CUSE Grant Program Request for Proposals 2022

DEADLINE: 5:00 p.m., Thursday, February 24, 2022

Click here to download the Full RFP document

Proposal Submission

Please visit the Syracuse University Application Portal at https://syracuse.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1858350

Narrated guide on using the Syracuse University Application Portal

Information Sessions

Thinking about submitting a proposal for a 2022 CUSE Grant? Two virtual information sessions are scheduled. Additionally, Office Hours will be available for one-on-one consultation with the CUSE Grants Program Manager, Christina Leigh Docteur. Registration for all events is required.

Slides and a recording of the sessions will be posted when they are available.

CUSE Grant Application General Information Session
Slides | Recording (with captions)
January 19, 2022, 10:00am – 11:30am

CUSE Grant Application Humanities and Creative Arts Information Session
Slides | Recording (with captions)
January 26,  2022, 10:00am – 11:30am

CUSE Grant Office Hours
Questions on contents, formatting, or preparation of any documents?
Sign up for office hours: February 4, 9, 14, and 17, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Forms

CUSE Grant 2022 – Program Budget Template
CUSE Grant 2022 – Current-and-Pending
CUSE Grant 2022 – Conflict of Interest Listing Template
CUSE Grant 2022 – Sample Budget Justification
NSF – Biosketch
NEH-NSF Hybrid Biosketch Format Example

Questions

CUSE Grants FAQs

For questions about the CUSE Grant RFP, please contact Christina Leigh Docteur cdocteur@syr.edu. For questions regarding use of the Application Portal, please contact Jeff Falchi jtfalchi@syr.edu or reference the narrated guide on using the Syracuse University Application Portal.

Purpose of the Program | Summary of Changes | Priority Areas | Eligibility | Application Types | Proposal Instructions | Required Documents | Proposal Review and Evaluation

I. The Purpose of the Program

Syracuse University’s Office of Research is pleased to announce the 2022 funding cycle for the CUSE (Collaboration for Unprecedented Success and Excellence) Grant Program. The purpose of this intramural grant program is to grow the research enterprise, to help faculty build the skills, partnerships, and research base to successfully attract extramural funding, to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations, and to increase high-quality scholarly output by Syracuse University faculty.

Generally, CUSE Grants should fund the initiation of new projects, building of interdisciplinary teams, the production of preliminary data, and the preparation of projects to compete for extramural funding. CUSE Grants should not be viewed as funds to complete existing projects. In addition, the spirit of the CUSE Grant Program is to provide broad support across the University research community. Therefore, preference is given to applications who have not previously received prior CUSE Grants. All proposals will be evaluated on their potential to attract extramural funding, to increase scholarship, and to enhance academic reputations. The expectations for CUSE Grant recipients therefore include subsequent pursuit of extramural funding and the production of significant scholarly products—results that will increase the national and international recognition of the awardees, their programs, and the university. Evidence of results is collected from award recipients in required annual CUSE Grant reports.

II. Summary of Changes for 2022 CUSE Grant Program

In the 2021 round, the CUSE Grant Program funded 79 projects across the humanities, social sciences, creative arts, and STEM research areas. For the 2022 funding cycle, the CUSE Program will continue to focus on enhancing the reputation of Syracuse University and leveraging extramural funding, scholarship, creative work, and prestigious awards, utilizing the previously established four main grant types: 1) Seed Grants; 2) Innovative and Interdisciplinary Research Grants (I&I); 3) Good to Great Grants (G2G); and 4) Interdisciplinary Seminar Grants (Seminar). Changes to the 2022 solicitation include the following:

  • Introduction of a priority area for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA)-related proposed projects.
  • Discontinuation of the separate COVID-Relief mechanism, but inclusion of a request to identify any COVID-related challenges for proposed projects in the rationale section of the project narrative.
  • Inclusion of a prohibition for postdocs serving as PIs.
  • Inclusion of a requirement for a one-year gap between CUSE Awards held by a PI (with exceptions noted below).
  • Change of the formatting of the required Conflict of Interest (COI) form to one form per project.
  • Requirement of the Current and Pending form for all CUSE Grant applications.
  • Change of the evaluation scale from a five-point scale to a ten-point scale.
  • Revision of review criteria to better align with intent for the CUSE program and with proposal contents.
  • Inclusion of an acknowledgement of Syracuse University intellectual property policies.
  • An encouragement that all CUSE grant applicants attend or view a CUSE Grant information session, and that awardees attend other proposal development training hosted by the Office of Research, especially those awardees with little or no prior grant experience.

