Research and Project (ReaP) Grants

GPSC recognizes that graduate and professional student education is advanced through academic research. Therefore, GPSC strives to support quality graduate and professional student research to continue the University of Arizona’s reputation as a leading research institution. GPSC offers research grants of up to $1,000 to partially or completely fund research projects for graduate and professional students. Please read ALL of the sections on this web page before you submit an application. Questions regarding any part of the application process may be directed to the GPSC Grant Directors at gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu.

In order to complete your grant application, you will be directed to Submittable, a third party grant management application. By continuing with this application, you consent to providing your student information to Submittable, and to having Submittable receive and process that student information, in order to complete your application and be considered for a grant award.

NOTE: Please log-in with your UA NETID (email.arizona.edu) account

Online Application

GPSC REAP Grant Evaluation Rubric

It is suggested that all applicants save their text and responses on a separate document (Word or Google doc) in case an error occurs to ensure nothing is lost. If an error does occur, please contact the Submittable Technical Support team at support@submittable.com as soon as possible.

Last updated: 9/13/18

General Guidelines

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Current graduate and professional students in good academic standing who have a project proposal and a principal investigator (PI) or project advisor may apply for Research and Project Grant funding.
The maximum award for a project is $1,000
Activities that could otherwise be funded through another GPSC funding program (Travel, Club, or Professional Opportunities Development (POD) Grants) will not be considered for a Research and Project Grant.
The proposed activities must reflect the mission of the University of Arizona and GPSC.
Applicants are responsible to complete the proposed project activities within one year of the award date (exceptions may be allowed).
Awarded applicants must provide a final report on the outcomes of the project within one year of the award date and before applying for funding the next academic year.
Awarded applicants must apply to present their research at the GPSC Student Showcase within 18 months of the award date.
Awarded applicants must acknowledge GPSC on all publicity, presentations, posters, and publications regarding the research project. The GPSC logo will be provided for use if funding is awarded
Funds may only be used for the purpose(s) approved by the GPSC. Awarded applicants may request to reallocate funds; reallocation requests may take up to four weeks to review.
Expenses made before the award date are not eligible for reimbursement.
It is the responsibility of the individual or the organization to ensure that allocated funds are spent in accordance with University of Arizona and Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) policies, and any other policies the recipient is expected to comply with.
If the final cost of an approved item is more than the budgeted amount, the GPSC will not pay the difference.
Per ABOR policy, UA Printing and Publishing has the first right of refusal for all large print jobs done by any club or organization at UA, excluding jobs done at Fast Copy. The GPSC will not pay for items printed off-campus without prior approval from UA Printing and Publishing.
If Amazon Mechanical Turk is to be used, the minimum subject payment should be $8/hour.

Range of Support

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GPSC Research and Project Grants are intended to partially or completely fund research projects for graduate and professional students. Applicants can apply for up to $1,000 from the GPSC to support their research.

Allowable Costs

Below is a list of allowable costs. Any item purchased with the grant belongs to your department. The list is not exhaustive. Please contact gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu if you have any questions regarding the allowance/prohibition of items not on the below list.

Laboratory supplies 
Research equipment 
Subject compensation*
Software that is not already provided by the UA or otherwise freely available (Please check sitelicense.arizona.edu to see if there is any software that you could use already provided free of charge or at a reduced fee. If the software is provided at a reduced fee, you may include this fee in your grant application.) 
Books that are not available through the UA library or InterLibrary Loan and their research purpose is well-justified. We will not cover books for classes.
Archival fees
Well-justified research assistant compensation 
Well-justified computer & accessory costs**

*If Amazon Mechanical Turk is to be used, the minimum subject payment should be $8/hour.

**The computers and accessories must be functioning as or in direct support of specialized scientific equipment. The computers and accessories cannot be used for any non-project purpose such as basic, everyday communication.

If applicable, note that per ABOR policy, UA Printing and Publishing has the first right of refusal for all large print jobs done by any club or organization at UA, excluding jobs done at Fast Copy. The GPSC will not pay for items printed off-campus without prior approval from UA Printing and Publishing.

