Undergraduate Summer Research Minigrant RFP

NJSGC Undergraduate Summer Research Minigrant RFP

Proposal Due Date: 31 May 2016

The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is an affiliation of colleges, universities and other groups dedicated to advancing knowledge and stewardship of New Jersey’s marine and coastal environment. NJSGC continues to be focused on its vision for a sustainable future for New Jersey’s coastal environment. Its mission is to promote the responsible use of New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources through innovative research, education and extension programs.

The education and professional development of our future marine scientists is a major outcome of our strategic plan. The goal of this minigrant is to provide summer research opportunities for undergraduates enrolled at New Jersey’s colleges and universities.  NJSGC anticipates funding up to three (3) $2000 minigrants for summer research in 2016.  Proposals and research will be student led with support from their faculty mentor.  Interested students should read the most recent NJSGC omnibus research RFP  for potential research ideas that match research relevancy criteria that respond to coastal and marine research needs in New Jersey. Research should be conducted between May and September with final reporting by end of November 2016.

Please contact Dr. Peter Rowe (732-872-1300 x 31) for questions regarding this RFP.  Minigrant proposals should be submitted electronically to Ms. Lisa Aromando (732-872-1300 x 10) by 4 pm on 31 May 2016 as a single PDF.

General Formatting Guidelines: Proposals should be single spaced with 1 inch margins.  Use New Times Roman font with a minimum 12 point font size.

Please construct proposal and budget in a single PDF as outlined below.

Full Proposal Cover Page (click here) :

Please use NJSGC’s Full Proposal Cover Page include Project Title, Principal Student Investigator, Faculty Mentor, Budget (Sea Grant request and Match), Start / End dates, and Authorized Representative.  Signature of Student and Faculty Mentor is required.  Signature of Authorized Representative is not required.

Project Narrative:

Project narrative should consist of the following sections in the listed order.  Maximum length of narrative is four (4) pages excluding Literature Cited.   Please see suggestions for content in each section.

Background {<500 words}:

  • A brief introduction that sets up the research project as a whole in the context of the discipline in which it fits (based on current state of knowledge and literature).

Statement of Need: {<500 words}

  • Describe the problem that the research will attempt to address.
  • Describe the population that will be served by the research project.

Hypothesis: State a clear and concise null and alternative hypothesis.

Goals and Objectives:

  • Describe the overall goals and indicate how the research is relevant to one or more of the research priorities of the NJ Sea Grant Program.
  • List specific objectives of the research in measurable terms. (An objective is a specific result to achieve within a time frame and with available resources.)

Project Description:

  • Describe the general approach and how it will be implemented.
  • Describe any specific methodology to be used.
  • Include a timeline of activities/tasks and expected milestones.
  • Identify project participants and their respective roles in the research project.

Expected Outcomes:

  • Provide information on what will be accomplished and the desired outcome.
  • Provide information on how the results of the research will be disseminated.
  • Provide information on how the success of the research will be evaluated.

Dissemination and evaluation of outcomes may be achieved through oral and written presentations at local and regional science conferences, through outreach and extension materials, and through a student written final report to NJSGC.

Data Sharing Plan:

Briefly describe how environmental data will be made available to other interested parties after the completion of the research project (2 years post completion).  If no environmental data are collected then a statement declaring that is acceptable.

Literature Cited: Not included in page length restrictions. Use Author-Date method.

Budget (Click here and Use Budget Form 90-4):

  • Funds Requested from NJSGC require 50% match in nonfederal dollars. For example, a request for $2000 from Sea Grant requires $1000 in matching funds.
    • Itemized cost associated with each item to be funded by NJSGC and Match
    • No indirect costs may be applied to this minigrant; however, unrecovered IDC may be used as match
    • Match may include faculty mentor time, unrecovered IDC, boat time, donated supplies and equipment, etc.
    • Budget Justification Narrative (separate sheet) should detail both a brief description and costs of items to be funded by NJSGC and match, as well as the source(s) of match being contributed to the project

Supporting Documentation to be supplied:

  1. Letter of support from faculty mentor
  2. Proof of Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval if applicable to project methodology.
  3. Proof of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval if applicable to the project
  4. Unofficial transcript that shows current enrollment as undergraduate.