Full details regarding these changes are incorporated in the revised RFP below. Additional information may be found in the Frequently Asked Questions posted on the Office of Research website. New questions may be submitted to Christina Leigh Docteur (cdocteur@syr.edu). A virtual general information session will be held on January 19, 2022, 10:00-11:30 AM, and a virtual humanities and creative arts information session will be held on January 26, 2022, 10:00-11:30 AM. Registration is required. CUSE Office Hours for project-specific questions will be announced in January.

III. Priority Areas

The CUSE Grant Program supports faculty research in all disciplines, spanning: basic, translational and applied sciences; social sciences; physical and life sciences; engineering; liberal arts; humanities; professional schools; creative arts; and various forms of scholarly activities. The program focuses on proposed projects that are well aligned with extramural funding, including federal, state, corporate, foundation, and philanthropic funds. Priority is also given to projects related to existing strategic interdisciplinary initiatives (examples include the 10 cross-disciplinary clusters supported by Syracuse University’s Cluster Hires Initiative) as well as to disciplinary research areas with great potential for extramural funding, significant scholarship, and institutional recognition.

In addition, recognizing the University commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), a new priority area for DEIA-related research projects has been added for the 2022 CUSE Grant Program. Projects should have a DEIA focus or component to support, catalyze, or promote important research and scholarship on DEIA issues for societal impact—for example, projects that work on issues addressing health disparities, that explore the historical roots of structural racism or mass incarceration, or that provide for the creation of new technologies to facilitate social inclusion for the disabled. These are broad examples only, as faculty research interests should drive specific project ideas. Additionally, such projects must still fit within the general CUSE categories.

Finally, special consideration will be given to supporting early-career faculty, as helping early-career faculty to establish their research agendas and succeed is of great importance to the future of Syracuse University.

IV. Lead Principal Investigator (PI) Eligibility

Syracuse University encourages collaborations, particularly multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaborations. However, for accountability, the Principal Investigator retains primary responsibility for project oversight.

  • For all grant categories, Principal Investigator (PI) eligibility follows the institutional requirements set forth in the University’s Statement of Principal Investigator Eligibility. If applicable, waivers for PI eligibility must be requested by submitting a completed Request to Waive PI Eligibility form to Stuart Taub, Director of Sponsored Programs at staub@syr.edu by Friday, February 11, 2022.
  • While PIs are encouraged to include and support postdocs, graduate, and undergraduate students on their proposals, postdocs and students are not eligible for PI status or for PI waivers.
  • PIs may only hold one active CUSE Grant. For the 2022 CUSE Grant cycle, you may not apply as a PI if you were awarded a CUSE Grant in 2020 or 2021 as a PI. Two exceptions apply to this prohibition:
    • Exception 1: Seminar Grants: A PI may apply for a Seminar Grant if they currently have any other type of active award (Seed, I&I, G2G, or COVID-Relief). Alternately, a PI may apply for a Seed, I&I, or G2G if they have an active Seminar Grant.
    • Exception 2: COVID-Relief Grants: A PI may apply for a new CUSE Grant if they are PI on a COVID-Relief grant.
    • Applicants may serve as Co-PIs or Senior Personnel on multiple CUSE Grants or applications.

Applicants with prior CUSE Grants or existing CUSE Grants that fit the exceptions listed above must complete a compelling “Results from Prior CUSE Grant” document as part of their application (details below). Additionally, for PIs with previous CUSE Grant funding, new applications will not be reviewed if annual or final reports are outstanding.

