Objective
The primary objective of the Seed Grant Program for UFCD students is to promote independent student research, by providing short-term support for novel research projects. The application process is intended to assist students, and to develop and clearly delineate the reasoning and approaches of a project, under the advisement of the mentor(s). Projects may include:
• Testing a new and well defined hypothesis
• Testing the feasibility of an approach or experimental design
• Gaining experience with new or unfamiliar methods.
The request may not supplement currently funded research projects of the applicant’s mentor(s); whereas techniques, patient populations, etc. may coincide with those of the home laboratory; the specific aim/hypothesis to be tested in the proposed project must be unique.
Mentorship
Mentors must be full-time faculty of UFCD, with demonstrated research expertise in the form of publications and/or extramural funding.
Application Guidelines
Applications must be prepared according to the following application template. Applications that do not conform to these instructions will be returned to the applicant without review. Click here for a more thorough list of guidelines.
Format
Applicants must adhere to the font and page format limitations, including:
• Arial font, black color, 11-point font size, single space
• 1/2 inch margins
• No header, but with consecutive page numbers in the center of footer.
• No fillable fields in any included documents. • Print text documents to PDF, but do not scan documents to PDF.
•D isable all security features in the PDF document
• When naming your PDF file, do not use special characters or spaces.
Applicants must submit the entire package as one PDF file, via DN-Office-of-Research@ad.ufl.edu
Cover Page
Student: First, Middle & Last Name, Position/Title, Department, Phone, Fax & Email
Mentor: First, Middle & Last Name, Position/Title, Department, Phone, Fax & Email
Descriptive Title of Project: (14 words or less) 2 Approved by Executive Advisory Board 12/09/10 Start Date and Ending Date: (The maximum project period is one year.)
Total Amount Requested: (The maximum amount of funding is $3,000.)
Co-Investigators (Faculty and Student): Name, Position/Title, Department, Phone, Email
Mentor’s Letter of Support
Mentors must provide a letter of support for a student’s application indicating their commitment to guide the student through the funded research training and to ensure the student puts forth the time and effort indicated. Also provide statements regarding the originality of the work proposed, your general plan for interacting with the student and evaluating progress (frequency and method), and your expectations for student independence in conducting the work. Finally, indicate that you will ensure the student submits a Final Report as described below.
Investigator’s Information
Each Investigator must be listed on a separate page (including the student applicant). The following information must be included:
1. Name
2. Role on the project (Student, Mentor, Co-Investigator)
3. Effort (1-100%). The student applicant must also include a description the time allocated for him/her of how and when that time was used to conduct the study.
4. Publications for the last five years; include titles.
5. Current funding
6. Current requests for funding under review.
Itemized Budget
Must be itemized as follows:
1. Salary: No more than $500 total allocated to salaries other than faculty or student. For example, salary may be requested for technical assistance necessary to help carry out the study. Clearly justify all salary requested.
2. Equipment: No more than $500 allocated to equipment. Clearly justify any equipment requested.
3. Supplies: Provide a list different types of supplies.
4. Other
5. Total funds required.
6. Total funds requested.
7. If the required funds are more than the funds requested, list the source of the additional funds.
Research Plan
Graphs, diagrams, tables, charts and photographs must be in the body of the application. No appendix material may be submitted.
1) Specific Aims
2) Background and Significance
3) Preliminary Studies
4) Research Design and Methods
5) Timeline for completion of each component of the project
Research Plan
Graphs, diagrams, tables, charts and photographs must be in the body of the application. No appendix material may be submitted. (5 Pages Maximum)
1) Specific Aims
2) Background and Significance
3) Preliminary Studies
4) Research Design and Methods
5) Timeline for completion of each component of the project
IRB or IACUC Information
(For Studies Requiring IRB or IACUC approval ONLY.) If clinical studies are proposed, info is needed on the availability and appropriateness of study populations, the utilization of minorities and women as study subjects, and the provisions for the protection of human subjects. Animal study assurances must be provided with regard to the humane treatment of animals. Provide all appropriate info as defined and in the format described in the link below:
Review Criteria
The Research Committee at the College of Dentistry reviews all applications within a two-week period following each submission deadline. Major factors considered in the evaluation of an application include: project’s significance project’s originality feasibility, based on the experimental design and efforts indicated qualifications of the mentor and the student adequacy of the facilities appropriateness of the budget
Receiving an Award
A proposal selected for funding is required to have all applicable approvals/certifications entered into PeopleSoft and routed for appropriate approvals/signatures. All documentation is sent to the College of Dentistry’s Office of Research (OR) for award processing. The OR will then submit a request to the Division of Sponsored Research (DSR) to establish an account for the project. The seed grant awards are monitored by UFCD, DSR, Contracts and Grants and the PI’s department.
Award Guidelines
- Seed Grants funding are for one year.
- A six month to one-year no cost extension is possible if requested at least 30 days in advance of the last day of funding. In justifying an extension the following information is necessary:
- (1) an explanation of why the work was not performed in the time proposed,
- (2) a research plan for completing the project, and
- (3) an explanation of how the remaining funds will be expended. The extension request should be brief but specific.
- Any funds remaining in the seed grant account will be returned to the dean’s office at the end of the funding period.
- All UF policies related to IRB or animal use will be strictly enforced. No funds will be released until proper documentation of approval is provided to the Office of Research.
- Notify the Research Committee if there is a drastic change in work scope that would affect the outcome of the project or necessitate re-budgeting.
Final Report
The Principal Investigator of any funded grant proposal is required to submit a final report within 30 days after the end of the grant period. The report should describe:
- The title, student and mentor names, the award amount and award dates.
- Brief synopsis of original goals.
- Brief synopsis of results obtained and how they relate to the original goals. Specify if each of the original aims were met or not. If not met, explain and indicate current status.
- Brief synopsis of future goals.
- Extramural funding applied for and/or received (either student or mentor). If any, specify if they would or would not have been possible without this grant. If none, indicate the expected date of submission for extramural funding directly related to this project.
- Publications submitted and/or published that are directly related to the grant (either student or mentor). Submit an abstract of those publications related to this grant. If none, indicate future plans to publish the work, current status of the manuscript and expected date of submission.
- Brief fiscal report. Indicate how funds were used and if there are any unused funds. Use the itemized budget template as described above.