Frequently Asked Questions

How long should the proposal be?

Proposals should not exceed six (6) pages.  If the cover forms are filled out correctly, then most proposals present a problem to be solved and a proposed solution within three to five pages.  Length is not rewarded, but neither is vagueness.

How much budget detail is necessary?

There should be no element of the budget that is unexplained.  A proposal which for example, requests $8,000 but doesn’t specify how it is to be spent is likely not to pass scrutiny.  At the other end of the spectrum, a highly detailed budget is not necessary.  An expense for “materials - $200,” for example, or “GSR II - $4,000,” does not need any further breakdown.

What kinds of assistance are available?

Funds can be provided for staff, undergraduate or graduate assistance.  The type of assistance should be consistent with the level of goals to be accomplished.  Consult with the departmental MSO regarding appropriate funding levels or pay scales for Staff Research Assistance (SRA), undergraduates, or Graduate Student Researchers (GSR).  Teaching Assistant support can also be provided, but only when it is exclusively for direct instruction of undergraduate students.  Please include in the proposal, how TA funding will be provided in the future. Again, the departmental MSO can advise on the appropriate levels for TA funding.  Please be aware that GSRs and TAs are not interchangeable positions and requests for each will be evaluated on different terms.

Who will pay for mandatory GSR and/or TA benefits?

Medical insurance, fee remissions, and worker’s compensation must be paid to the entitled students.  However, medical insurance and fee remissions are funded through the Graduate Division for eligible graduate students and therefore must not be included as part of the CIIP budget.  Consult with the departmental MSO for current worker’s compensation rates.  These funds do not need to be separate line items in the budget detail, but the CIIP will assume they have been included as part of the total request.

How are faculty (full time equivalent), or course release time calculated?

Departmental workloads vary, usually from .11 FTE to .17 FTE for one course release.  The departmental MSO can provide the department’s equivalent release time per course.

Why is there a $6,000 limit on hardware acquisition?

Hardware purchases come from a separate and limited account.  The CIIP is willing to support developmental activities, which in most cases can be covered by $6,000.  The Committee will not fund individual laptop computers for presentation needs.  They are also not willing to fund labs or provide equipment, the cost of which is so great as to indicate that a major redirection of departmental funds to other priorities has occurred.  The CIIP feels that decanal and departmental resources are necessary to fund such requests.

Can a department submit a request for funding?

Yes!  The CIIP looks favorably on projects that involve collaboration among faculty.  The project will need a “principal investigator” to contact for specific information, but the proposal can represent a department-wide initiative.

Why are proposals shared with Local Support Centers?

While IIP funds may assist in the development of projects, it is often the responsibility of Local Support Centers to maintain or further develop such projects. It is important that they have the capability to do so in terms of personnel and/or expertise.  Sharing proposals ensures such linkages, and sometimes results in “co-developed” projects, which the applicant might not have anticipated as being possible.

Can more than one request be submitted by a person or department at one time?

Yes.  There is no penalty for submitting more than one request, although the CIIP will look for evidence that priorities are clearly understood, and that sufficient time and other resource allocations are allotted for each proposal.  All proposals will be considered separately.

Can replacement time above the Assistant Professor Step IV level be requested?

No.  The intent is to provide replacement costs, not to fund salaries directly.  The requesting department should fund any needed salary above the replacement cost.

How are applicants notified of the status of a proposal?

Every effort is made to provide a response as soon as possible.  Even under ideal conditions, however, it may require several weeks to notify all applicants.  Because many of the proposals may also include further negotiation with the appropriate Dean(s), no specific date can be provided for the response.  The CIIP meets in April to consider proposals and most applicants are notified in June.

If approved, how and when are the funds handled?

Funds are transferred to the requesting department and placed in the account, fund, and sub numbers as given by the department’s MSO to OID via a funding form mailed by OID in July.  The funds are not available prior to the beginning of the fiscal year.  Once transferred, the department is responsible for administering and monitoring the funds.

If the project is not completed by June 30th of the grant year, can funds be carried forward to the next fiscal year?

Yes, but carrying funds forward is not automatic.  Permission is granted when it is not reasonable for the project to be completed as originally specified.  Under no conditions can carry forwards exceed two years.