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Organized Research Grant (ORG) Program

Deadline: determined each year by the University Research Committee

Award History: at least 50% of all grant applications are funded every year

Summary of Recent Year Awards

Award Size: applications in the range of $10,000 typically have the best chance of being funded.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. All faculty members are eligible to apply, including those who have accepted employment for the effective year of the grant but have not arrived on campus.
  2. Grants will not be awarded for research to fulfill the requirements of an advanced degree.
  3. A proposal will not be approved if its primary intent is course, curriculum or program development or institutional self-study.

Application Procedure

  1. Forms for submitting proposals are available from the Chair of the University Research Committee, Dr. Pam Littleton (littleton@tarleton.edu).
  2. Application deadlines will be determined by the University Research Committee.
  3. Submit the required number of copies of your proposal to the University Research Committee Chair by the indicated deadline. Retain a copy for your records.
  4. Only one application may be submitted by each faculty member per application deadline.


University Research Committee Criteria for Evaluating Project Proposals

Study design and feasibility

  1. The proposal should clearly describe what is intended by the principal investigator, what results are expected, and what steps the principle investigator intends to take to reach the goal.
  2. The proposal should be written so a person with no prior knowledge of the subject can make an informed judgment about the worthiness of the proposal as a research project.
  3. The proposed research should require the use of sound investigative methodology.
  4. When the proposal requires statistical analysis, the proposed procedures should be included AND demonstrably linked to the research questions/hypotheses being investigated.
  5. Proposals that require the purchase of animals should describe clearly how the animals will be handled at the conclusion of the study. If the animals will be sold, the proceeds will be returned to the University Research Committee. For animals that are not sold or destroyed, the department responsible for maintenance of the animals must be named.
  6. Some proposed research may result in a publication that will be sold for profit. If the researcher anticipates royalties from the sale of any resulting publications, please specify whether the university will receive any portion of the royalties.

Significance of the expected results

  1. Whether for basic or applied research, the project should have evident value. A project should have potential for producing a high quality publication.
  2. A proposal should enhance the principal investigator’s ability to obtain external funding.
  3. A proposal should indicate the extent to which new ideas may be generated or established concepts may be reexamined.

Approval from the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) if applicable

  1. Any organized research grant application for funding that requires the use of human subjects or experimental animals must have appropriate IRB approval and include the approval number on the checklist.
  2. List of approved IRB projects
  3. Human Subject IRB requirements and forms explained.  Submit applications for IRB consideration to the Office of Sponsored Projects (Administration Building – Room 136).
  4. Animal Subject IRB requirements and forms explained.  Submit applications for IRB consideration to the Office of Sponsored Projects (Administration Building - Room 136)
  5. URC funds will not be allocated until appropriate IRB approval has been provided to the University Research Committee.

Principal Investigator (PI) and other personnel

  1. Careful attention will be given to the PI’s performance with previous ORG grants and to the quality of resulting manuscripts or publications, if applicable.
  2. The PI’s research and publication record will be considered.
  3. The PI is expected to submit for publication the results of one ORG grant before applying for funds for a new project.
  4. Special consideration will be given to new faculty who are engaged in their initial research effort and to established faculty who wish to change their area of research or begin new research efforts.
  5. Active involvement of student assistants in the research process will be given favorable consideration.
  6. Proposed salaries for student research assistants (undergraduate and graduate) should not exceed University approved standards. If grantees wish to pay students more than the standard, the appropriate paperwork may be filed.

External support

  1. After receiving support from the University Research Committee, the principal investigator is expected to apply for outside funding for the same or other research.
  2. Proposals with an enhanced probability of external funding generally will be favored.

Financial and Other Conditions

  1. Partial salary may be requested in a proposal with approval of the Department Head. The sum of the principal investigator’s part-time research salary and any part-time teaching salary must not be more than the applicant's salary on a monthly basis.

  2. Salary for support personnel must meet the guidelines of the Tarleton Comprehensive Pay Plan. For additional information, see the Human Resources Department.

  3. Budgets will be examined carefully in relation to travel and equipment expenses. Travel funds only will be granted for the collection of data, not for attending scholarly meetings or conferences.

  4. Equipment purchased with ORG funds becomes the property of Tarleton State University and will be a part of the inventory of the PI’s department. Upon completion of an ORG-funded research project in which equipment was purchased, the University Research Committee reserves the right to determine the disposition of equipment. Equipment purchases will follow the guidelines provided by Business Services.

Grant Recipient Project Administration Procedures
Budgets:

  • An account number will be provided by Business Services for those receiving grants..
  • ALL FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR A RESEARCH GRANT MUST BE USED BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR WHICH THE GRANT WAS MADE. Funds not spent or committed by August 1 of any fiscal year will revert to the unappropriated income account. Principal investigators are required to notify the Chair of the University Research Committee when they determine all or part of the grant will not be used. The Committee may reallocate unused grant money.

Salary:

  • For approved projects covering salary costs, salary will be paid in the normal fashion.
  • The University Research Committee Chair will make arrangements with Business Services for payment of salaries allocated from Organized Research Funds.
  • Salaries paid under Title III are dispersed by the Associate Vice President for Academic Research and Grants.

Travel: Where travel is involved, the principal investigator must submit travel request forms through the normal university channels using the PI’s research account number.

Supplies and Equipment: In preparing a proposal, the principal investigator should attempt to provide equipment and expendable items through the department rather than as a part of the grant proposal budget. For those items of equipment and supplies that cannot be provided by the department, the proposal should include appropriate amounts. The purchase of these items must be through requisition and Business Services.

Personnel: Student assistants and others authorized for employment by the grant must be hired by using the proper employment procedures as defined by the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Human Resources Department. No one will be paid until all forms are completed.

Reports:

  • Progress reports are due on September 25 following the period of the grant if the research has not be completed and every six months thereafter until the project is completed.
  • When the project is complete, the principal investigator must submit a final report and copies of resulting publications and/or presentations when they become available.

Publicity

The University Research Committee has responsibility for publicity concerning the awarding, progress and completion of grants.

Publications

All publications resulting from research supported by Organized Research funds must acknowledge that the project was conducted through a Tarleton State University Organized Research Grant.

A copy of each publication must be filed with the Chair of the University Research Committee.

Copyrights and Patents

For current policies concerning copyrights and patents, the applicant should refer to the “Grants Program Policies” section of the Research web site or the Texas A&M University System Administrative Policy and Reporting Manual.