Announcements

Feb. 16, 2023

Spring 2023 Research Enhancement Grant Competitions

The Research Enhancement Program (REP) offers grants to encourage and enhance the research and creative opportunities for tenure-track faculty members by supporting innovative research/creative activity, and serving as seed monies to increase competitiveness in the acquisition of external funds or otherwise contribute to a creative repertoire.

• Research Grant Development and Research Pilot Studies 
  Deadline March 13, 2023 for summer projects
  Proposals must be approved by the respective chair and dean by this deadline.
• Minigrants
  Rolling deadline until funds are depleted. Applications received until July 31 or until funds are depleted. 

Information about the different grant programs is available on our Internal Funding page. All grant proposals must be submitted in Cayuse.

Please contact Jennifer Patterson in ORGS or Dr. Nick Long, Chair of the University Research Council with questions.

Oct. 24, 2022

Cayuse Upcoming System Maintenance

Cayuse will be unavailable during the following times:

• 8 to 10 p.m., Thursday, November 3, 2022

As the internal Research/Creative Activity (RCA) grants are due on November 7, 2022, please plan your Cayuse submission accordingly. The RCA must be routed and approved by all required reviewers before the end of business on November 7, 2022.

Oct. 11, 2022

Cayuse Drop-In Zoom Sessions

Pop in and ask whatever questions you might have concerning Cayuse proposal development and award management. Contact the office at grants@sfasu.edu for the Zoom link.

Here are the upcoming fall 2022 office hours:

• 9 to 10 a.m., Thursday, October 13, 2022
• 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday, October 20, 2022
• 10 to 11 a.m., Tuesday, October 25, 2022
• 9 to 10 a.m., Thursday, November 3, 2022

Sept. 1, 2022

ORGS announces the launch of our new grant software system, Cayuse

Beginning today, September 1, 2022, all internal and external grant proposals must be submitted within Cayuse. Paper proposals will no longer be accepted. Training sessions will be offered starting in mid-September 2022. Read more about accessing and using Cayuse.

April 7, 2022

Virtual 2022 East Texas Research Conference – Registration is FREE

Dear Texas Research Colleagues,

On behalf of the Senior Vice President of Research at the University of Texas at Tyler, I am pleased to invite you to attend the 2022 East Texas Research Conference (ETRC 2022), which will be held online using Zoom on Monday April 11, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The conference features a keynote address, oral presentations, and panel discussions around the theme of Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship.

Conference participants will have an opportunity to hear and interact with an array of academic and health professionals who will share new and emerging research in health and wellness, education, engineering, business and industry, and arts and sciences.

Conference registration is now open, and attendance is free. To register and view the conference program click https://www.uttyler.edu/etrc/.

Please share with faculty, staff, and students at your respective institutions and encourage them to register and attend the conference.

For more information, contact Kouider Mokhtari, Associate Vice President for Research via e-mail kmokhtari@uttyler.edu or phone 903.565.5561.

Kouider Mokhtari, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Research and Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Anderson-Vukelja-Wright Endowed Chair
Director, K-16 Literacy Center

January 13, 2022 Updated February 3, 2022

Spring 2022 Research Enhancement Grant Competitions Now Accepting Applications!

The Research Enhancement Program (REP) offers grants to encourage and enhance the research and creative opportunities for tenure-track faculty members by supporting innovative research/creative activity, and serving as seed monies to increase competitiveness in the acquisition of external funds or otherwise contribute to a creative repertoire.

• Research Grant Development and Research Pilot Studies
  Deadline March 14, 2022 for summer projects.
  If there are additional funds available for internal grants, we will have a second review period for RGD and RPS proposals with proposals due to the ORGS office by 4 p.m. on April 11th.
• Minigrants
  Rolling deadline until funds are depleted. 
  Applications received after June 30th are not as likely to be funded as year-end deadlines for purchases are in early August.
• Increase in Travel Awards
  For awards in the remainder of the 2021-2022 academic year: The maximum single award for MG-TS proposals has been increased to $1,000 and the yearly total award has been increased to $2,000 (across all TS awards).
• Increase and Expansion of the RPS program
  For awards in the remainder of the 2021-2022 academic year: The maximum award for RPS proposals has been increased to $6,000. Additionally, faculty can apply for up to $2,000 of summer compensation (on top of the $6,000) related to their project proposal.
  
