The 2018 Grants Proposal Period has closed.
Please check back in Fall 2019 for the next Request for Proposals.
Click here to read about the 2018 grant recipients.
UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute
Grants Program Prospectus and Request for Proposals (RFP)
Submission deadline: 15 October 2018
The UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute is soliciting proposals for projects that communicate or disseminate research discoveries about the Earth and its natural systems (“earth system sciences”) to our primary target audiences, including:
(1) Florida K-12 schools
(2) Lifelong learners in Florida
(3) UF non-science majors
This RFP is intended for UF graduate students and postdocs, although undergraduates are encouraged to apply (and will be judged separately). The intent of this program is to encourage the development of small projects that might be “add-ons” to existing, larger research projects, or to act as seed-money that will lead to additional funding.
The budget request will not exceed $2,500 and will be disbursed within the UF accounting system. We anticipate that during 2018-2019 up to four projects will be funded. These can either be for a single investigator or a collaboration with multiple investigators, at least one of whom has to be affiliated with UF. Unless it can be justified as reaching the intended target audiences, the budget will not primarily support meeting travel, nor will it support the proposer’s stipend.
The proposal will be short– no more than 5 pages for the main elements (a-f below), followed by a budget and justification (g below), CV (h below), and supporting letter. Description of, and a plan for, discrete activities or deliverables, and their efficacy, will be a core component of the proposal.
Key proposal components therefore include:
a. Project Title
b. Proposer (and contact information, UF ID) and if applicable (but not required),collaborators
c. UF department(s) and major field(s)
d. Faculty sponsor, title, and email
e. 100-word “brief” (abstract), written for a general audience (to be placed on our web site)
f. Project description
g. Budget and justification
h. 2-page CV
i. Short (one or a few paragraph[s], no more than one page) supporting memo or letter from faculty sponsor. This can be submitted with packet, or as email to address below.
The five page maximum for letters a – f above should include all references and figures. Submissions should be single spaced with 1″ margins. Font should be size 11pt or larger.
The primary criteria for proposal peer evaluation will include: (1) the merit and relevance of the earth systems research to Florida; (2) potential impact that the project will have on the intended target audience; (3) demonstration of how this project will enhance the proposer’s existing broader impact activities or lead to new funding possibilities; and (4) faculty support statement.
Awards will be announced during the second half of October 2018. The grant period is for 12 months (1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019). Awardees will agree to having their abstract posted on the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute website, and will be required to submit a one-page report. Awardees will also be given the opportunity to present their findings through a seminar, or public talk, if preferred.
Proposals will be submitted electronically by 15 October 2018 deadline as a single pdf to smills@floridamuseum.ufl.edu