REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
2023
Due by 5:00pm on Monday, March 20, 2023.
Memorandum of Understanding
The MOU includes the requirements and expectations associated with 4-VA collaborative research grants.
4-VA at JMU Collaborative Research Award Program
Background Information
4-VA is a collaborative partnership between eight Virginia universities. The mission of 4-VA is to promote collaborations that leverage the strengths of each partner university and improve efficiencies in higher education across the Commonwealth of Virginia. We carry out this mission by advocating partnerships between faculty, departments, and colleges to generate significant, innovative solutions to educational and real-world problems.
4-VA is comprised of the following eight universities:
- George Mason University
- James Madison University
- Old Dominion University
- University of Virginia
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Military Institute
- Virginia Tech
- William & Mary
The function of 4-VA is to put ideas into action—inviting innovative collaboration across disciplinary boundaries, among the Virginia system of universities, and between educational and business. The 4-VA at James Madison University’s collaborative research award program is intended to increase research collaborations among partner universities and enhance competitiveness for extramural funding.
Collaborative Research Initiative – Award Proposal Information
Aims of 4-VA Collaborative Research Awards
To strengthen Virginia’s competitive edge, 4-VA provides small-scale awards to pilot research teams collaborating across 4-VA universities. With access to funding, teams can build evidence to demonstrate that their projects will make valuable, impactful contributions to their fields and enhance the potential for external funding. The collaborative nature of these awards maximizes university resources at the 4-VA institutions and leverages faculty expertise all while increasing competitiveness and capacity.
Potential outcomes of awards include the following:
- Original research
- New research partnerships and collaborations
- Events/conferences that convene researchers around common subjects and emerging opportunities
- Extramural funding applications and advancement of competitive research
Types of Awards
Beginning with this Spring 2023 RFP cycle, the 4-VA at JMU Collaborative Research Award program will transition to a once-per-academic year model, eliminating a Fall Semester Request for Proposals.
For the Spring 2023 4-VA at JMU proposal cycle, two types of collaborative research awards will be offered to fund research activities during the 2024 Fiscal Year (From July 2023 – June 2024):
- Research initiation awards, with budget requests of up to $7,000, are intended to seed original research collaborations.
- Research scale-up awards, of up to $25,000, are intended to build additional capacity for promising research collaborations. To be considered for a scale-up award, applicants must have previously received a 4-VA research initiation award or must provide compelling evidence of their capacity to take existing research to the next level with intentions of pursuing significant external funding upon project completion.
Due to the nature of the 4-VA funds, all proposed research activities must be designed to expend all requested funds during the 2024 Fiscal Year (July 2024 – June 2023). Unspent funding will not “roll-over” to subsequent fiscal years.
Recognizing that this change may impact summer research activities and student involvement with 4-VA collaborative research activities, proposals may include modest requests for research bridge fund award requests.
- Research Bridge Fund Awards will use remaining FY 2023 funds to support the proposed research during the period prior to the close of the fiscal year at the end of June 2023. Requested bridge funding will not be eligible for “roll-over” to FY 2024.
Guidelines for proposal and budget preparation are found below. In addition to the research initiation and scale-up awards, 4-VA at JMU offers complementary fund awards for collaborative projects with researchers at other 4-VA institutions.
Complementary Funds
To encourage and reward research collaboration among 4-VA institutions, complementary funds of up to $5,000 may be requested by JMU collaborators or co-Principal Investigators who are named on 4-VA awards issued by other participating 4-VA institutions. To request complementary funds from 4-VA at JMU, please provide the following information to the 4-VA at JMU campus coordinator to authorize the complementary award funds:
- The original proposal that was submitted to the partner’s university that includes the JMU investigator listed as a collaborator
- A copy of the 4-VA research award notice that was issued by the partner’s university (e.g., 4-VA at VT, or 4-VA at GMU)
- A brief (1-2 page) description of the work to be completed by the JMU collaborator, including milestones and expected deliverables
- A budget that details how the requested complementary funds will be allocated. Requested complementary funds must be expended by the end of the current fiscal year and will not be eligible for “roll-over” to a subsequent fiscal year.
Complementary funds (up to $5,000) may be requested from other 4-VA institutions to support collaborators on 4-VA at JMU research initiation or scale-up awards. Not all 4-VA institutions offer complementary funds. If you have questions about complementary fund availability for collaborators associated with your proposal, please contact the 4-VA at JMUI campus coordinator, Dr. Keith Holland, at hollansk@jmu.edu or (540) 568-2701. Indicate your intent to request complementary funds from other 4-VA institutions by designating the institution and requested amount on the proposal submission form. The proposal narrative and budget must clearly distinguish between the requested award funds and the requested complementary funds. Please consider the following when incorporating complementary funds into project proposals:
- Complementary funds are not guaranteed, so proposed projects must not be dependent on them to be approved.
- Complementary funds are awarded after the original award has been approved. The 4-VA campus coordinator will communicate with you after the original award is made to explain the approval process.
- Complementary funds may only be used for expenses at the collaborator’s institution. For example, if you request complementary funds from Virginia Tech, those funds must pay for activities at Virginia Tech.
