Joseph P. Healey Research Grant Program
Information and Application Guidelines
- Eligibility: Faculty and Research Staff
- Application available: Wednesday, December 19, 2012
- Application deadline: Friday, February 15, 2013
- Awards announced: by April 15, 2013
- Maximum award: $7,500 for a proposal from one individual; $12,000 for an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary proposal from two or more Co-PIs
General information
Funded by the Office of the President of the University of Massachusetts and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies of the University of Massachusetts Boston, the Healey Research Grant program supports research and scholarly activities of faculty and research staff members that enhance the quality of the academic and intellectual life at the university. All forms of research and scholarly activities may be funded through this research grant program. Faculty members in disciplines with external funding sources are encouraged to view these funds as seed money for the initiation of new lines of research, the collection of pilot data, and publications of preliminary results that are essential to the development of a proposal for extramural support of research. A committee of university faculty and research staff members, drawn from various disciplines and program areas and nominated by the College Deans in consultation with their Department Chairs and faculty and other unit heads, will review all applications and make recommendations to the Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies for the allocation of the Healey research grant funds. Allocations for grants are based on the significance of the project, the merits of the project design, and the reasonableness of the budget request.
Nature of the Healey Research Grant Program
A total of $150,000 is reserved for this competition. Applicants may request up to $7,500 in grant funds for a proposal from one individual, or $12,000 for an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary proposal from two or more Co-PIs.
Funds may be used to pay project expenses including: research assistants, technical and clerical support beyond that normally available through the applicant's department, travel, communications, and supplies. Only in unusual circumstances will the purchase of equipment be funded by this grant program. Stipends (taxable remuneration) will not be funded by this grant program. Course buyout with internal grants is no longer feasible and thus strongly discouraged.
Who may submit a proposal
Any UMass Boston faculty member or full-time research staff member is eligible to submit a proposal for consideration. Joint interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary proposals from a research team of two or more individuals from one or more departments/colleges/universities are strongly encouraged. An individual faculty or staff member (as PI) may receive
- one grant in a given year from all internal grant competitions (e.g., Healey Research, Public Service, Proposal Development),
- up to four total grants from any combination of internal grant competitions in 6 years, and
- up to two grants in 6 years in a single internal grant program (e.g., two Healey Research grants in 6 years).
Individuals who received a Healey Research grant during the last six years, but have not submitted a required internal report, and published any books or articles in peer-reviewed journals, or submitted a proposal for external funding are no longer eligible for support under this program.
Submission deadline
Application proposals must be submitted in digital format and received by the close of business (5:00 pm EST) on Friday, February 15, 2013. Submit all materials to Matthew Meyer (matthew.meyer@umb.edu), director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. It is the responsibility of the individual submitting the proposal to ascertain that one complete copy of the proposal has been received for processing by the deadline.
What to submit
In order to expedite the review of proposals, applicants are required to submit proposals in the following format. Please note that only one copy of the complete proposal needs to be submitted.
- Cover sheet (form attached) with applicant and proposal information, a 50-word abstract, list of all internal grants previously awarded to the applicant, and signatures from the appropriate persons or groups.
- Budget (form attached) presenting a breakdown of project expenses by category.
- Budget narrative explaining each item requested on the budget form. If equipment is requested, provide exact specifications and cost, and explain why existing departmental or university equipment cannot be borrowed or used. Requests for stipends for the applicant will not be considered. Requests for graduate assistants during the academic year must conform to the pay scale and other requirements of the Graduate Employees Organization bargaining agreement available at http://www.umb.edu/hr/employee_relations/collective_bargaining_agreements. Include also a description of any other project costs that are being provided by the department, college, unit, or other source.
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Project narrative describing the project for which funding is being requested. The project narrative is the core of the proposal. Members of the review committee will make their recommendations based on their interpretation of your project as described in this section. It is to the applicant’s advantage to provide background information in enough detail to convey why the project is significant, what will be accomplished, the methodology to be used, the schedule of activities, and how the project fits into an ongoing research plan and advances UMass Boston's research agenda. The applicant must be as clear as possible, remembering that the readers will represent various disciplines and program areas and will not have expertise in the subject matter of the proposal. If the work of others is referenced, include a list of the sources cited. The project narrative must be limited to eight (8) double-spaced pages and must include the following elements:
- significance of the proposed project;
- brief review of relevant literature or prior art;
- project goals and objectives with a timeline for accomplishment;
- methodology, research design, or set of activities that will be used to carry out the proposed project;
- anticipated outcomes of the proposed project (e.g., preparation of a manuscript for publication, production of a piece of music or art, presentation at a professional meeting); and
- qualifications of the applicant that ensure the success of the project if funded (especially important if the attached résumé does not reflect previous work of this nature).
- Résumé of the applicant (not to exceed 3 pages) focusing on research, scholarship, and publications that relate to the proposed research and a list of any external grants received. Include a résumé for each individual if a research team is submitting the project proposal.
- Other documents, such as letters of commitment or approvals from other organizations, departments, or units for the use of specialized equipment, personnel, or supplies.
Review of proposals
A committee composed of faculty and research staff in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and professional fields will review all proposals. The committee will make recommendations to the Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies who will make all final decisions. Grant awards will be announced by April 15, 2013.
Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Significance: The extent to which the proposed project will make an original and important contribution to the field of inquiry it addresses.
- Project Design: The extent to which the conceptual framework, design, methods, activities, and analyses are properly developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the proposed project.
- Budget and Cost-Effectiveness: The extent to which the funding requested is adequate and appropriate to the project objectives and activities.
Grant management
All Healey research grants are administered in accordance with established university fiscal procedures and policies relating to the conduct of sponsored programs. Award accounts will be established by June 30, 2013, and project expenditures can begin on July 1, 2013. All funds must be expended by June 30, 2014. The following conditions are attached to the award and must be accepted by the recipient at the time of the grant award:
- A final project report must be filed with the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies by August 31, 2014, summarizing grant activities, outcomes, and expenditures.
- One copy of submitted, published, or conference papers, and facsimiles or descriptions of artistic creations that result from the project activities must be submitted to the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies when they become available.
- All publications resulting from the grant project and all narratives associated with exhibitions or performances of works resulting from the grant project must acknowledge the assistance of the Joseph P. Healey Research Grant program of the University of Massachusetts Boston.
For additional information, please contact Matthew Meyer at 617.287.5372 or Laura Hayman, associate vice provost for research, at 617.287.7504.
