Request for Proposals

Small Research Expense Grants

MSU/Spencer Research Training Grant Program

Eligibility:  Applicants must be doctoral students in the MSU College of Education; they can be individuals or groups.  Excluded from the competition are:

Current or former MSU/Spencer RTG Fellows;

Currently funded recipients of any multi-year fellowship award, including MSU Distinguished Fellowship, Competitive Doctoral Enrichment Fellowship, Dean’s Scholar Fellowship, and Erickson Research Fellowship; and

Anyone who received a previous MSU/Spencer RTG small research grant.

Research Project Characteristics:  The grant can cover research expenses for any student research project related to teaching and learning that is not already funded by a research grant.  This can include a research practicum, a project done in conjunction with a course, an independent pilot study, or dissertation research.  The money can be used for any relevant research expenses, including (but not limited to): travel costs, equipment, transcription expenses, software, and materials.  Any equipment, software, or other material purchased with grant funds becomes the property of the student receiving the grant.  The funds can be used for research costs incurred any time between December 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006.

Grant Size:  Students may apply for an amount ranging from $500 to $1,000.  This is small enough to allow a relatively large number of students to benefit and large enough to eliminate requests to reimburse costs that students can cover without outside help.  Grants will be given in the form of a fellowship.  Recipients will not need to present receipts to receive funds.

Application:  Applicants should submit the following materials:

            Application form

A description of the project, no longer than three pages (single-spaced, 12 point type, 1 inch margins), including:

A clear statement of the project’s analytical purpose and potential theoretical benefit;

            A description of the research process; and

            A declaration that costs are not covered by a research project or other source.

A detailed budget, with clearly defined categories and realistic cost estimates.

A letter of endorsement from the student’s advisor or the faculty member supervising the project, which:

            Confirms that the project has the approval of the faculty member;

            Explains the analytical value of the project and its educational value for the student; and

            Confirms that there is no alternative support for the costs of the project.

Criteria for Selection:  The primary criteria for awarding the grant include:

            The degree that the proposal meets the requirements spelled out in this announcement

            The value added to the proposed study by the work covered by the requested funds

            The analytical value of the proposed study and the educational value for the student

Submission:  Students should submit four copies of the application to Marian Stoll, RTG program secretary, at 116 Erickson Hall (mlstoll@msu.edu), 353-6418) No later than noon on Friday, March 2, 2007.  If you have any questions, ask Steve Weiland, RTG program coordinator (weiland@msu.edu ).  There will be another research grant competition in the spring semester, 2006.

Review Process:  Applications will be reviewed by a committee of doctoral students in the College.