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MT Internal Grant Opportunities (MT-IGO*)

MT-IGO* Application and Proposal Guidelines

There are two components required when applying for a MT-IGO grant:

  1. an application, and
  2. the proposal.  

Application

The application can be accessed using this link.  Once the application has been submitted, it will be routed to the proper individuals for signatures.  Within the application, the following information will be requested:

  • Contact information for PI, Co-PI (if applicable), Chair, and Dean.
  • Award.  MT-IGO awards are intended to provide seed funding for tenured and tenure-track faculty in the preliminary stages of a larger research or creative activity agenda or programEligible faculty may request up to $10,000 in support. To qualify for funding, faculty must identify three external sponsors and programs to which they will apply upon the completion of their MT-IGO project.  
  • External Funding Sources.  Identify three external funding sources that the applicant will apply for, including opportunity details.
    • ORSP will assist PIs in determining applicable funding opportunities as needed.  Faculty who would like assistance should send a description of the type of project they are looking to complete to research@mtsu.edu for further assistance. We strongly encourage faculty from all areas, arts, humanities, social science and the sciences, to take advantage of this helpful service. 
    • It is also suggested to create a GrantForward account using this link. GrantForward uses specialized data-crawling technology to constantly update their extensive database of sponsors and funding opportunities, allowing thousands of grant opportunities to be gathered from over 9,000 U.S. sponsors.  GrantForward’s adaptive search filters make it quick and easy to find the perfect grant opportunities to start moving your research forward.  After setting the preferred notification frequency, GrantForward will continue to send targeted solicitations that align to your research interests.
  • Proposal budget and justification.  
    • Proposal budget.  This section is required if the PI is requesting funding for any of the following:
      • Other Personnel such as a student worker, graduate assistant, transcriptionist, etc.
      • Equipment over $500
      • Travel including mileage/flight, lodging, per diem
      • Operational Costs such as supplies/materials, publication fees, consultant fees, etc.
      • Review allowable costs
    • Budget justification:
      • Other Personnel: Graduate Assistantships require monthly stipend payments, tuition, and fees. Please visit the College of Graduate Studies website for more information on GA/GRA requirements. 
      • Equipment: $500 or more. Requested equipment must not be currently owned by the applicant’s department, or the applicant cannot access the equipment. Mandatory attachments (a) letter from chair stating funds not available to purchase the equipment; (b) competing price quotes; (c) sole supplier certificate from vendor if quotes from multiple sellers not available. LAPTOPS AND OTHER COMPUTER EQUIPMENT MAY NOT BE PURCHASED WITH MT-IGO FUNDS.
      • Travel: All travel expenses must be related to scholarship for the project. MT-IGO funds cannot be used to fund conference travel.
      • Operational Costs: Includes equipment under $500, supplies, chemicals, materials, compensation to human participants, etc. Disallowed costs include conference registrations, food, hospitality, and other recreational expenses.
  • PDF upload of proposal.  See below for proposal requirements.

Proposal

Click below to view examples of successful proposals.

CBAS
CBHS
CLA

To be considered for review, the proposal must be in Times New Roman, single spaced,12 point font, 1-inch margins, saved as a PDF, and include the following components:

  • Project description (not to exceed 5 pages) including the following components:
    • Non-technical abstract (not to exceed 1,200 words).  Should be written for a non-expert panel.  
    • Brief introduction including a problem statement if applicable; briefly review the literature to provide a context for the project’s significance to current scholarship/research in your field. 
    • Background & Specific Aims. Include the objectives and the significance of the proposed research or creative activity; describe the contribution your project will make to the field; discuss the hypothesis to be tested or the specific thesis or research questions under examination.
    • Methodology of Research or Creative Activity. Describe the methodology for the project, including data collection, sampling, or other procedures. Provide evidence of the efficacy of your methodology. Describe any survey instruments that will be used and provide copies of those instruments in the attachments. Describe, in detail, the activity to be carried out. For example, discuss the specific methods of production or performance including details of construction, composition, editing, etc., using media appendices as examples where appropriate.
    • Milestones and Timeline. Outline your schedule for completion of each of the major components of the project, from beginning to completion including potential challenges and alternative strategies.  
    • Resources. Describe the resources necessary to carry out the project, including those already available and those requested in the budget. 
    • Future External Funding. Describe your strategies for seeking external funding for the project. The Committee is interested to know how a grant from MT-IGO can serve as seed funding for a project that will later be competitive for external funding.
    • DisseminationDescribe how the results of the project will be disseminated (e.g., the publication of a book, a chapter, a journal article, a public performance, an art exhibition, or a production).
    • Significance of the project. Justify the significance of the proposed project addressing the following: (1) innovation, (2) significance to the PI’s field, (3) benefits to the applicant’s long-term research goals, (4) future plans for the proposal including external funding, (5) potential impact on MTSU.
    • Personnel qualifications of PI, co-PI, and other applicable parties.
  • References (not included in 5 page maximum)
  • Illustrations, including figures and tables (if applicable, not included in 5 page maximum)
  • Biographical sketch (not to exceed 2 pages per investigator)
  • Response to reviewers’ comments (spring applicants only)
  • Final Report from previous MT-IGO* funding (if applicable)
    *including previous FRCAC funding
  • Appendix.  Any supporting budget justification, price quotes, IRB/IACUC status, co-investigator/co-PI CVs, certifications, and etc. may be submitted with the application.  The MT-IGO Committee requires submission of the following documents, if applicable:
    • Proposed survey instruments that will be used in the research.
    • Letters of support from collaborator(s).
    • Price quotes from vendors for any proposed purchases. Please note that MT-IGO follows the MTSU guidelines for purchasing equipment and supplies. Consult with your Department’s accounting specialist.
    • Permission letters and certifications, if applicable.
    • Letter of publisher interest for book proposals
    • If project involves human subjects or vertebrate animals, please complete the IRB/IACUC Status Form and submit with your application.

Additional Resources


ING Building, Garden Level

Coordinator:

Katie Medrano

Katie.Medrano@mtsu.edu

615-904-8040