V. Project Duration

For all 2022 CUSE Grant awards, the project start date will be June 1, 2022. All CUSE Grants are awarded for a two-year project period, though project activities may be completed before the end of the two-year period. No-cost extensions are permitted if a detailed request is received by the Office of Research before the end of the grant period and reasonable justification for the extension is provided. If approved, CUSE Grants may be extended for a maximum of one (1) year. No additional extensions will be provided.

VI. Types of Application and Funding Levels

    • Seed Grant: $5,000 maximum. Applications may be submitted by individuals or Seed grants provide funding to initiate new projects, produce preliminary data, or to conduct small projects.
    • Innovative and Interdisciplinary Research Grant (I&I): $30,000 maximum. Applications may be submitted by individuals or teams. As indicated by the grant name, I&I grants provide funding for projects that are innovative and/or interdisciplinary in nature, and competitively positioned for success. Individual applicants must demonstrate the potential for success without the need for collaboration.
    • Good to Great Grant (G2G): $30,000 maximum. Applications may be submitted by individuals or The purpose of the G2G grant type is to help elevate a prior external proposal submission from “good” to “great” and thus ensure success of a planned resubmission. The PI of the G2G proposal must have submitted an unsuccessful (not funded) extramural grant proposal as lead PI, and that proposal must have received a ranking of “Outstanding,” “Excellent,” “High priority for funding,” or “Very Good” or equivalent from an extramural grant review panel. This includes proposals for which the PI may not have received an actual priority ranking but has received written encouragement from the funder to reapply. G2G budget requests must also be justified as proportional to the size and scope of the original grant request.
    • Interdisciplinary Seminar Grant (Seminar): $7,500 maximum. Applications may be submitted by individuals or teams. This grant is designed to cover the costs of an interdisciplinary seminar series (e.g., honoraria for invited speakers, seminar materials, refreshments, space rental, travel). The Seminar Grant is not intended to fund research activities of the PI, Co-PIs or Senior Personnel, or costs for departmental seminars.

    For each grant type listed above, both individuals and teams are eligible to apply. However, to be competitive, individual applications must demonstrate the innovative nature of the work, and team applications must be interdisciplinary. Additionally, the Office of Research may reduce award amounts for all grant types depending on the volume and types of proposals received. Collaborations with researchers outside of the University are permitted; however, CUSE Grant funds may not be subcontracted to other institutions or organizations.

    VII. Proposal Instructions

    1) Online application form

    1. Access the application page at https://syracuse.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1858350
    2. On the right-hand side, under Application Tools, click “Apply”
    3. Click the Syracuse University Login button and use your NetID and password to log into the Application Portal
    4. Complete the application details screen (name and email will pre-fill):
      • PI appointment title, tenure status, school/college, department/center/institute, department chair name and email, and if prior CUSE Grant recipient. NOTE: 2020 and 2021 I2, Seed, or G2G award recipients (PIs) are ONLY ELIGIBLE to apply for a Seminar Grant in 2022
      • Name, email, appointment title, tenure status, school/college, department/center/institute, and if prior CUSE Grant recipient for any Co-PIs
      • Type of application (Seed, I&I, G2G, Seminar)
      • Proposal title
      • Total funding request
      • Indicate if project involves: Human subjects; animal research; hazardous materials; existing (protected) IP; potentially non-routine data management (HIPAA etc.); export controls.
      • Indicate if this proposal has been previously submitted for CUSE funding by yourself as PI or by any named Co-PIs.
      • Project Summary: Include a summary of no more than 250 words in the text box

    2) Upload Files

    Each grant type described above requires specific proposal components. These components are identified in Table 1 and described further below.

