Application Instructions:

Proposal Format:

Each GEM proposal is limited to 8 pages of single spaced text including figures and tables (12 point font, 1 inch margin on all sides, with page numbers) but excluding references. A separate cover page (form is attached) should include the following information:

• Project title
• Name, email address, and Banner identification number (for USU employees) for the PI and mentor.
• Total proposed budget
• Proposed project dates and duration
• A maximum 50-word project summary in lay language
• Signatures of the PI and mentor, department head(s), dean(s), and director(s) (if applicable)
• An electronic (pdf) copy, plus a hard copy, should be submitted to the dean's office.

I. Research Plan:

Identify the federal agency, consortium, or private foundation program announcement or “Request for Proposals” (RFP) to which the project will respond, and describe the proposed research or creative activity, specific objectives, procedures and methods, and literature review in sufficient detail for reviewers to assess scholarly merit and relevance to the target program announcement or RFP program. Emphasize the contributions of the PI and mentor, the cutting-edge and novel aspects of the project, and how they will be integrated or coordinated to establish a strong preliminary platform for the external GP.

II. Management Plan:

Describe the strategies that will be used to manage the GEM project to ensure it will enhance the professional development of the new investigator and result in submission of a competitive external GP. Outline the responsibilities of the PI and mentor and provide a time line for major project activities. IMPORTANT NOTE: The new investigator (PI) for the GEM project may serve as PI or co-PI on the external GP, but if the mentor is from another institution, USU must be the lead institution on the resulting GP (i.e., USU cannot serve as a subcontractor for the award).

III. Budget:

Provide a summary budget (please use the attached form) and justification for each proposed expense. Indicate what portion of the budget will be used to support faculty (new investigators may not use GEM funds for salary support), students, or postdoctoral researchers (with appropriate benefits costs as a separate line); to pay for supplies and equipment needed to generate preliminary data for the external GP; and to pay for travel to meet with collaborators or representatives of funding agencies. Up to $1000 of the total award may be allocated to mentors to support time and effort or research-related contributions to the project. Finally, only if required by the agency, describe college/department commitments such as cost sharing, F&A restrictions, etc.

IV. Appendices:

The following appendices are required:

1. Vita information (2-page maximum per person) for the PI and mentor.
2. One-page (maximum) mentorship plan written by the mentor.
3. Specific information related to the full program announcement or RFP(s) for the agency to which a proposal will be developed and submitted, including the anticipated submission date. If a current version of the program announcement or RFP is not available, then the most recent published version should be provided, along with correspondence from a cognizant program director to indicate that a similar announcement will be issued in the near future.
4. Completed USU Conflict of Interest disclosure form (available at http://www.usu.edu/research/programs/forms.cfm).
5. Identification of any Special Requirements (use attached form).
6. List of current and pending support for PI (use attached form)
7. One-page description of any current or pending projects that are related to the proposed seed grant project. This description must include an executive summary and list of specific objectives for the project.

More Information

For additional information on GEM, please contact the Vice President for Research Office at 797-1199.