Interdisciplinary Research Initiative Grant
About
The Interdisciplinary Research Initiative Award promotes collaborative and interdisciplinary research in the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University. Its purpose is to nurture and develop collaborative interdisciplinary endeavors that culminate in the submission of competitive interdisciplinary extramural grant proposals. (The term “external grants” is most commonly used to refer to grants or awards for which WMU receives and processes the funding. That is, the funding agency contracts with WMU, and then faculty or other WMU members receive this funding through WMU. This award program also acknowledges extramural grants for which there is not a direct contractual and funding administrative relationship with WMU, e.g., the funding agency pays an individual directly.) Funds are disbursed to the faculty member’s departmental WRAP account, which can be spent in accordance with university policies for WRAP expenditures.
Deadlines for Applications
- February 15 for summer and fall disbursement.
Applicant Eligibility
The application must be submitted by a board-appointed faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences at WMU who will serve as the point of contact person responsible for maintaining communication about fund disbursement, receipt documentation, and other logistical matters with the CAS Budget Office.
If faculty have been awarded previous Interdisciplinary Research Initiative Awards, they must have submitted a summary of their accomplishments to be eligible for any additional funding.
First-time collaborators are especially encouraged to apply for this award.
Criteria for Proposal Review
Awards will be granted to collaborative interdisciplinary teams based on:
The potential for obtaining external funding.
The quality and clarity of ideas presented in the application.
The quality of the collaborative and interdisciplinary interactions.
Preference will be given to proposals that are likely to result in ongoing collaborations and that have the potential to expand and involve a larger group of faculty.
Guidelines for Proposal Preparation
The three-part application should be typed, single-spaced.
- A list of the members of the research group, including names, titles/unit affiliations, and roles on the project.
- The main objective(s) and significance of the proposed study.
- An explanation of the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the research.
- A clear explanation of how the project will support a successful grant application.
- Proposed timeline or work plan for research project and team members.
- A list of funding sources to which the resulting interdisciplinary research proposal could be submitted (including associated awarding amounts or bounds, and deadlines).
- Student stipends
- Travel
- Supplies
- Equipment
- Other
NOTE: The evaluation committee is composed of faculty from a variety of disciplines. Proposals should be written in a style that is understood by experts in fields other than those of the applicants. Proposals should not exceed eight pages.
Research and creative activity supplies,
Travel to disseminate work at conferences, workshops, exhibits or performances,
Student stipends, and/or
Any other purposes that support the project goals.
Funds may NOT be used to:
- Fund any portion of faculty salary.
- Fund routine computer upgrades or the purchase of routine classroom equipment.
- Support normal faculty work in updating and revising courses and curricula.
- Supplant support from the department, the University's Faculty Research Travel Fund, or the University’s Publication of Papers and Exhibition of Creative Works Fund.
Fund disbursement:
Funding will be disbursed to a departmental fund and cost center. The amount per award and the total number of awards will depend on the number and type of proposals submitted and the availability of funds. Funds will be disbursed on the first business day after July 1 for the fiscal year for which the award is made. Funds must be spent between July 1 and June 30 of the fiscal year for which the grant is awarded.
All grant recipients must submit a final report that includes the following:
- A summary of what was accomplished during the grant period
- A description of what, if any, external grants, publications, presentations or other scholarly/creative works resulted with support from the grant.
- Failure to submit a report will make a recipient ineligible for future awards.
Final reports are due December 1 for the previous spring grants.
Questions?
Please do not hesitate to contact the College of Arts and Sciences dean's office with any questions or concerns.