    Table 1. Documents required by grant program

    Seed GrantInnovative and Interdisciplinary Research Grant (I&I)Good to Great Grant (G2G)Interdisciplinary Seminar Grant (Seminar)
    Project Narrative3pp max6pp max6pp max3pp max
    Results from prior CUSEIf applicable,
    1pg/person    		If applicable,
    1pg/person    		If applicable,
    1pg/person    		If applicable,
    1pg/person
    References CitedNo page limitNo page limitNo page limitNo page limit
    Response to previous reviewIf applicable,
    1pg max    		If applicable,
    1pg max    		Required,
    4pp max
    		If applicable,
    1pg max
    Budget$5K max$30K max$30K max$7.5K max
    Budget justification3pp max3pp max3pp max3pp max
    Biographical sketchPI & Co-PIs,
    5pp/person max
    		PI & Co-PIs,
    5pp/person max
    		PI & Co-PIs,
    5pp/person max
    		PI & Co-PIs,
    5pp/person max
    Current and pendingPI onlyPI onlyPI onlyPI only
    Conflict of interestPI & Co-PIsPI & Co-PIsPI & Co-PIsPI & Co-PIs

    All uploaded files should conform to the following formatting requirements:

    • Minimum font size 11 points or larger, with a font face of Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman or Computer Modern. Other font faces and sizes may be used for mathematical formulas or equations, figures, tables or diagram captions; however, the text must still be readable.
    • Single-spaced 8.5” x 11” pages with 1” margins on all sides (except the budget, current and pending, and conflict of interest documents, which print with pre-formed tables)
    • Proposal components requiring multiple documents, such as a proposal with multiple Co-PIs requiring multiple biographical sketches, must be combined and uploaded as a single document. Each proposal component file should be named by with the PI Last name followed by the proposal component it represents (e.g., PILastName_ProjectNarrative.pdf, PILastName_ReferencesCited.pdf, PILastName_BiographicalSketch.pdf, etc.)

    PROJECT NARRATIVE – Limited to 3 to 6 pages based on application type (required).

        • Seed Grants, Interdisciplinary Seminar Grants – Maximum three (3) single-spaced pages, including figures, and tables.
        • Interdisciplinary Research Grants and Good to Great Grants – Maximum six (6) single-spaced pages, including figures, and
        • Page limits will be strictly enforced to ensure fair and equitable review.
        • Applicants should keep in mind that review panel members represent a variety of disciplines from across the university. Therefore, applicants must avoid excessive jargon and write in a style clear to reviewers who are not experts in the specified area.
        • Tables, charts, figures, or images are allowable within the stated page limits if they enhance proposal contents, and any text or other important data within the visual element are legible.
        • All works cited should be referenced (see item 2C References Cited of this section).

        The Project Narrative should include the following information:

        1. Introduction. The introduction should include a clear statement of the research question/problem, long-term goal(s), and supporting objectives or research questions of the proposed project. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities related to the proposed project including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed research or activity. This is the section to set the stage for your project to answer a significant question or to resolve a significant
        2. Rationale, Significance, and Broader Impact. In this section, explain why your project should be Concisely present the rationale behind the proposed project; the specific relationship of the project’s objectives to one or more of the priority areas; the potential long-term and broader impact; and the potential of this project to enhance future extramural grant applications or to produce significant scholarship. Broader impacts can be defined as the greater potential societal benefit, but also the broader impact within Syracuse University, within your field, as well as within the local community. Additionally, if a proposed project or activity was previously under development, and was delayed, not started, or reimagined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please explain those circumstances in this section, and note how CUSE funding will propel the project forward.
        3. Approach and Resources. The activities proposed or problems being addressed must be clearly stated and the approaches being applied clearly described. Specifically, this section should include: a) a description of the activities proposed and the sequence in which the activities are to be performed; b) methods to be used in carrying out the proposed project, including the feasibility of the methods; c) considerations of alternative methods and if the proposed method is state of the art; d) expected outcomes; e) means by which results will be analyzed, assessed, or interpreted; f) how results or products will be used; g) pitfalls that may be encountered and alternative approaches to compensate for pitfalls; h) limitations to proposed procedures; and i) a full explanation of any materials, procedures, situations, or activities related to the project that may be hazardous to personnel, along with an outline of precautions to be exercised to avoid or mitigate the effects of such hazards. In this section, describe the roles and responsibilities of the PI, Co-PIs, and any other Senior Personnel. If specific facilities or resources are necessary to complete the work, please include a brief description and availability of those resources in this section. Also include a brief timeline of the proposed
        4. Intent to Leverage CUSE Funding Indicate how you will leverage CUSE funding to further pursue extramural grant funding, including listing what funding agencies and specific programs may be targeted, why these sources will be targeted (how is the topic competitive for external funding), and how CUSE funding will be impactful for those For disciplines where external funding is limited, describe how the CUSE grant will enable you to leverage success to enhance the reputation of Syracuse University, through increased competitiveness for prestigious awards, through the creation of significant new scholarly products or creative output, or through the creation of unique educational programs or collaborations. Finally, only if budgetary needs for the project exceed the amount of funds being requested, please indicate how and from where cost sharing will be secured. Cost sharing is not required for CUSE Grant applications.