- Complementary funds are contingent upon the participating school having available 4-VA funds. Not all 4-VA schools are able to provide complementary funds each award cycle. For questions about which schools are participating at this time, please contact the campus coordinator.
Research Initiation Proposal Format
Collaborative Research Initiation proposals to 4-VA at JMU should include a cover page, a narrative not to exceed 5 pages, and an appendix containing budget details and supporting documents (as described below). Proposals should be single-spaced, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins. Proposals must be uploaded as a single PDF file (not scanned).
- Cover page (not part of the 5-page narrative) that includes
- The title of the proposed research project,
- The name, department and college affiliation, and contact information of the JMU investigator,
- The name and contact information of the departmental fiscal administrator who will assist the applicant in administering awarded funds, and
- A list of internal and external collaborators and their respective institutions.
- Project Narrative (maximum of 5-pages), to include
- A brief (250 word) abstract or summary of the proposed project that addresses how this award helps to improve Virginia’s research competitiveness through collaboration,
- A Background section that describes the context for the proposed research,
- A Research Questions section describing the research goals and intellectual merits,
- A Research Plan that describes the frameworks, methods, approaches, and stages of inquiry that be used to address the research questions,
- A Research Activities Timeline describing the plan for conducting the proposed research within the award period,
- An Outcomes and Deliverables section that describes the work product(s) resulting from the proposed work, and
- A Future Work section that describes how the research initiation funding will lead to future extramural funding and enhanced partnerships, including targeted opportunities, funders, and partners.
- Appendix (in addition to the 5-page narrative), to include
- A Budget and Budget Justification
- Provide a line-item budget for the proposed work. For each line item, indicate the expected timeline of the expenditure.
- Provide a brief narrative (1 – 2 pages) that describes how each requested item in the budget is aligned with the research and activities plan proposed in the narrative.
- If bridge funds are included, clearly distinguish between requested bridge funds (to be expensed in the current fiscal year) and requested project funds to be expensed the following fiscal year.
- If complementary funds are requested from another 4-VA institution, clearly distinguish between the uses of the requested complementary funds and the research initiation award funds.
- Note that proposals that involve JMU departmental resources or release time require approval from the appropriate academic unit head. At the time of proposal submission, an email will be sent to your Dean and AUH requesting their acknowledgement of your submission and agreement of commitment of departmental resources upon award.
- A Personnel section that includes a 1-2 page CV or biosketch for the investigators involved with this proposal that highlight experiences, publications, and activities most closely aligned with the proposed research.
- A Budget and Budget Justification
Research Scale-up Proposal Format
Collaborative Research Scale-up proposals to 4-VA at JMU should include a cover page, a narrative not exceed 7 pages, and an appendix containing budget details and supporting documents (as described below). Proposals should be single-spaced, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins. Proposals must be uploaded as a single PDF file (not scanned).
- Cover page (not part of the 5-page narrative) that includes
- The title of the proposed research project,
- The name, department and college affiliation, and contact information of the JMU investigator,
- The name and contact information of the departmental fiscal administrator who will assist the applicant in administering awarded funds, and
- A list of internal and external collaborators and their respective institutions.
- Project Narrative (maximum of 7-pages), to include
- A brief (250 word) abstract or summary of the proposed project that addresses how this award helps to improve Virginia’s research competitiveness through collaboration,
- A Background section that describes the context for the proposed research,
- A Prior Work section that describes the investigator(s) prior research efforts upon which this scale-up proposal is founded,
- A Research Questions section describing the research goals of the scale-up project and intellectual merits,
- A Research Plan that describes the frameworks, methods, approaches, and stages of inquiry that be used to address the research questions,
- A Research Activities Timeline describing the plan for conducting the proposed research within the award period,
- An Outcomes and Deliverables section that describes the work product(s) resulting from the proposed work, and
- A Future Work section that describes how the research initiation funding will lead to future extramural funding and enhanced partnerships, including targeted opportunities, funders, and partners.
- Appendix (in addition to the 7-page narrative), to include
- A Budget and Budget Justification
- Provide a line-item budget for the proposed work. For each line item, indicate the expected timeline of the expenditure.
- Provide a brief narrative (1 – 2 pages) that describes how each requested item in the budget is aligned with the research and activities plan proposed in the narrative.
- If bridge funds are included, clearly distinguish between requested bridge funds (to be expensed in the current fiscal year) and requested project funds to be expensed the following fiscal year.
- If complementary funds are requested from another 4-VA institution, clearly distinguish between the uses of the requested complementary funds and the research initiation award funds.
- Note that proposals that involve JMU departmental resources or release time require approval from the appropriate academic unit head. At the time of proposal submission, an email will be sent to your Dean and AUH requesting their acknowledgement of your submission and agreement of commitment of departmental resources upon award.
- A Personnel section that includes a 1-2 page CV or biosketch for the investigators involved with this proposal that highlight experiences, publications, and activities most closely aligned with the proposed research.
