. Each vita should be no longer than three (3) pages in length including publications. The following information should be included.

• Education
• Employment and professional history
• Honors and awards
• Funding history for the past five years
• Selected recent ore relevant publications

Current and Pending Support Form(s)

All proposals and preproposals must list each current and pending (public or private) research support (including the proposed project) for every PI. The information for this section should follow the format presented in the Appendix..

List of Potential Internal and External Reviewers

To assist the committee in ensuring the equitable review of all preproposals and proposals, please list the name, affiliation, full street address, city, state, zip code, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of two potential internal and two external reviewers who are qualified to review your preproposal or proposal and, in your opinion, do not have a significant conflict of interest (such as being a co-PI or co-author with you within the last three years). Only one of the potential internal reviewers can be a member of your academic unit provided he/she is not your chair or director. Failure to provide this information in its entirety will result in the return and automatic disqualification of your proposal or preproposal. External reviewers can include anyone with the expertise to review your proposal or preproposal.

Budget

Use the format presented in the appendix. Include salary and wages, fringe benefits, nonexpendable equipment, materials and supplies, travel, publication costs/page charges, computer costs, and other costs. Be sure to identify how OARDC funds will be used and how resources from other sources will be used. A separate budget form should be submitted for the requested OARDC funds and for the matching funds. A detailed budget is not required for Preproposals.

Attachments

Include a short lay abstract (less than 100 words) which is suitable for use in a press release announcing your proposed study. The abstract should highlight the potential impact or benefits of the research. Also include all letters of intent from potential sponsors. The only other allowable attachment is resubmission information (see Section2.5, Project Description).

2.6 Format and Contents of Preproposals

Prior to technical examination, a preliminary review of the preproposals will be made. Preproposals that do not fall within the guidelines (e.g., page limitations exceeded, small font size, ineligible participants, or an incomplete or missing list of internal and external reviewers) will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Preproposals that pass this first screening or review will be entered into the second round of the competition. Applicants of selected preproposals will be asked to prepare full proposals. Selection will be based upon the innovation and interdisciplinary integration apparent in the project objectives and approach.

SECTION 3. REVIEW, GRANT AWARDS, AND POST-AWARD ADMINISTRATION

3.1 Review

All properly prepared proposals and preproposals will be reviewed by Peer Review Panels appointed by the OARDC Research Committee which has been given this task by the OARDC Director. It is anticipated that a minimum of two members of the OARDC Research Advisory Committee will serve on each Peer Review Panel. They will be responsible for reporting the recommendations of the Peer Review Panel to the OARDC Research Committee. No member of a Review Panel will participate in discussions, evaluations, or decisions concerning their own proposal or preproposal, or any proposals in which they have a potential conflict of interest. Ad hoc internal and external reviewers will be appointed as needed at the discretion of the Faculty Grant Coordinator, the OARDC Research Committee, and/or a Peer Review Panel.

The OARDC Research Advisory Committee will recommend to the Director's Office the distribution of funds between the funding categories; which proposals should be funded; and any conditions which might pertain to the award of funds to each of the selected studies.

3.2 Evaluation Criteria

Review Panels will use the following general criteria for evaluating both preproposals and full proposals in making their recommendations for funding.

• Is the proposed research creative, innovative, and inventive?
• Is the science sound and of high quality?
• Are there clearly stated outcomes of the proposed research (products, solutions, information, increased understanding, etc.)?
• Does the proposed project address problems of importance to agriculture, the food industry, and/or the environment?
• Do the Investigator(s) have the technical expertise, sufficient experience, and the facilities available to conduct the proposed research successfully and safely?
• Will the proposed research be likely to produce tangible results within the two-year period?
• Does the proposed research stimulate new collaborations among scientists or partner new scientists with senior scientists within the University and their partners outside of the University?
• Is the proposed budget adequate to conduct the proposed research in a timely manner?
• The written quality (organization, grammar, spelling, clarity) of the proposal or preproposal.
• If the proposal is a resubmission, have the authors addressed the recommendations of the reviewers of the previous proposal?
• Has the proposed research been considered in the context of its potential effects on economic viability, environmental quality, social impacts and production efficiency?

All preproposals and proposals will be evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 - excellent; 2- above average; 3 - average; 4 - below average; 5 poor).

3.3 Grant Awards

Within the limits of available funds, awards will be made to applicants whose proposals are judged most meritorious under the evaluation criteria and procedures defined. OARDC funds will be available to a project team within 30 days of the Director's Office verifying that suitable matching funds have been acquired. The date specified as the beginning of the project period shall be not later than September 1, 1999. The total period for which a grant is awarded will be limited to two years. Funds will be provided on a year by year basis and receipt of funds for the second year will depend on full compliance with RECGP requirements.

3.4 Post-award Administration

Grantees will be required to ensure that all funds are expended according to the approved overall budget, but with flexibility within budget categories. Authorization to make changes in approved project plans, budget or period of support can only be granted by the Director, or his/her designate.

An annual report of progress and accomplishments is required and will be due one year after the start date indicated on the full proposal. The second year's annual report will also serve as the final project report and will be due two months after the project has been completed. A reminder will be sent out to all Principal Investigators. The reports will be limited to five pages and must include:

• 25-100 word lay abstract;
• progress in accomplishing objectives;
• products obtained such as papers published, presentations, etc.;
• demonstration of attempts to obtain follow-up funding.

If the first annual report is not submitted within 45 days of the due date or if the OARDC Research Advisory Committee deems progress is not being made on the project, funding will be terminated.

APPENDIX

Sample Cover Page

Sample Budget Format

*Change to matching funds and provide a separate budget form if you also have matching funds.

**Do not include tuition and fees. These are covered by OARDC.

Sample Current and Pending Support