Grants for Public Service
WVU Grants for Public Service are designed to stimulate and support public service projects conducted by members of the Faculty Assembly and other full-time regular employees, and to encourage development of additional support for these projects from other sources.
The Public Service Committee will make every effort to fund those proposals which have a high potential for enhancing and significantly contributing to the University’s public service mission, particularly for the citizens of West Virginia. Available funds will not be allocated a priority to any discipline or specialization. All eligible applicants compete for support on an equal basis
WVU Grants for Public Service may support activities of a primary applicant, or they may support projects which involve other faculty, staff, and students (students must be under the supervision of a faculty member). The committee also recognizes that certain projects require one or more assistants in order to fulfill important objectives. Projects involving other agencies or organizations should contain an explanation of the relationship between that organization and the applicant.
For purposes of this program, service is defined as an activity undertaken by a West Virginia University faculty or staff member that benefits the citizens of West Virginia and addresses an existing need. This may include projects that extend or adapt faculty or staff knowledge or interest more specifically to the state or region, new applications of faculty or staff skills within a community or organization, programs to apply or interpret research results to a local or general population, and/or development of new or existing projects on subjects relating to state needs and which may encourage service learning projects. Projects must be conducted under the auspices of West Virginia University.
It is understood that projects serving West Virginia citizens may be directed to a community need as well as to the state at large.
Eligibility
Support is available to members of the Faculty Assembly and to full-time regular employees. The committee will consider projects involving students under the supervision of a faculty member (who must be the primary applicant). Applications submitted by staff must have a faculty member as a co-applicant.
Multi-Year Projects
Projects may be longer than one fiscal year, although the committee will fund projects for a maximum of 12 months at a time. Proposals for continuing a project beyond one twelve-month span require a new application each year and must be submitted with a progress report and evaluation. Continuing applications will compete for funding with all other submissions.
Activities that are substantively the same (except for locale or target group) as projects funded in prior years will most likely be funded at lower levels. Applicants should not view the Public Service program as a source of continuing support. Proposals for the same activity should document attempts to obtain funding from other sources, show evidence of how the project will be enhanced based on prior experience, and include a project report and evaluation.
Application Information
Grants for Public Service (application)Prepare and type your proposal according to the specific instructions included for each section located on the application form. All instructions must be followed to be considered for funding. Applications that do not adhere to the format requirements will not be reviewed. Write your proposal with such clarity that it may be understood by all members of the committee. Keep in mind that the committee represents different disciplines and reaches decisions by consensus.
Each page of the application must be consecutively numbered in the upper right-hand corner. Proposals—including appendices—are limited to no more than 25 pages, must use a typeface no smaller than 10 points and have at least a 1/2”margin on all sides of the page.
- Section I: Cover Page and Abstract
- Section II: Budget
- Section III, IV, V, VI, and VIII: Proposal Body (limited to a total of five [5] single pages)
- Section VIII: Biographical Sketch (submit only the form provided and no more than two [2] continuation pages, including references)
- Section IX: Related Funding
- Section X:Appendices—List appendix material on the attached form. This section is limited to five pages. Indicate material that you can make available to reviewers on request.
- Section XI: Proposal Review Consultants – You MUST include the names of two reviewers from within WVU and two reviewers from outside WVU; these suggested reviewers must be qualified to evaluate the project.
Project Budgets & Funding Limitations
Project requests could include support for travel and educational resources, including films, tapes, library materials, computer software, or computer time. A thoroughly explained and justified budget is one of the most important components of a successful application. Do not ask the committee for funds to purchase items that can be borrowed from other University departments. Supplies and services (e.g., word processing) that can be provided by your department or college should not be part of your budget proposal. If equipment or services seem not merely essential to your project but also to your department’s future direction, the committee will wonder why the department is not prepared to underwrite the attendant expenses. Without a persuasive explanation for items in your budget, the entire application could be jeopardized. The typical award is generally between $5,000 and $10,000.
WVU Grants for Public Service may not be used to duplicate support from any other source. Six-week summer salaries will be considered for nine-month employees at their annual rate. Release funds will be considered for twelve-month employees. Be sure to include appropriate fringe benefits in your budget calculations.
NOTE: Salary payments under a WVU Grant for Public Service are treated in the same manner as regular university salary payments and are subject to all usual payroll deductions.
Application Submission
All applications must be submitted electronically. Hard copies will NOT be accepted under any circumstances. While signatures are not required on electronic applications, the proposal must be forwarded to your departmental chairperson for approval. The chairperson will then forward the application to your dean’s office.. OSP will only accept applications from dean’s or their designees. Applicants should make all efforts to submit their application and supporting materials one document.
2009 Deadline
Deadline for the 2009 Public Service Grants is December 8, 2009. Proposals must be received electronically by the Office of Sponsored Programs by 4:45 p.m. on the day of the deadline at:wvu_internal@mail.wvu.edu .Late applications WILL NOT be accepted.
Via e-mail, OSP will send notification to all applicants confirming receipt of senate research grant applications. If you do not receive such notification within a few days of the grant deadline, please contact OSP as soon as possible.
Proposal Evaluation & Review
The major criterion for evaluation will be an assessment of the substantive merit of the proposal as determined by the Public Service Committee. Projects with committed financial support from a college or department may receive a more favorable review. A copy of the committee’s written evaluation form has been provided. Applicants will receive a summary of anonymous reviewers’ and the committee’s comments.
Each proposal will have at least one primary reviewer from the Public Service Committee. Applicants must provide the names of two internal and two external persons with expertise in the field. NOTE: Reviewers should not be your department chair, dean, PhD advisor, or close associate. The committee may, but is not obligated to, ask these people to serve as review consultants. If the applicant’s suggested reviewers are not available, the primary reviewer will solicit others. Such reviews will contribute to the committee’s decisions.
Post-Award Requirements
The principal applicant bears all responsibility for managing an awarded project and completing the final evaluation. You should submit copies of any press releases, brochures, flyers or other promotional material with the final project evaluation. You should also give appropriate credit to the Public Service Committee in any press releases or printed material.
The principal applicant must submit the final project evaluation and report to the Office of Sponsored Programs within 30 days of the end of the project period. A form for this report will be distributed with the notification of award.
2009-2010 Service Committee Members:
-Lori Sherlock, MED, Chair
-Partick Nestor, EXT, Chair-elect
-Arthur Jacknowitz, PHAR
-Charlotte Nath, MED
Sara Magee, Journ
Presha Neidermeyer, BE
Terry Patterson, Ext
Philip Turk, ECAS
Martha Yancey, LIB
Terry Nebel, Staff Representative
Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, Community Representative
C. B. Wilson, Provost’s Office, Ex-officio
-Faculty Senators
Additional Information
Do not hesitate to ask for advice. Colleagues can often offer criticism that will help clarify and strengthen a proposal. In evaluating your application, the committee will not rely exclusively upon the recommendations of the reviewers whose names you have provided, nor will it rely on the opinion of any single member of the committee. Questions may be addressed to:
Lori Sherlock Chair of the Service Committee, 293-6509
Amanda Griffith, Office of Sponsored Programs, 293-3998
C.B. Wilson, Assistant Vice President for Faculty Development, 293-2021
