Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Project Grants Procedure

Purpose:

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

Procedure:

A. Eligibility Requirements

Students are eligible to receive funding to participate in one research or creative project during their undergraduate academic career, and their research or creative project 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.

The proposal for funding must be from a single student. All components of the application package must be complete and submitted by the application deadline. Projects 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.

Projects which involve research with human or animal subjects will be awarded funding only after proof of IRB (human subjects) or IACUC (animal subjects) approval is submitted.

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, 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 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 “Indirects” cost center in the preceding two years. The maximum award amount will be published on the Student Grants web page no later than one month following the beginning of the new fiscal year.

Students may receive funding to participate in one research or creative project during their undergraduate academic career. 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 deadlines for application are September 15, December 1, and February 1. If the deadline date falls on a weekend, the deadline date will be the next business day.

E. Application Process

Each applicant shall submit an electronic copy of all components of the proposal package via the Grants & Sponsored Projects 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.

F. Award Process and Funding Guidelines

The Committee, through the Grants & Sponsored Projects office, will notify the student and sponsor of its decision within 14 days following the application deadline. Should funding be awarded, Grants & Sponsored Projects will notify the Business Office which will establish a cost center. 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, the project details, and a detailed project budget. The application must include one proposal document which includes all of the following:

• Statement of research problem or statement of creative purpose

• Research methodology or creative strategy

• Expected outcomes of project

• Schedule and expected completion date

• Description of student readiness for proposed project

• Statement of where and how results of project will be presented

• Bibliography

The proposal package must include a letter of endorsement, which will be submitted by the faculty sponsor. Before submitting the application to Grants & Sponsored Projects for review, students and faculty sponsors must agree to adhere to Policy 3-22 and Procedure 3-22a, 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:

• Equipment, supplies

• Books, software, technology charges

• Field expenses, including travel to collections, exhibits, archives

• Postage, shipping, telephone, fax

• Purchased services, registration fees

• Printing, copies

• Travel costs related to conducting research or completing a creative project (travel in response to an invitation to present outcomes is not covered under this grant; see Policy 3-25 for travel support)

Equipment, supplies, books, and software purchased with funds awarded through this program become the property of the sponsoring department at the completion of the project.

I. Final Report

Within 10 business days of project completion, the student and sponsor will submit a suitable end product appropriate to the standards of the discipline, in electronic format, via the Grants & Sponsored Projects office. Copies of the end product will be forwarded to the university library for archival purposes.

Related Documents

• Minnesota State System 5.19 Travel Management Board Policies and Procedures

Authorizing Policy:

• 3-22 Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Project Grants Policy
• 3-25 Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Presentations Travel Support Grants Policy
• 3-25A Undergraduate Student Research and Creative Presentations Travel Support Grants Procedure

History:

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