  Proposers should include a short description for how the compensation time relates to the Pilot Study and what the faculty member will do during the compensation time. Faculty compensation can only be charged during the summer when the faculty member is not under contract. In the budget, the faculty proposer will need to include ~17.15 % (for fringe benefits) on the faculty compensation.
• Increase and Expansion of the MG-PS program
  For awards in the 2021-2022 academic year: The maximum award about for MG-PS proposals has been increased to $3,000. Additionally, faculty can apply for up to $1,000 of summer compensation related to their project proposal.
  
  Proposers should include a short description for how the summer compensation time relates to the proposed project and what the faculty member will do during the compensation time. Faculty compensation can only be charged during the summer when the faculty member is not under contract. In the budget, the faculty proposer will need to include approximately 17.15% (for fringe benefits) on the faculty compensation.

All applications are available on the ORGS Forms and Documents page. Navigate to the Research Grants and Sponsored Programs section then to “Internal Funding”.

Faculty members should contact their respective chairs and deans concerning any internal departmental deadlines.

Please contact either the ORGS staff or the Chair of the University Research Council (Dr. Nick Long, longne@sfasu.edu) with questions about these changes.

2022 NSF Policy Office Webinar Series - Current and Pending Support Registration Is Open!

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pleased to announce that it will be launching a 2022 NSF Policy Office Webinar Series, that will focus on specific topics of interest to the research community. We will begin with a webinar covering NSF's Current and Pending Support policy and frequently asked questions. This virtual webinar will take place on January 31, 2022 at 2 p.m. EST. There is no cost to participate.

Registration is open! To register for this event, visit our website.

We are encouraging attendees to submit questions ahead of time so that our speakers and panelists may tailor their remarks to answer the audience’s most pressing questions. Please submit your current and pending support questions when you register or email them to grants_conference@nsf.gov.

Feel free to check nsfpolicyoutreach.com for the most up-to-date webinar information. You can view recordings from previous webinars and conferences on our Resource Center or YouTube page.

For those who cannot attend the live webinar, all recorded sessions will be available on-demand shortly after the event and posted on our Resource Center and our YouTube page. If you require any accommodation, such as closed captioning, or if you have any logistical questions about the webinar, please contact us at grants_conference@nsf.gov.

We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

The National Science Foundation

Sept. 21, 2021

FY22 Research Enhancement Grant Competitions Now Accepting Applications!

The Research Enhancement Program (REP) offers grants to encourage and enhance the research and creative opportunities for tenure-track faculty members by supporting innovative research/creative activity, and serving as seed monies to increase competitiveness in the acquisition of external funds or otherwise contribute to a creative repertoire.

Grant categories and FY22 deadlines

• Research/Creative Activity - deadline November 1, 2021
• Research Grant Development - deadline October 11, 2021
• Research Pilot Studies - deadline October 11, 2021
• Minigrants - rolling deadline until funds are depleted. Applications received after June 30th are not as likely to be funded as year-end deadlines for purchases are in early August.

All applications are available on the ORGS Forms and Documents page.

Faculty members should contact their respective chairs and deans concerning any internal departmental deadlines. They also should contact their respective college URC members, ORGS or the URC chair with any questions.

For more details, visit the ORGS website.

Aug. 26, 2021

Fall Grant Seminars and Conferences

Two federal sponsors offer free training this fall. Please make plans to register for these events from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation to learn more about grant opportunities, proposal requirements, and more!

National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Fall 2021 NIH Virtual Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration

November 1-4, 2021

If you are an administrator, researcher, early-stage investigator, graduate student, or anyone new to working with the NIH grants process, then this seminar is designed specifically for you. Visit the National Institutes of Health Virtual Seminar page to be notified when registration opens.