Prohibited Items

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Expenses made before the award date are not eligible for reimbursement. Please contact gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu if you have any questions regarding the allowance/prohibition of items not on the below list.

Tuition or remuneration of time spent on research project
Expenses related to travel, including but not limited to, gas/mileage reimbursement, airfare, hotel, etc.
Dissertation fees, including but not limited to, Graduate College and/or graduation fees and dissertation printing expenses.
Membership dues
Office or laboratory furniture
Office equipment or supplies
Food and refreshments*
Awards, trophies, gifts, and gift cards*
Philanthropic events
Academic materials used for tutorial purposes
Mailings for organizational minutes
Entertainment
Child Care

* Gift cards, food, or refreshments may be used in lieu of cash for subject compensation if you can demonstrate culture references that dictate a more appropriate form of compensation.

Eligibility

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Students must be enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program (i.e. pay student services fees) and in good academic standing at the University of Arizona at the time of application. This applies even if the applicant plans to graduate in the current or subsequent term. 
You may submit one application per round. You can only be awarded once per fiscal year. If you are unsuccessful in one round, you may reapply during subsequent rounds.
Activities that could otherwise be funded through another GPSC funding program (Travel, or Professional Opportunities Development (POD) Grants) will not be considered for a Research and Project Grant.

Submission Deadlines

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GPSC Research and Project Grant has the following deadlines for academic year 2018-2019. All required materials must be submitted to the online portal by 11:59 PM Arizona Time on the day of the deadline. No exceptions will be made.

Round 1: Application opens September 15, closes October 15
Round 2: Application opens October 15, closes November 15
Round 3: Application opens January 15, closes February 15
Round 4: Application opens February 15, closes March 15
Round 5: Application opens March 15, closes April 15

If the above date falls on a holiday or weekend, applications are due by 11:59pm (AZ time) the next business day.

An automated submission confirmation email is generated once an online application is submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the Submittable Technical Support team at support@submittable.com.

Elements of a Research and Project Grant Application

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Applicants will be asked to include the following in their Research and Project Grant applications:

Applicant information
Department and college information
Proposal narrative (3-page, single-spaced, 12-point Times new Roman font, 1-inch margins on all sides; PDF or Word document upload) including:
- An introduction to the project, including relevant background and the major research question/goal(s).
- A description of the methods, tests, experiments, or data collection procedures to be followed, including a description of the timeline for project completion.
- The expected outcomes and impacts of the project, including:
  - Impacts towards the applicant’s degree and/or professional development
  - Contribution to the field of study and/or broader communities
  - How the project aligns with goals of the University of Arizona
- A detailed justification of budget items requested from GPSC addressing the necessity and reasonableness of each item.
Budget worksheet (to be filled out in the online application)
Price Quotes (PDF upload)
Institutional approval memo or forms (if applicable)
Email address for a UA faculty member, who will receive an automatic request to upload a statement of support addressing: 1) the importance of the project, 2) the applicant’s qualifications for completion of the proposed project, and 3) the project’s feasibility in terms of budget considerations, the project timeline, permissions, or other relevant factors.

For more detailed information on the expected components of a Research and Project Grant application, please refer to the GPSC Research and Project Grant Evaluation Rubric.

Applicants are expected to complete the proposed project activities within one year of the award date.

Selection Criteria

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The number of awards per round is contingent upon the availability of funds and the number of applications received.
Applications are peer-reviewed by graduate students from various disciplines, following the evaluation criteria outlined in the GPSC Research and Project Grant Evaluation Rubric. Please refer to the rubric for more information regarding the specific criteria used to assess Research and Project Grant applications.

Award Processing

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Award Notification

Applicants will be notified via email when an application status changes. You may check your online application portal for updates on your status.
Depending on the date of receipt of the application and the total number of applications submitted that round, it may take four weeks or longer to receive a funding decision.
Applicants who were not awarded are eligible and encouraged to reapply during subsequent rounds.

