Funding Application

Project should have clear potential to lead to major refereed publications, external funding, national exhibitions, juried festivals, or equivalent externally reviewed scholarly/creative activity. While the potential for external funding is not a requirement for a SoC award, the review committee will favor projects that are more likely to lead to external funding.

Applicant should demonstrate good stewardship of previously awarded funds in the form of strong outcomes for earlier projects.

Purpose of the work is clearly stated.

Method is appropriate for the project goals specified.

Writing is clear and designed to be understood by a diverse audience.

Timeline is feasible for the project proposed.

For actual expenses, budget provides clear explanation of needs. If summer salary support is being requested, scholarly output during the last two academic years must strongly support the argument that the proposed project could not be accomplished during the normal academic year with available teaching release time. (For example, faculty on a 3/3 load have approximately 10 hours per week for research and creative scholarship.)

Priority will be given to projects whose faculty do not have start-up funds.

Faculty may only apply with the same project once.

All proposals will be evaluated by the School of Communication Research and Creative Support and Services Committee.

Faculty members applying for an award may not serve on this panel of judges. The panel may call an applicant in for clarifications on her/his application.

Acceptance of an SoC grant implies permission to post a link to the funded proposal on the SoC website.

A progress report must be filed by December 15th of the first year of funding (roughly the half-way point of the project).

A final report is due at the end of the one-year period (May 31st). A one-year extension will be granted upon receipt of a detailed progress report and a justification for the extension. The final report will be due at the conclusion of the one-year extension. Reports must be filed using the online grant management system specified for this process. Failure to meet the conditions of the award acceptance after a one-year extension may affect chances to receive future awards.

All publications or other scholarly outcomes (e.g., films) must acknowledge the financial support of the SoC award. Moreover, links to PDFs for conference papers, publications, and grant proposals and to URLs for film or other creative scholarship must be uploaded to the grant management system.

The award recipient will make an oral presentation of the work resulting from the SoC award at an SoC forum or event. If the project has been granted a one-year extension, the recipient will make this presentation at an internal forum in the following year.

An award recipient may not apply again for SoC award funds until a final report for the current SoC award is properly submitted.

Faculty who accept full-time employment outside of UM for the following academic year will forfeit the SoC award. Only full-time faculty for the academic year following the award announcement are eligible to receive funds. In the event that a full-time faculty member changes employers during a proposed extension for a funded project, all unspent funds will be forfeited.

Priority will be given to support for direct costs for projects.

Equipment purchased with the SoC award funds becomes University property and is to be housed in the SoC.