National Science Foundation (NSF) - Fall 2021 NSF Virtual Grants Conference

October 4-8, 2021

Registration is free and opens on Wednesday, September 8 at 12 p.m. EST. We anticipate the sessions will reach capacity very quickly, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible. You can sign up here to be notified when registration opens.

May 3, 2021

Research Enhancement Funds are Still Available for Tenure-Track Faculty

Travel Support and Publication Support mini-grant programs are accepting proposals until July 20, 2021.

The maximum for Project Support mini-grant applications has increased to $3,000 (up from $1,500) for the remainder of this fiscal year only. Applications are being accepted until June 20, 2021.

See the Internal Funding section on the forms page for more information and applications.

If you have questions, contact either the ORGS office at grants@sfasu.edu, or Dr. Nick Long, chair of the University Research Council, at longne@sfasu.edu.

Sept. 30, 2020

NSF Updates to the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) - Effective October 5th

Dear Colleagues:

Effective October 5, 2020, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will enhance the Project Reporting System in Research.gov to implement the revised Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). The RPPR is a uniform format for reporting performance progress on Federally funded research projects and research related activities. NSF awardees use the RPPR to prepare and submit annual and final project reports to NSF. Further details about the RPPR can be found on the Research.gov About Project Reports website.

New Question for Project Reports with Active Other Support Changes

• On October 5, 2020, NSF will add the following new question to the Edit Participants screen: Has there been a change in the active other support of the PI/PD(s) since the last reporting period? If Principal Investigators (PIs)/Project Directors (PDs) and co-PIs/co-PDs select “Yes,” they will be required to upload their most up-to-date Current and Pending Support document in an NSF-approved format to notify NSF that active other support has changed since the award was made or since the most recent annual report.
• Current and Pending Support documents not in an NSF-approved format will trigger a compliance error preventing document upload and submission of the annual or final project report.
• The NSF-approved formats for Current and Pending Support are SciENcv: Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae and an NSF fillable PDF.
• The NSF Current and Pending Support website includes additional information as well as links to system-related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for both NSF-approved formats. A set of policy-related FAQs related to current and pending support is also available.
• The complete lists of FastLane and Research.gov automated proposal compliance checks effective October 5, 2020, are available on the Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals website.

Additional New Questions from the Revised RPPR

Beginning October 5, 2020, NSF will also add the following three questions to the "Impact" and "Changes/Problems" tabs:

• What was the impact on teaching and educational experiences? (Impact tab);
• What percentage of the award’s budget was spent in a foreign country? (Impact tab); and
• Has there been a change in primary performance site location from that originally proposed? (Changes/Problems tab).

NSF-specific Updates

• NSF-specific help text updates have been added throughout, and NSF-specific instructions have been clarified or enhanced.
• To reduce administrative burden, NSF has consolidated data entry fields where possible.

Current and Pending Support Format Training Resources

To learn more about the NSF-approved formats for Current and Pending Support, please view the NSF PAPPG (NSF 20-1) webinar and NSF-Approved Formats for the Biographical Sketch & Current and Pending Support Sections of NSF Proposals webinar.

SciENcv has created the following materials to guide the community through the preparation of the NSF Current and Pending Support document in SciENcv:

• NSF Current and Pending Support Video Tutorial
• NSF-specific Bookshelf Resource (includes screenshots and step-by-step instructions)

Questions? Policy-related questions should be directed to policy@nsf.gov. If you have IT system-related or technical questions regarding the NSF-approved formats or the Research.gov Project Reporting System, please contact the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via rgov@nsf.gov.

Regards,

National Science Foundation

March 23, 2020

Externally Sponsored Projects and Internal Grants: Guidance for Faculty and Staff

State and federal agencies are aware of the current COVID-19 challenges; in addition, many of these offices are closed with some employees working remotely. We will share additional guidance as it becomes available.

Please contact Office of Research and Graduate Studies with any questions you may have.

All Grants - External and Internal

Compliance Committees (IRB/IACUC/IBS)

There may be delays in compliance committee approvals. Please contact the respective chair with any questions. Visit the website for contact information.