            RESULTS FROM PRIOR CUSE GRANT – Limited to 1 page per PI/Co-PI with prior CUSE Grant(s).

            For the PI and/or each Co-PI who is a prior recipient of a CUSE Grant, include (up to 1 page per each person disclosing prior CUSE Grant) a description of prior CUSE Grant results, including:

            • 1 paragraph summary of original grant purpose; and
            • 1 paragraph summary of results for each prior CUSE Grant.

            The description of results is not intended to be a full accounting, as provided in required annual CUSE Grant reports, but instead a summary of evidence of the successful use of CUSE Grant funds to achieve program goals of growing the University’s research enterprise, enhancing interdisciplinary collaborations, and increasing extramural funding and high-quality scholarly output. This information will be used by reviewers and the Office of Research as evidence of past and future success, and of responsible use of prior CUSE Grant funds.

            Do not upload a document in the results section if there are no prior CUSE Grants received.

            REFERENCES CITED – No page limit (required).

            All work cited in the Project Narrative, including that of key personnel, should be referenced in this section of the application. References must be complete, including titles and all co-author names in a professional style appropriate to the primary discipline. If you have no references for your proposal, please include a document titled “References” and note “None” in the body of the document.

            RESPONSE TO PREVIOUS REVIEW – (if applicable).

            • Response to Previous CUSE Reviews – Limited to one (1) single-spaced
              Required only for previously submitted Seed, I&I, or Seminar proposals that were not funded. Provide a response to the previous review panel summary, including how the proposal has changed since the previous submission.
            • Response to Extramural Reviews – Limited to four (4) single-spaced
              Required for G2G proposals only. Include: 1) The PI’s response to extramural grant reviews, including how the G2G proposal will help make a subsequent extramural submission more competitive; 2) An assessment of the competitiveness of the G2G application from the Associate Dean for Research of the college/school (may be included as a formal letter on letterhead, or as a PDF copy of a detailed email); 3) A copy of the external agency review (not subject to page limitations for this section). Compile these documents into one PDF file.

            Do not upload a document in the response section if there are no previous reviews applicable.

                BUDGET – Template provided (required).

                Download and use the CUSE Grant Program Budget Template provided on the Application Portal. Please work with your departmental budget manager or the Research Administrator (RA) assigned to your department for assistance with your budget. Consult the Office of Sponsored Programs contact webpage for assistance in identifying your RA. Provide complete budget details for each year of the two-year project period. The total budget must equal the amount of funding request in the application—do not include any anticipated cost sharing from other sources in the CUSE Grant budget. Instead, the availability of or intent to secure funding from other sources for the project should be described in the project narrative. Cost sharing is not required for CUSE Grant applications.

