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OVERVIEW:

The Mini-Grant Program seeks to broaden the participation of researchers, educators, and students in the field of nuclear science and technology by providing access to seven Big-Ten facilities, including University Research and Training Reactors (URTR) and Virtual Research and Training Reactors (VRTR). These grants are to be considered “seed” funding to establish new relationships between our seven institutions and new users of our facilities.

The consortium includes: Ohio State University, Penn State University, Purdue University, University of Cincinnati, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Funding is made possible by the Department of Energy University Programs Office.

APPLICATION/AWARD INFORMATION:

• All grants are based on a one-year award period.
• Principal Investigator (PI) must provide a mid-term and final report prior to closure or receipt of final funds.
• Grant award PI must comply with all safety, security and other policy or regulations of URTR/VRTR facility.
• No limit on the number of applications submitted.
• Anticipated award funding: $1,000 to $25,000 pending availability of funds.
• Anticipated period of performance: up to 12 months.
• Total amount of program funding available: approximately $200,000.
• If you received a grant previously and you wish to be considered for a new grant in the following year, you are required to apply as a new applicant.  Note that there are no guarantees that a grant for continuing work will be awarded.
• Check the “Revision” box in the application if you wish to change or modify an application. The most recent received application will be submitted for review.
• Applications and the date of submission should be saved/kept in a hard copy version for your records.
• NOTE: Applicants should contact the Mini-Grant Program Secretary, Traci Shimmel, by phone (814-863-6383), or e-mail (tshimmel@psu.edu), when grant has been submitted on-line. This will assure that application has been received.  Applicants may be received by On-line (preferred) or any other means, including fax or U.S. Mail.  Deadline for 2007-2008 grant application entry is March 9, 2007.

ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS:

Business, colleges, DOE national laboratories, high schools, industry, and universities.

IMPORTANT APPLICATION FILING INFORMATION:

1. Indirect cost recovery is not allowable.
2. Applicants must be qualified by their institution or organization to receive such funds.
3. Applicants must notify grants/contracts/financial office (officer) and group administrator regarding the application—they will be contacted in the verification process if selected during the review process.
4. Preferred method of applying is to use website and the on-line submission form. Other methods are allowable.
5. Applicants are required to contact Big-Ten URTR/VRTR representative and ensure that services, security and safety requirements, and grant funds associated with the URTR/VRTR are met and correct.

NOTES REGARDING APPLICATION PROCESS:

• Application form is electronic and hard copy.
• Complete and return the application form before the deadline, March 9, 2007.
• Number 1 - List principal investigator(s) (PI). For secondary schools, the project coordinator of this proposal should be listed as PI.
• Number 2 - Name of lead organization, and any collaborative parties/individuals (include departments or units within colleges or universities).
• Number 3 - Address and contact information.
• Number 4 - Employer Identification Number (EIN) is not a social security number, but the institution’s identification number.
• Number 5 – Type of applicant (college, high school, industry, national lab, or university).
• Number 6 - Type of application--If you received a grant previously and you wish to be considered for a new grant in the following year, you are required to apply as a "NEW" applicant.  Check the "REVISION" box in the application if you wish to modify an application that was already submitted.
• Number 7 - Check the URTR/VRTR you wish to work with.
• Number 8 - Name of individual you made contact with at the URTR/VRTR.

  i. You must make contact with the URTR/VRTR of your choice prior to the submission of your proposal.

  ii. Special limitations or restrictions may be in place at URTR/VRTR facilities, therefore, you must contact the URTR/VRTR of your choice prior to the submission of your proposal (see contact people below).

  iii. Special training may be required for certain research applications at URTR/VRTR facilities.

  iv. Review your grant funding request with URTR/VRTR facility to ensure that your proposal’s funding covers URTR/VRTR services.

  v. The URTR/VRTR will review each proposal and can negate an application if your proposal can not be met by the facility or funding is inadequate.

• Number 9 - Project title.
• Number 10 - Proposed start and end date. Anticipate your project start date and end date (maximum length of project is 12 months). NOTE: Start date is after the post award period. In the past post award dates were during the month of June or July. Please consider this in your project timeline.
• Number 11 - Please provide a brief description of project stating the goals and objectives. Hard copy submissions may include additional information as necessary.
• Number 12a and 12b - If you require any special services, for example Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) counting or a gamma spectrometry, at a URTR for your research, detail your needs.
• Number 13a and 13b –Enter the total funding requested for your project and a description of anticipated expenses. Projects over $5,000 must include a formal budget and anticipated expense information.
  Funds may not be used to support Principal Investigator salaries.
• Number 14a through 14e – Institution Administrator contact information (name, title, and telephone number). A signature is not necessary when applying electronically, however, please provide this information if you are submitting a hard copy. Your application must list the name of your financial or contract officer and his/her telephone number.

  i. All applicants must contact their respective office of sponsored programs or financial officer to ensure that the Grant can be accepted during the application stage.

Note: A hard copy of the Application Form with a "signature” of the authorizing agent must be received by the Mini-Grant Program if you are awarded a grant prior to release of funding.

REPORTING PROCEDURES:

A mid-point report on grant development may be requested by the Program. This consists of a brief, but concise, update about your grant development. The report is intended to provide information on how the Mini-Grant Program is benefiting your work. You will be notified if a mid-point “report” is needed.

A Final Report is required within 45 days after completion of your project. Reports are preferred via email with attachment using pdf or Microsoft Word document. Report may also be submitted by U.S. Mail. It is recommended that you keep a copy of the document and also request confirmation that it was received. This report will be published on-line as well as submitted to the Governance Committee and the U.S. DOE.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008:

Must be sent electronically or by other means by midnight, March 9, 2007. NO EXCEPTIONS.

PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION AND PROCESS:

The Mini-Grant proposals will be reviewed from three areas:

• Scientific and/or technical merit or the educational benefits of the project.
• Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach.
• Cost/benefit of proposal submitted.

The process of review is based on four phases:

• Phase I. URTR/VRTR representatives will review each proposal associated with their respective URTR/VRTR for economic and communication standpoint. Failure to contact your chosen URTR/VRTR facility prior to submission will disqualify the application at that phase.
• Phase II. Each proposal will be reviewed by three outside people who are familiar with nuclear science and technology and working in fields such as secondary, higher education, industrial or medical applications.
• Phase III. The Mini-Grant Governance Committee will review the URTR and Reviewers’ data and make a recommendation on which applications to submit to U.S. DOE for final approval.
• Phase IV. The United State Department of Energy project office associated with the INIE project will approve the grants for 2007-2008.

PROPOSAL INFORMATION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Innovative Research at Institutions of Higher Education

The Big-Ten Universities Consortium Mini-Grant Program seeks to receive proposals from national laboratories, industry and other higher education institutions with research facilities and staff at a URTR/VRTR.

The Mini-Grant Program could enable an individual or teamed faculty and/or students to engage in joint research activities that could:

1. Defray expenses for the use of the URTR/VRTR facilities as well as provide graduate student research support for the specific work proposed in conjunction with the URTR/VRTR;
2. Be an incubator for exploratory research with industry and laboratory partners - i.e., faculty-student research activities could involve industrial and/or national laboratory collaborators in the form of seed-grants that could become part of larger research, such as the DOE NERI (Nuclear Energy Research Initiative) research initiatives.

Contact People at URTR/VRTR Facilities:         Printer friendly format here