Administrative number: 3-25A
Responsible office: Academic Affairs
Responsible officer: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Presentations Travel Support Grants Procedure (Draft)

Purpose:

This procedure establishes guidelines and procedures used to review, award, and administer requests for Student Research and Creative Presentations Travel Support Grants at Winona State University (WSU).

Proposed Amendments (November 2026)

Revises the application and approval timeline to require applications at least 45 days before the anticipated travel date while allowing students to apply before receiving formal confirmation that their presentation has been accepted. Establishes a conditional approval process, with final approval issued upon documentation of presentation acceptance. The change provides additional time for committee review and account creation prior to travel. Also updates references to the office name from Grants & Sponsored Projects to Grants & Research Integrity.

Procedure:

A. Eligibility Requirements

Individual students or a team of two or more are eligible to receive funding for one travel support grant during their undergraduate academic career, and their research or creative project presentation must be supervised by a full-time faculty or staff sponsor. Only full-time undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 60 semester hour credits at the time of application are eligible.

All components of the application package must be complete and submitted 30 days in advance of the conference or presentation event. The proposed presentation must have been accepted by the conference or event sponsor at the time of application. Presentations may be proposed for completion during the semester or summer following the student’s graduation, provided the student is enrolled full-time at the time of application.

All components of the application package must be submitted at least 45 days before the anticipated travel date. Applications may be submitted before the proposed presentation has been formally accepted by the conference or event sponsor. If confirmation of presentation acceptance has not been received at the time of application, an award may be conditionally approved pending documentation of acceptance. Final approval will be issued upon receipt of written confirmation that the presentation has been accepted.

B. Student Grants Committee

The Student Grants Committee (the Committee) will be responsible for reviewing both Research and Creative Project Grants and Research and Creative Presentations Travel Grants. It will be appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and consist of at least three members of Council of Administrators plus the Director of Grants and Sponsored Projects Research Integrity, who is nonvoting. Two of the members should come from the Colleges of Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Science and Engineering. One member should come from Student Life and Development.

C. Awards

The maximum grant award amounts for individuals or teams will be determined by the Committee every two years, based on the average total amount awarded in the preceding two years and the average total amount held in the Grants & Sponsored Projects Research Integrity “Indirects” cost center in the preceding two years. The maximum award amounts for individuals and teams will be published on the Student Grants web page no later than one month following the beginning of the new fiscal year.

The Committee may determine to award less than the maximum based the quality of the application, budget justification, available university funding, and/or number of applications.

D. Application Schedule

The complete application must be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the conference or presentation event.

The complete application must be submitted at least 45 days before the anticipated travel date. Applications may be submitted while presentation acceptance is pending. When acceptance is pending, the application may receive conditional approval, with final approval issued upon receipt of written confirmation of presentation acceptance.

E. Application Process

An individual or a team of student presenters shall submit an electronic copy of all components of the proposal package via the Grants & Sponsored Projects Research Integrity office according to application instructions posted on the web page. Proposals will be reviewed for required components and, if complete, forwarded to the Committee for a decision. A proposal may be considered complete for Committee review while confirmation of presentation acceptance is pending.

F. Award Process and Funding Guidelines

The Committee, through the Grants & Sponsored Projects Research Integrity office, will notify the student and sponsor of its decision within 10 days following the application deadline. Awards for presentations that have not yet been formally accepted by the conference or event sponsor will be conditionally approved. Upon receipt of written confirmation of presentation acceptance, Grants & Research Integrity will issue final approval. Additional Committee review is not required unless there has been a material change to the proposed presentation, travel plan, or budget.

Should funding be awarded, Grants & Sponsored Projects Research Integrity will notify the Business Office which will establish a cost center. Grant funds may not be expended until final approval has been issued. All expenditures must follow Winona State and Minnesota State purchasing and travel policies and procedures. Funds in the cost center may be carried over a maximum of one additional fiscal year or until the student graduates, except as noted in the Eligibility Requirements; unused funds after that period will be returned to the general student grant account.

G. Proposal Package Components

The application form requires information about the applicant(s), the presentation details, conference details, and a detailed travel budget. The application must also include:

  • An abstract of presentation

  • A detailed travel plan

  • Written confirmation of acceptance of presentation from conference sponsor or document detailing approval timeline

If confirmation of acceptance is not available at the time of application, it must be submitted to the Grants & Research Integrity office before final approval of the award.

The proposal package must also include a letter of endorsement, which will be submitted by the faculty sponsor. Before submitting the application to Grants & Sponsored Projects Research Integrity for review, students and faculty sponsors must agree to adhere to Policy 3-25 and Procedure 3-25a, as well as follow Winona State and Minnesota Colleges and Universities guidelines for travel.

H. Eligible Expenditures

Project funds may be spent in the following budget categories:

  • Ground travel

  • Air fare

  • Lodging

  • Per diem

  • Registration fees

  • Presentation supplies

  • Office, AV supplies

  • Printing, copies

  • Postage, shipping

All Winona State University, Minnesota State, and State of Minnesota maximums covering expenses will be followed.

I. Final Report

Within 10 business days of the conclusion of travel, the student and sponsor will submit a copy of the presentation, in electronic format, via the Grants & Sponsored Projects Research Integrity office. Copies of the presentation and abstract will be forwarded to the university library for archival purposes.

Related Documents

Authorizing Policy:

History:

Adoption date: 01/07/2019
Implementation date: 01/07/2019