                Please note that the CUSE Grant Program Budget Template is a derivative of the OSP Budget Template and functions in the same way. Enter budget data into the ‘Personnel Yr 1’, ‘Personnel Yr 2’, and ‘Non-personnel’ worksheets accordingly. Additional guidance is provided in the ‘Instructions’ tab of the CUSE Grant Program Budget Template. Please do not alter scaling or page breaks in the Excel template. To upload your budget in the application, create a PDF of the “CUSE Grant Budget Form” worksheet (sheet 5 of the workbook); only the 2-page PDF should be uploaded, not the full Excel file. Funds can be requested for the following allowable costs:

                • Salaries & Wages for PI, Co-PIs, and Senior Personnel – PI, Co-PI and other Senior Personnel salaries are limited up to one (1) month per year.
                • Other Salaries & Wages –Budget requests may include salary support for undergraduate or graduate students, postdocs, and technical staff. PIs are encouraged to include students on their CUSE Grant projects.
                • Fringe Benefits – Fringe benefits must be included for all salaries as appropriate. The budget template will assign current fringe benefits corresponding to the salary line(s)
                • Equipment – Items greater than $5,000. Total equipment costs are limited to $10,000 for I&I, G2G proposals.
                • Travel – Must be directly related to CUSE Grant project
                • Other Direct Costs – Materials and supplies (such as meeting supplies and books), consultant costs, purchased services (such as transcription or translation costs), rental of off-site facilities, human subject payments, and other relevant expenses (such as food and beverages for all-day meetings or archive fees) are allowable. Event costs for any CUSE funded project should include ASL Interpreting/CART Services fees as appropriate (please consult the Guidelines for CART and ASL Interpreting page on answers.syr.edu for more information). Funds requested for consultants must equal no more than 25% of budgeted

                The following items are unallowable costs on a CUSE Grant:

                • Subcontracts to external institutions – As CUSE Grants are intended to internally advance research and scholarship, no funds may be subcontracted to other
                • Office Supplies, Cell Phones, Internet service, Memberships/subscriptions – Funds cannot be requested for items generally regarded as parts of indirect costs such as office supplies, phones, cell phones, internet service, subscriptions, memberships, computers or peripherals (e.g., printers, data storage, etc.). However, project-specific computers and/or project-specific software package(s) are allowed if predominately used for the project, and a strong and detailed justification is
                • Tuition
                • Indirect costs

                BUDGET JUSTIFICATION – Limited to three (3) single-spaced pages.

                Provide a detailed justification for each item of the budget request, thoroughly explaining what budget allocations are needed and why they are important to complete the goals and objectives of your project. A template is provided on the Application Portal.

                BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH – Limited to five (5) single-spaced pages for each investigator but may be significantly shorter in length (required).

                Provide a biographical sketch for the PI and any Co-PIs, limited to academic & research credentials. Templates for a standard NSF and a hybrid NSF/NEH biographical sketch are provided on the Application Portal for reference. Biographical sketches prepared in any extramural agency format (e.g., NIH, NSF, DOD) or generated from SciENcv are acceptable. However, if not utilizing an extramural agency format, please include the following information:

                • Brief summary of investigator’s qualifications for proposed project
                • Brief summary of teaching, scholarship, and research expertise
                • Education history (degrees) and relevant employment history
                • Relevant honors and awards (limit to five)
                • Relevant products, including: Peer reviewed publications, books, book chapters, or other academic/artistic outputs consistent w/discipline, such as scores, films, productions, performances or artworks.

                For projects with multiple personnel merge files into one single PDF for upload.

                CONFLICT OF INTEREST – No page limitation (one combined form required for PI and any Co-PIs).

                The Conflict of Interest (COI) form is used by the CUSE Grant program team to develop peer review panels. It is an important part of the CUSE Grant application used to mitigate COI between applicants and potential reviewers. Download and complete the COI spreadsheet from the Application Portal. Please complete one form for the entire project, listing potential conflicts for the PI and all Co-PIs. Include the following information:

                •  Syracuse University co-authors on publications within the past three (3) years, including pending publications and submissions;
                • Syracuse University collaborators on projects within the past three (3) years, including current and planned collaborations; and
                • All Syracuse University-based thesis or postdoctoral advisors, or advisees, if currently serving as University faculty or staff.

                If there are no University-based conflicts identified for the PI or any Co-PI(s) based on the parameters listed above, enter the PI’s name at the top of the template, and “None” on the first line of the table. Save and upload the completed spreadsheet as a PDF document.

                CURRENT AND PENDING – No page limitation (required for PI only).

