Frequently Asked Questions
Competitive Campus Grants FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions about Competitive Campus Grants can be found below. Please note these may not apply to our Open Invitation Grants.
For additional questions, please contact us at umdearborn-orsp@umich.edu
Applications to the Competitive Campus Grants programs will be evaluated by external experts in the related research areas. The external experts will use the criteria listed in the guidelines specific to the Competitive Campus Grants program you are applying to. Applicants will receive feedback not only on the adherence to the program requirements but also on the proposed research idea/s. When relevant, the feedback will include suggestions for strengthening the proposal.
We are open to any external funders, the program does not limit you to specific ones. We are collecting information about potential funders but we don’t have any specific in mind. We can help teams try to identify potential funders, if needed.
Project start dates should be *no earlier* than 3 months after the application deadline and competitive grants are limited up to 12 month projects. For example, Campus Grants with an application deadline of October 15 should plan to start January 15 or later.
Yes, funds may support students working on the project however they are limited to current UM-Dearborn students and must be hired as temporary employees for the project. Graduate Student Instructor's and Graduate Student Research Assistants are not supported (they must be hired as temporary employees).
Each Competitive Grant has different budget ceilings and floors as well as intended use of funds. Generally we would like to support faculty/researcher time, research supplies needed to carry out the project, student research assistants, collaborative activities, etc. things that are not already supported by the department (e.g. general supplies). It depends on the needs of each team and the proposed activities. In any case, plans for the use of funds must be well-justified. Check the specific grant guidelines for more details.
Proposals should be written for a varied audience, not necessarily people in your discipline. It is always best to write a proposal in a way that is understandable to people outside of your field, regardless of the sponsor you send your proposal to. All competitive proposals will be forwarded for review and evaluation to external experts in the respective research field.
The Research Initiation & Development and UM-Dearborn Scholar grants require the applicants to use the funds to support activities and employees (faculty, students) on our campus.
Currently only Thematic Research Planning Grants support external partners. Up to 25% of the Thematic Research Planning Grant total budget can be spent on compensating the participation of external to UM-Dearborn partners- community members, consultants or collaborators from other campuses/ universities. Industry partners are expected to cover their own expenses related to collaboration with the team.
We encourage you to use existing internal resources, but if you present a compelling case for the need of an external writer, we will consider it.
The Office of Research provides consultation and writing services through a third-party consultation firm at no cost to faculty. They can find content experts to help with proposal content review, copy editing, graphic design and for large/complex proposals we may consider requesting a professional writer for your team. Keep in mind that the team should provide the main content of the project plan.
You do not need to identify all partners at the application stage. Part of the planning for the Thematic Research Planning grants can be to assemble the team and also, you can change the project team for the final proposal.
The Thematic Research Planning grant asks that you identify at least one funding opportunity you would be preparing to apply to. If you have not identified a specific funding mechanism yet and want to focus on the research rather than the proposal planning and writing, you should consider applying for a Research Initiation & Development grant.
Yes, the primary theme should be indicated on your application. If your project crosses multiple areas, you need to select which is the most relevant and list it first. List the other relevant areas as secondary.
Yes, however we would encourage you to indicate the full 12 month allowed for the project as you can always finalize and complete your final report for a project earlier. Only one 6 month no-cost extension is allowed (requires application).
Single PIs will not be considered for the Thematic Research Planning grants. We ask that you plan to work with others and form interdisciplinary teams.
Research Initiation & Development and UM-Dearborn Scholar grants allow single PI applications, however the applications with multiple PIs will stand a better chance for funding, everything else equal.