Charles C. Spooner Student Research Program Guidelines

Introduction.  The Spooner Student Research Fund provides monies to enhance the academic experience and professional growth of students by providing them opportunities to engage in research and creative activities. The program is made possible by an endowment established by the late Charles C. Spooner. For this program, research is broadly defined to include all creative or scholarly activities relevant to a student's program of study.  Sample proposals can be viewed here.

Eligibility.  Applicants must be currently enrolled as a full-time student in a degree program and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 for undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants must provide evidence of commitment from a faculty member to serve as project advisor and an endorsement of the project by the department (see Cover Page). Students who have received Spooner funding during the previous 12-month period are not eligible.

NOTE:  If a student receives an Excellence in Education award for summer they are not eligible to receive a Spooner Grant and are expected to relinquish the Spooner support so that other unfunded students may be supported.

Grant Requirements. Students receiving a Spooner Research Grant must enroll for credit in a course directly related to the project such as Special Topics, Directed Study, or Thesis during the award period.

Deadlines. 

Award Parameters.  Spooner Research Grants support projects in which a student is engaged in scholarly research. The proposed project must be under the supervision of a faculty advisor and be endorsed by the department. The proposed project period must be no longer than 12 months.

The maximum award for each project is $500.  Up to $1,500 in awards will be made each semester (fall, winter, and summer).  All funds must be encumbered on or before the end date of the grant.

Spooner Research Grants provide funds for supplies, materials, contractual services, travel or other expenses directly associated with the conduct of the proposed project. Funds cannot be requested for stipends, salaries or wages for the student or faculty advisor.

In addition to the funding available for the conduct of the project, requests will be considered for the support of student travel to scholarly meetings at which the applicant will be presenting a paper or creative exhibit. To be considered for funding in this category, evidence must be presented that the paper/exhibit has been accepted for presentation (e.g., acceptance letter, conference program,etc.).

How to Apply.  A student must submit one complete application (hard copy) to their Department Head. The departments will evaluate the proposals and rate them as excellent, very good, good, or fair (see cover page). Additional comments can be attached in the form of a letter. If more than one proposal is submitted from a department, they must be rated and ranked. The Chair must deliver the ranked hard copies with ratings indicated on the cover sheets to the Grants and Research Office, 402 Cohodas (see timetable of deadlines).

The application must contain:  1.) a Spooner Grant cover page that is signed by the advisor, Department Head, and student; 2.) a project narrative; and 3.) Required appendices.

• Narrative Format. The narrative (not including appendices) is limited to six pages of double-spaced pages.  Any spacing less than double is not allowed.  Proposals must have one-inch margins and be printed in Times New Roman, 12 point font size. Applicants with a visual impairment should contact the Grants & Research Office for information regarding alternative formatting instructions. 
• Narrative Body.   The narrative should include the following elements:
  1. A description of the project objectives and significance.
  2. A literature review.
  3. The methods/process that will be used to achieve stated objectives.
  4. A timetable with expected outcomes (e.g., paper, presentation, or creative work).
  5. A detailed budget and budget justification that clearly indicates why the requested funds are essential for the completion of the proposed project.  NOTE:  If this project requires more than the maximum grant award of $500 to complete, please indicate how you intend to secure additional funding.  Also, clearly explain the part of your project that can be completed if you fail to secure additional funding.

• Required Appendices.
      --A list of references cited.
      --A curriculum vitae for the student. The vitae or an additional statement should clearly identify the student’s qualifications for conducting the project.
      --A copy of the student’s most recent transcript.
      --Any applicant that proposes to use human subjects (e.g., clinical or survey work) must have applied for approval of NMU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).   (Application for the Conduct of Research Involving Human Subjects). Any project involving the use of animals must have applied for approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). (Application to use Vertebrate Animals in Research, Testing, or Instruction). Applicants must attach a copy of their Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Animal Care (IACUC) approval letter, or confirmation of application from the Chair of IRB or IACUC, with their Spooner application to be considered for funding.

Application Evaluation.  The evaluation rubric used by the Faculty Grant Committee can be viewed here.  Proposals will be reviewed and rated by the department before submission to the Grants Office. The Faculty Grants Committee will then review the proposals based upon the following criteria:

1. The significance of the proposed project and a sound plan for conducting the project.
2. The potential of a publishable report presentation at a professional meeting, creative work, or other activities appropriate to the discipline.
3. The appropriateness of the budget justification.
4. Qualifications of the student investigator.
5. Adherence to format and content requirements.

The members of the review committee will rank all proposals and forward their recommendations for funding to the Assistant Provost of Graduate Studies and Research, who will announce the awards. The grant funds will be under the supervision of the department of the faculty advisor.