                Download and complete the Current and Pending form provided on the Application Portal.

                Provide a listing of all proposals that are pending or awarded. The Form is required for the PI of the CUSE Grant only. Please note: Current and Pending Support is used by the review panel to illustrate how CUSE Grant funding may complement, enhance, or in some cases compete with or duplicate existing awards.

                Please work with the Research Administrator (RA) assigned to your department for assistance with your Current and Pending. Your RA is able to provide a list of applications submitted and awarded through the Office of Sponsored Programs, but these lists will need to be supplemented with any applications submitted and/or awarded for funding within Syracuse University, or applications submitted or funded for awards made to the individual faculty member. Consult the Office of Sponsored Programs contact webpage for assistance in identifying your RA.

                Current and Pending documents that have been generated by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) are allowable as long as proposals and awards not captured in the OSP version—such as internal grants from a school or college—are added by the applicant before submission.

                Acknowledgement of University Intellectual Property Policies

                Complete the acknowledgement of understanding of Syracuse University policies on the ownership and management of intellectual property, as stated in the Syracuse University Faculty Manual, section 3.23.

                No additional materials, appendices, or supplementary documentation will be accepted.

                VIII. Proposal Submission

                • DEADLINE: 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February 24, However, early submission to enable review for compliance and assignment of review panels is highly encouraged.
                • Submit electronically at https://syracuse.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1858350.
                • An email acknowledgment of receipt will be sent to the PI once the application is
                • For the 2022 CUSE Grant Program, routing approvals are not required. Deans, ADRs, and school and college budget directors will receive lists of all application submitted by PIs from their units after the proposals are compiled and reviewed for compliance.

                IX. Proposal Review and Evaluation

                1. Each application will be reviewed through a two-part process. First, each application will be screened to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements as set forth in the CUSE Grant Program. Applications that do not meet the guidelines as stated in the RFP will be eliminated from the competition and will be returned to the applicant without review. Second, a review panel composed of Syracuse University faculty will technically evaluate applications that meet these requirements. In addition to the review panel, written comments may be solicited from ad hoc Prior to recommending an application for funding, the peer review panel and ad hoc reviewer comments, if applicable, will be presented and discussed.
                2. Review Panel Selection and Evaluation Process: A Review Panel will be selected to represent expertise across research areas included in proposals. The review panel will be comprised of Syracuse University faculty and professional research-related staff with extramural and intramural grant experience. In all cases, the review panel members must not be submitting a proposal in the CUSE Grant program in the year when they serves on the panel. The evaluation process begins with the assignment of proposals to the panel. Panel members will then complete individual reviews of each application assigned to their panel. Next, the review panel will meet to discuss, evaluate, rank, and make recommendations for funding to the interim Vice President for Research. Guided by the overall score and comments on the review criteria, final funding decisions will be approved by the interim Vice President for Research. Funding decisions and funding levels will be determined based on the evaluation ranking in consideration of the availability of funds. A panel summary, along with reviews, will be sent to the lead PI upon completion of the funding cycle evaluations.
                3. Review Criteria: The review panel will be asked to take the following factors into account:
                  1. Overall merit of the application. Novelty, uniqueness, and originality; conceptual adequacy of the hypothesis, research question, or problem(s) to be addressed; and clarity and delineation of objectives, activities, and overall approach. For proposed projects identified as impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the strength of the explanation of how CUSE funding will propel the project forward will be evaluated. (25% weight)
                  2. Potential success for extramural funding, increased scholarship, enhanced reputation, and success with past intramural funding. Justification for the potential for extramural grants in relation to specific funding sources, or how the project will enhance the reputation of Syracuse University, through increased competitiveness for prestigious awards, through the creation of significant new scholarship, or through the creation of unique educational programs or collaborations. Intent to leverage CUSE funding should be clearly articulated. For researchers previously funded through CUSE Grant funds, evidence of extramural funding applications and scholarly outputs, as required (see above under “Eligibility” and “Results from CUSE Grant”). (25% weight)
                  3. Significance of the project, relevance and alignment of the project with CUSE Program priorities and current and future research trends, and the potential for broader impacts. Broader impacts can be defined as the greater potential societal benefit, but also the broader impact within Syracuse University, within your field, as well as within the local community. (25% weight)
                  4. Qualifications of proposed project personnel and adequacy of facilities. Qualifications of proposed project personnel, including: research productivity and quality as measured by peer-reviewed publications in high-quality professional journals or other forms of high-quality scholarly or creative output, patents awarded, products developed as reflected in the biosketch; experience, record of accomplishment, and training; and adequacy of available or obtainable support personnel, facilities, materials, equipment and other relevant resources. If the applicant is an early-career faculty member, the Review Panel will be instructed to weight qualifications based on the level of scholarly activity and creative output in relation to the applicant’s length of time in the field, and the potential of the grant for positively affecting the trajectory of success for the applicant. (25% weight)
                  5. Good to Great additional considerations. For G2G applications, the following items will also be considered during review: the reviews and rankings of the proposal from extramural funding sources; the statement from the associate dean(s) for research; and the budget of the extramural grant application, i.e., large extramural grants will be given priority.