- A Budget and Budget Justification
Resources
A budget template and example budget justification are available here:
Funding Priorities
4-VA at JMU encourages projects to focus on the following funding priorities of the program:
- Creating and/or strengthening research partnerships across the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Incorporating undergraduate and graduate student researchers into the project
- Developing capacity and a strong plan for securing future extramural funding
Screening Criteria for all 4-VA at JMU Collaborative Research Award Proposals
- Awards are open to JMU faculty. Faculty may name staff as Co-PIs.
- The applicant must obtain support from their unit head and dean (or equivalent supervisors) for the proposed award activities. Following proposal submission, supervisors will be contacted to verify support for the proposal.
- Projects must contain an aspect of collaboration. Interinstitutional collaboration may be included. Collaboration outside of your home institution is strongly encouraged. External partners may be from other 4-VA member institutions, although this is not required. Other examples of acceptable institutions may include other state institutions (e.g., schools or government agencies) or other Virginia organizations (e.g., Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), etc. Priority is given to collaborations that directly impact the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Proposal Evaluation Criteria
Proposals submitted to 4-VA at JMU will be evaluated by an internal panel of research advocates (including associate deans and research liaisons) representing all of the colleges at JMU. Reviewers will evaluate how well each proposal addresses the following criteria:
- The proposed work is aligned with JMU 4-VA funding priorities and is compliant with screening criteria, including supervisor approvals.
- The proposed research exhibits collaboration with 4-VA institutions or other partners in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- The proposed research has potential for strategic impact to the unit, college, university, and/or the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- The proposed research plan, outcomes, deliverables, and assessment are aligned with the budget request.
- (For Research Scale-Up Proposals only) The proposal builds upon a body of prior research efforts. Prior research outcomes and products indicate the potential for success of the proposed scale-up effort.
- The proposal indicates how this award will increase potential to secure extramural funding and continuation of the collaborative research beyond the 4-VA award. Identification of specific funding opportunities and how the proposed research will advance competitiveness is encouraged.
- The proposed research is aligned with departmental, college, institutional, and/or Commonwealth of Virginia goals.
Submission Deadlines and Instructions
- Beginning with the Spring 2023 RFP, 4-VA at JMU will offer one proposal cycle per year.
- Requested funds must be expended in the following fiscal year (FY2024). Requested bridge funding must be expended prior to June 2023. Awarded funds will not “roll-over” to the next fiscal year.
- Proposals requesting funding in the Spring 2023 cycle are due by Monday, March 20th, 2023.
- Submit your PDF file here: https://form.jotform.com/220344044239044
- Only proposals submitted through the procedure listed above will be considered for funding.
- Submit questions about the proposal process to the 4-VA at JMU Campus Coordinator, Dr. Keith Holland, at hollansk@jmu.edu.
Expectations
- Awardees are required to complete a 4-VA follow-up survey at least once every year, for up to five years following the award. Additional assessment information will be provided upon award.
- Faculty are expected to acknowledge 4-VA support as a part of publications by using the official 4-VA logo on printed materials and by using language provided by 4-VA.
- Additional expectations regarding expenditure processes and policies will be provided upon award.
- Funds will be used according to the budget provided in the original proposal. The 4-VA campus coordinator must approve any changes or additions to the budget. Should there be unused funds, those funds will return to 4-VA unless an updated or adapted proposal is submitted and approved by the 4-VA coordinator in advance.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Federal, state, and university policies, procedures and rules apply to all awards. For further information regarding these rules, please contact Procurement, the Financial Procedures Manual, and Accounts Payable. If you believe your project will result in patentable work, you should discuss requirements and policies with Director of Technology Innovation and Economic Development, Mary Lou Bourne (bourneml@jmu.edu, x8-2865).
A number of ethical practice review protocols are required for research involving human subjects, animal subjects, biohazardous materials, etc. If you have questions about the requirements that may apply to your project, contact Carolyn Strong (strongcd@jmu.edu, x8-6872), Director of the Office of Research Integrity.
2023
Due by 5:00pm on Monday, March 20th, 2023.
Expectations
- Awardees are required to complete a 4-VA follow-up survey at least once every year, for up to five years following the award. Additional assessment information will be provided upon award.
- Faculty are expected to acknowledge 4-VA support as a part of publications by using the official 4-VA logo on printed materials and by using language provided by 4-VA.
- Additional expectations regarding expenditure processes and policies will be provided upon award.
- Funds will be used according to the budget provided in the original proposal. The 4-VA campus coordinator must approve any changes or additions to the budget. Should there be unused funds, those funds will return to 4-VA unless an updated or adapted proposal is submitted and approved by the 4-VA coordinator in advance.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Federal, state, and university policies, procedures and rules apply to all awards. For further information regarding these rules, please contact Procurement, the Financial Procedures Manual, and Accounts Payable. If you believe your project will result in patentable work, you should discuss requirements and policies with Director of Technology Innovation and Economic Development, Mary Lou Bourne (bourneml@jmu.edu, x8-2865).
A number of ethical practice review protocols are required for research involving human subjects, animal subjects, biohazardous materials, etc. If you have questions about the requirements that may apply to your project, contact Carolyn Strong (strongcd@jmu.edu, x8-6872), Director of the Office of Research Integrity.