Department of Biology Development Fund

 

1.  Use of Department of Biology Development Fund

The Biology Department Development Fund may be used for any student-centered activity judged professionally appropriate.  Such uses include, but are not limited to:  support for faculty-supervised undergraduate and graduate student research; professionally related student travel; bringing seminar speakers and scientists to campus for the express purpose of enhancing student education.  Faculty and students are encouraged to use the Development Fund as seed money with which they can approach other sources of funding on or off campus for matching funds.

 

2. Eligibility

Full-time department faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students are eligible to apply for Development Fund Awards.  All student proposals must be submitted jointly with a faculty member, and each joint proposal must identify the principal investigator and all co-investigators.  It is anticipated that the individual (faculty or student) who will do the research will be the principal investigator.

 

3.  Proposal Format

Proposals should include a title, names and email addresses for the principal investigator and all co-investigators, student status as appropriate (i.e., undergraduate, graduate), statement of intent and objectives, the plan and timetable, and a budget with justification.  Proposals to support research should provide sufficient detail regarding methods to make the research plan clear.  In addition, a brief description of the qualifications of the investigators seeking funding should be included.  This portion of the proposal should not exceed 5 pages double-spaced, in a 10 or 12 point font, excluding literature cited.  A CV for the principal investigator should be submitted as an appendix to the proposal.  If the proposal is to support research in progress which has previously received Department or University support, the applicant(s) should include an additional appendix describing the accomplishments to date and explain the need for additional support.

 

4.  The Award Committee

Development Fund proposals shall be evaluated by the Budget Committee.  The Budget Committee will judge each proposal on its significance, clarity of presentation, methodology and planning, and budget justification.  The Budget Committee will provide a recommendation for funding to the department.  The chair of the Budget Committee will notify applicants of funding decisions after the Budget Committee's recommendation has been voted on by the department.

 

5.  Application Deadlines

Applications should be submitted by email as a single electronic file directed to biologygrants@nmu.edu.  The proposal application deadlines are October 15, March 15, and June 15 unless those dates fall on a weekend, in which case the deadline will be the following Monday.  The Budget Committee will attempt to respond to emergency needs as they arise, but it is anticipated that proposals will typically be submitted on the schedule described above.

 

6.  Limit on Awards

No principal investigator may receive more than $1,000 during a single academic year (fall semester, winter semester, and spring and summer sessions).  There is no limit on the funding an individual may receive as a co-investigator.

 

7.  Other Procedures

a.         The Budget Committee will decide on the acceptability of all Biology Department Development fund proposals within 21 calendar days after the application deadline and will recommend the funding level for each proposal.  The Committee will provide notification to the department faculty of its decisions in a timely manner.

b.         The Department Head, as the named operator of the account, will inform the departmental faculty of the current balance of the Development Fund at the first department meeting of each semester (i.e., at least one month before the application deadline).

c.         No more than one-third of the available balance in the Biology Department Development Fund will be distributed during the October, March, or June funding cycles.

d.         Money will not be distributed from the Development Fund unless a written proposal has been submitted and the Budget Committee has made a positive recommendation for funding that is approved by the department.