Initiative Grants in Undergraduate Research
Proposal Overview
The purpose of this program is to enhance research opportunities for students by providing modest support for research expenses. Carefully prepared and realistically budgeted proposals have a good chance to be funded. More than half the proposals received each year are funded.
Proposal Details
The application must be accompanied by a narrative description of the project. Prepare this description in such a way that an educated non-specialist can understand it. Avoid jargon wherever possible. Narratives longer than five pages will be returned unread for editing.- Incidental expenses that are routine to the field of study ought to be covered by the student, by department budgets, or from other sources. Eligible expenses might include (but are not limited to) travel to conferences (to present a paper already completed and accepted on its merits), travel to field sites or performances, the purchase of equipment and supplies (which then become the property of Reed College), unusual duplicating costs (an example might be large numbers of copies of a questionnaire) or audio/visual costs not provided by other Reed facilities. Requests for computing equipment and software must include a review by Computing and Information Services to ensure the materials are appropriate for the project and are not already available. Expenses that are NOT eligible include thesis duplicating, student wages (except when a student is providing a skilled service not otherwise available), or faculty stipends.
- Projects that require knowledge of a foreign language must be supported by a description of the applicant’s training and competence.
- If a project will involve human subjects, the Human Subjects Research Committee must approve it before the proposal is submitted.
- This program is not related to financial aid. Applications are evaluated strictly on the basis of the strength of the proposal as research.
- Every proposal requires a budget. Each budget item, other than routine disposables, should be carefully justified. It is expected that requests for support have been made to the pertinent department. Include any funds received from other sources in the overall budget detail.
A final report itemizing funds used should be submitted electronically to Susan Buttrick, Biology Department Assistant at Buttrick@reed.edu as soon as they are expended, but no later than the end of the year or graduation.
Eligibility
- Enrollment at Reed.
- Seniors requesting funding in support of their theses (470) will have priority.
- For reasons of equity, grants for groundwork on an anticipated thesis project are not normally considered.
- Except in unusual cases, applications for activities after graduation are not considered; however, travel costs for presenting a conference paper describing work completed as a Reed student are eligible for an award.
- Student wages are eligible only in specially justified circumstances.
Deadline
Applications will be accepted at all times on a rolling, funds-available, basis. There are two deadlines for assured consideration.
| Fall deadline | October 15, 2009 |
| Spring deadline | March 11, 2010 |
Please submit applications electronically to Susan Buttrick, Biology Department Assistant at Buttrick@reed.edu.
Limits
Awards are limited to a total of $2,500 per year. List and justify as needed all expenses in your budget, including those that will be covered by departmental, or other, resources.
Requirements
A completed application will consist of:
- Application cover and budget form (download).
- Narrative description of the proposal (limit to 5 pages). This description should address the goals, the overall project design, the methods, and the hypotheses of the research.
- Evaluative statement from a Faculty sponsor (download).
- Pertinent ancillary documents in support of the proposed activity.
Application Procedure
The applicant completes the application and budget form and the narrative project description. These are then submitted to the Faculty sponsor electronically. The Faculty sponsor completes the Faculty Comment Sheet and e-mails all materials directly to Susan Buttrick, Biology Department Assistant at Buttrick@reed.edu.