Employees and Students Paid by Grants

Individuals who work remotely due to university- or government-imposed isolation can continue to charge salary to the respective grant(s) as long as they are working on the grant. Please note that these employees may need to document time worked in an alternate manner than usual. Refer to the HR guidelines or contact Jennifer Hanlon for more information.

Travel

Due to COVID19 precautionary measures, the university is not allowing any conference travel for the remainder of the fiscal year (even if it was previously approved).

Local travel to collect data, perform research, etc. may be allowed if you can adhere to COVID-19 precautionary measures (such as maintaining appropriate social distance and no gatherings of more than 10 persons – or whatever the current CDC recommendations are at the time of travel).

If you already have paid for conference travel that is yet to occur, please see the relevant Internal or External Grant section below for further information.

Refund checks related to trip cancellations should be deposited/posted to the original Banner fund(s) that incurred the initial cost.

Various airlines have announced special accommodations. Please consult the respective airline’s website for current information.

External Grants

Grant Submissions

The Office of Research and Graduate Studies will continue to submit proposals. However, please keep in mind that work schedules and in-office hours may change on a daily basis. Contact Beverly Morehouse as soon as you identify a possible grant. This will ensure that appropriate research staff is available for grant submission and will ensure you receive the best assistance from our office. In addition, our website is currently being updated, so you will need to contact the office for the required grant paperwork.

The Office of Research and Graduate Studies still requires a minimum five-business day review to allow for review of the accuracy, completeness and quality of grant proposals, in addition to obtaining the required administrative approvals prior to submission. Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president, has stated the administration requires at least three business days to review. Submission packages not received within this timeframe most likely will not receive clearance to be submitted.

Some sponsors have announced extensions of due dates. Be sure to frequently review the sponsor’s grant opportunity page/FAQ section, etc. to stay informed.

Impact to Grant Projects (delays in deliverables, scope of work, lack of student workers)

If you are the principal investigator/project director of a grant and you anticipate your grant deliverables/timelines will be delayed or that your scope of work may need to change, email your program officer immediately to let them know of any work plan adjustments and copy Jennifer Hanlon. Jennifer will make sure our staff is aware of your situation and will work with the sponsor if any amendments are needed to extend the project or change the scope of work.

You should also prepare a short explanation for any delays to include in your next progress report. Include any modifications to your timeline, how alternate work will be completed, etc.

Sponsor Communication

If you receive any sponsor communication regarding COVID-19 and your grant, please forward to Jennifer Hanlon as this may impact invoicing and other reports completed by the research office and the Controller’s Office.

Travel

If you have already paid for conference travel that is yet to occur, please contact the organization immediately to determine if the event will still happen. If the organization cancels the conference, external sponsors will typically reimburse any non-cancellable obligations (such as airfare). Since the university has stated that no conference travel is allowed for the remainder of this fiscal year, we will request your sponsor cover any non-cancellable obligations. Please inform Letitia Hamilton and Jennifer Hanlon and we will contact your sponsor to determine if the grant will reimburse such expenditures or if you will need to find another source of funds.

Information from sponsors

This information is fluid, so please check your respective sponsor’s webpage for current information.

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): COVID-19 Homepage
• National Science Foundation (NSF): Coronavirus Information
• National Institutes of Food and Agriculture (NIFA/USDA): https://nifa.usda.gov/grants

The below agencies are on telecommuting schedules. Contact staff via email if needed.

• Texas Commission on the Arts
• Texas Education Agency
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Internal Grants

Travel Grants

The Office of Research and Graduate Studies is not accepting any further mini-grant applications for travel to present research, exhibit or perform, since all conference travel for the remainder of the fiscal year has been canceled by SFA.

Minigrant applications for travel to collect data, for publication support and for project support are still being accepted. 

If you paid for conference travel prior to March 18, 2020, and the event has yet to occur, please contact the organization immediately to determine if the event has been canceled. If the organization cancels the event, some expenditures may be refundable. If they are not, contact Sherry Tucker immediately.

Current RCA and Project-support Awardees

The Office of Research and Graduate Studies will contact each individual with further information.