                The review panel for each proposal will provide comments and a rating for review criteria. The ratings for each criterion will be weighted equally and combined into an overall score using the following point values:

                RatingPoints
                Exceptional10 points
                Outstanding9 points
                Excellent8 points
                Very Good7 points
                Good6 points
                Satisfactory5 points
                Fair4 points
                Marginal3 points
                Poor2 points
                Insufficient1 point

                X. Award Notice

                Upon the completion of funding decisions, the lead PI will be notified. For all grant categories, the funding decision will be copied to the Dean, the Associate Dean for Research, and the School or College Budget Director. Award announcements will include the following: (a) Title of project; (b) Project period; (c) Total dollar amount; and the (d) Terms and Conditions of the award.

                XI. Requirements for Approved Projects for Release of Funds

                Prior to the commencement of research, the PI must provide copies of all relevant IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee), IRB (Institutional Review Board) and IBC (Institutional Biosafety Committee) approvals to the relevant unit of the Office of Research, as appropriate. It is the PI’s responsibility to be in compliance with federal and state regulations concerning human subjects, animal welfare, recombinant DNA, financial conflict of interest, export control, and any hazardous materials, and that the PI complies with all of the reporting requirements for the CUSE Grant Program.

                The Office of Research reserves the right to redistribute or retract monies if problems arise relative to satisfactory progress or compliance of all terms as set with this RFP, or due to economic necessity of the university.

                Should the PI leave Syracuse University, the award will not be transferred to another institution. If there is a named Co-PI on a CUSE Grant, the outgoing PI may submit a request to the Office of Research for the transfer of the award to the Co-PI. If there are no named Co-PIs on an award, the award balance will revert to the Office of Research.

                An annual progress report and a final report are required for all CUSE Grants and must be submitted by June 15th annually.

                All CUSE Grant applicants are strongly encouraged to attend or view a CUSE Grant information session. In addition, all CUSE Grant awardees are encouraged to attend other proposal development training hosted by the Office of Research, especially those awardees with little or no prior grant experience.

                XII. Timetable Summary:

                January 19, 2022Virtual general information session (register here)
                January 26, 2022Virtual Humanities and Creative Arts information session (register here)
                January/February, 2022CUSE Office Hours – TBA
                February 11, 2022PI eligibility waivers due (if applicable)
                February 24, 2022Proposals due, early submission encouraged
                February 24-March 25, 2022Proposals reviewed for compliance, compiled and submitted to reviewers
                March 25-April 8, 2022Review Panel meets and recommends projects to VPR for approval
                April 11-29, 2022Office of Research will finalize and approve funding decisions
                Week of May 2, 2022Awards announcements emailed to lead PIs, Deans and ADRs of lead PI
                It is the lead PI’s responsibility to notify her/his Co-PIs
                May 31, 2022PI completion of any requirements for release of funding
                June 1, 2022Projects start
                June 15, 2023CUSE Grant annual reports due, including final reports when applicable