Office of Research Administration Banner

Sponsored Projects

Small Grants Fund Proposal Guidelines

The 2010-2011 competition is closed. Check back for the 2011-2012 deadline

Purpose
The Small Grant Conference Travel Funds competition is open to full-time, untenured, tenure-track faculty, who will remain employed by the University for one full year following the end of the award period. The purpose of the funding is to strengthen faculty research and creative activities. Through a competitive process, awards will be given to such junior faculty in all disciplines. Faculty may receive only one Small Grant award during the academic year.

Available Funds
Up to $1,000 will be awarded for expenses to attend professional conferences at which the applicant will be making a presentation (e.g., seminar, workshop presentation, poster, panel member for panel discussions, key conference organizers). If the presentation subsequently is not accepted or is withdrawn, awarded money must be returned to the Small Grants Fund. Meals are not allowable expenses. It is assumed that in most cases faculty will be able to apply for funds prior to the conference travel. In rare cases the Committee will fund travel after the fact, within the same academic year, but it is the responsibility of the applicant to present a very strong justification in these cases.

Proposal Format
There is no application form for this competition.

  • Applicants should provide a description of the request typed single-spaced on one sheet of paper. Justification for Small Grants Fund money is particularly important. Supporting documentation must be included within the single-page limit.
  • The typeface must be at least 12 point and margins at least 1 inch.
  • The words “Small Grants Fund Application” should appear as the title of the request with the applicant’s name, campus address, academic rank, and department as a subtitle.
  • Only one proposal is allowed per investigator.

Applications should be emailed to stutte@umsl.edu before 5 pm on the deadline date.

The Senate Committee on Research has asked the Office of Research Administration not to forward for consideration any proposals that do not conform to all the guidelines given here.