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Dear colleagues,
As we embark on a new academic year, I would like to share an update on the inspiring research grant activity that the CC community pursued during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
First, I would like to celebrate that 13 proposals submitted by 11 faculty were funded in the 2022-2023 fiscal year for a total of $769,088. Our 10-year average funding rate increased to 40.0%, up from 38.0%.
This outward success represents an underlying research grant culture brimming with energy. Between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, a total of 57 faculty and staff from 23 departments and programs were engaged in the external grant funding process – from reaching out to learn more about grant-seeking to drafting final reports on the progress made during their grant.
- 5% (three faculty) were from interdisciplinary programs, 18% (10 faculty) were from the humanities, 19% (11 faculty) were from the social sciences, 54% (31 faculty) were from the natural sciences and 4% (two) were staff members.
- 25 faculty and staff reached out for support to begin planning for a future external grant, engaging in 34 one-on-one consultations with my office. About half (14) achieved the milestone of identifying a funder appropriate for their work; the remainder (11) are still considering their options.
- 19 faculty came forward with a funder they had identified, wishing to discuss next steps; 15 decided to move forward with a proposal this year.
- 28 faculty and staff were actively engaged in proposal preparation this year, participating in 36 scheduled consultations with my office. Eleven of these faculty received $29,470 in SEGway seed funding to help make their future proposals more competitive.
- 16 faculty crossed the finish line, submitting an external grant during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
- 18 faculty managed $2.6 million in external funding this year.
Of the 16 faculty who submitted proposals in support of their scholarly work, I am very pleased to report that nine (58%) were first-time applicants. This compares to 41% in FY21 and 35% in FY22. Congratulations those who have ventured into this new territory!
Finally, the 2023-2024 fiscal year is off to a very strong start: Since July 1, nine faculty have already submitted $1.9 million in five funding requests with at least 13 more faculty and staff working on nine proposals due before the end of the 2023 calendar year. With anticipated requests expected to reach $4.4 million in the first six months of the fiscal year, we are on track to far exceed both the average number of faculty and staff leading a proposal submission (20) and the average dollars requested annually ($2.7 million).
If you are interested in joining CC’s vibrant grants community, please visit the Office of the Dean of the Faculty’s External Grants Overview page, where you can learn more about the process and the benefits of grants work regardless of funding. The first step in the process is easy: Let’s meet at your convenience!
I send best wishes for a smooth start to the new academic year.
~Tess
Tess Powers
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Funder Spotlight
Summary: “Newberry Library Fellowships provide support to researchers who wish to use our collection. We promise you intriguing and often rare materials; a lively, interdisciplinary community of researchers; individual consultations on your research with staff curators, librarians, and other scholars; and an array of both scholarly and public programs.”
The Newberry considers research projects that utilize the Newberry’s collection to advance scholarship in the humanities. Have a question about the collection? Ask a librarian using this online form.
Long-Term Residential Fellowship
- Eligibility: US citizens or foreign nationals who have been in the US for at least 3 years prior to applying
- Deadline: Nov. 1, 2023
- Award Amount: $5,000 a month for 4 to 9 months
Short-Term Residential Fellowship
- Eligibility: tenure-track or tenured faculty at a college in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (such as CC)
- Deadline: Dec. 15, 2023
- Award Amount: $3,000 for one month of residence
- Applications from individuals underrepresented in the professoriate particularly encouraged.
Resources: Please see this FAQ page for answers to questions about eligibility, application requirements, the review process and more.
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Passing the Torch
As you may have read in the June 5, 2023 Gold Mine issue, Dr. Najnin Islam was the first CC faculty member to win a coveted NEH Summer Stipend since 1990. Earlier this summer Dr. Islam and I had a conversation about her application process so that she could pass on lessons learned to her (now sadly former) CC colleagues. Find the link to the recording on the internal call for NEH Summer Stipend applications. ~ Tess
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Grant Programming
If you are interested in learning more about the resources that exist to support you in identifying funders and preparing proposals, please review the 2023-2024 programming page. This year I will be offering a series of sessions on prospecting resources, strategic activities and proposal development during the first week of Blocks 2 and 4. And during the spring, I will be offering discipline-based discussions during the third week of Blocks 5 and 6. Attend one session or attend the series ~ or if these dates and times aren’t convenient, request a one-on-one conversation on any of these topics via Calendly. ~ Tess
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Managing Your Internal Research Account
Susan Brickell from the Finance Office will discuss a variety of topics related to internal research accounts, including sources of funding, appropriate and inappropriate expenditures, Banner queries, and the monthly report. The session will be recorded. (If time permits, she will be happy to answer any questions you may have. The Q&A portion will not be recorded.)
ZOOM: Thursday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. Registration requested.
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NSF Update:
Deadline Change to MRI Program
Summary: The National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation’s institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions.”
Award Amount: Requests from $100,000 to $1.4 million in Track 1. (Track 2 would be for requests over $1.4 million)
Important Consideration: The MRI program is a “limited submission” program – an institution may not submit more than two proposals to its “Track 1” program. If you are considering applying for an MRI, please reach out to Tess as soon as possible.
Annual Deadline: The MRI program recently moved its annual deadline to November from January. This year: Nov. 15, 2023.
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Peace of Advice
If you are interested in exploring external funding opportunities, it’s best if we can connect at least two years before you anticipate needing the funding. This gives us time to identify the best funders, prepare an application (many programs have only one deadline per year), and wait several months to hear back. And with a little extra time also comes peace of mind. ~ Tess
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Save the Date
The Student Research and Internship Symposium is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 12, 3-5:30 p.m. in Cornerstone. The Symposium as a culminating event for SCoRe (Summer Collaborative Research) and Internship participants to share their summer experiences. It brings the CC community together for a series of short presentations, poster sessions, and discussions across a variety of academic disciplines. The collaborative work presented is funded by the Office of the Dean of the College’s Faculty Student Collaborative Grant, departmental funds, internal grants, external research grants, the Career Center’s Summer Internship Funding and other signature internship programs. Please reach out to Lisa Schwartz with any questions.
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Help Us Recognize Our Community’s Accomplishments
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CC Accolades
Help us celebrate your colleagues’ accomplishments! Use this anonymous form to share news of publications, creative work, grants and fellowships, and other accomplishments.
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