Award Processing

Awards will be managed by departmental business offices.
The funds must be used by June 15, 2019. Any unspent funds by this date are rescinded and cannot be reprocessed. To access funds after June 15, 2019, you must request a transfer of unspent funds to your Bursar account as a stipend before this date. Stipends are considered taxable income and may affect financial aid status.
If your research requires institutional approvals (e.g., human subjects), you must submit approval letters before funds can be released.
It is the responsibility of the individual or the organization to ensure that allocated funds are spent in accordance with University of Arizona and Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) policies, and any other policies the recipient is expected to comply with.

Award Refund and Reallocation Policies

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If you are awarded a Research and Project Grant but would like to decline your award, please notify the Grants Director at gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu immediately.
Funds may only be used for the purpose(s) approved by the GPSC. Awarded applicants may request to reallocate funds; reallocation requests may take up to four weeks to review.
If the final cost of an approved item is more than the budgeted amount, the GPSC will not pay the difference.
Any funds not used by June 15, 2019 are rescinded and cannot be reprocessed. To access funds after June 15, 2019, you must request a transfer of unspent funds to your Bursar account as a stipend before this date. Stipends are considered taxable income and may affect financial aid status.
If a stipend is requested, applicants must submit an expense report together with a record of human subject compensation (if applicable) and/or receipts of purchase to the Research and Project Grant Director (gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu). If less than 90% of an award is spent, you may be required to reimburse the University of Arizona. If necessary, your Bursar's account may be automatically adjusted for the amount in question.

Post-Award Reporting and Responsibilities

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Awardees must submit a final report on the outcome of the project within one year of the award date. Failure to meet these reporting requirements affects your eligibility for future GPSC Research and Project funding.
If you receive a stipend, you must submit an expense report together with a record of human subject compensation (if applicable) and/or receipts of purchase to the Research and Project Grant Director (gpscfunding@email.arizona.edu) upon project completion.
Awarded applicants must apply to present their research at the GPSC Student Showcase within 18 months of the award date.
Awarded applicants must acknowledge GPSC on all publicity, presentations, posters, and publications regarding the research project. The GPSC logo will be provided for use if funding is awarded

Expense Report template

Record of Human Subject Compensation template

Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: Where should I apply for money to travel to do my research?

A: Travel Grants

Q: Can I apply and receive both a Travel Grant and Research and Project Grant in the same year?

A: Yes.

Q: How can this grant support students in the humanities?

A: The possibilities are endless, and if you have a specific idea, we recommend you email us. A few examples: we can provide financial support for recording equipment, pay for admissions to an archive, or provide support for subject payment. However, we do not pay for travel expenses such as airfare, rent, or ground transportation. These fall under the purview of Travel Grants.

Q: Can the grant cover travel visas, passport photos, or visa mailing fees?

A: No

Q: Can I apply for a Research and Project Grant for research that I have already conducted?

A: No. All research applications should be specific to research that will be conducted in the near future.

Q: I will not be able to participate in the Student Showcase next year (either because of graduation or being a correspondence student). Can I still apply?

A: Yes. We are currently working on an alternative to the Student Showcase for people who have legitimate reasons for not attending.

Q: Can the grant cover the costs to data backup through either online data storage or an external drive?

A. Yes

Q: Can you cover cell phone or Skype service while in the field?

A: If you can show that the phone calls are both necessary for the research and will be exclusively used for this purpose, then yes.

Q: Does the grant cover page charges?

A: If the paper has been accepted for publication, then you may apply for the grant to cover page charges. We will not cover page charges for papers that are either in prep or submitted.

Q: Does the grant cover shipping charges or taxes?

A: Yes. Shipping charges and taxes are covered. All anticipated charges must be included in the application. They will not be covered after the fact.

Supporters

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Thank you to our supporters!!

GPSC would like to acknowledge the generous support from the Colleges that have provided financial support to the GPSC Research and Project grant program. Thank you to the following Colleges and others at the University of Arizona:

Student Services Fee Advisory Board
Vice President of Research
Graduate College
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
College of Education
College of Pharmacy
College of Social & Behavioral Sciences