July 2009

July 2009

Wishing Everyone a Happy & Safe 4th of July!!

As always, please allow extra time for our office to assist you in processing your grant proposals to avoid unnecessary delays or missed deadlines.

REMINDER: Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

As many sponsored projects are in high gear over the summer, we would like to highlight two expenditure related issues.  First, Small Purchase Card reconciliation is an important task.  This reconciliation process allows you to ensure that expenses are posted to the appropriate Department ID if you have more than one.  It also allows you to electronically transfer the expense for the Small Purchase Card code (130900) into the proper expenditure code(s).  Note: State guidelines will not allow costs to remain in 130900 so failure to transfer them electronically during the reconciliation process will only result in a requirement to transfer them via a paper ATV later.

The second topic is the JMU ATV process (globally known as ‘Cost Transfers’).  Cost Transfers are a target for auditors and often result in adverse findings and unallowable costs.  The best way to prevent this is to either not use ATV’s (by posting the charges accurately during the purchasing process) or by providing detailed explanations for what expenses are being moved and why.  For example, a description of “transfer Office Supply expense” would likely be approved by an auditor; however, the additional detail of “transfer cost for one case of paper originally purchased for Departmental usage” indicates what was purchased and that it was used from the department’s supply rather than ordering another box.

We appreciate your attention to these matters as they help us document our compliance to expenditure reporting regulations.  Please do not hesitate to contact our office with questions or concerns.

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act

OMB on June 1 issued “operational guidelines” that agencies have to follow to submit data to USAspending.gov, as required under Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) and the Recovery Act. Federal agencies have been remiss in submitting required information to the database, for which OMB has come under fire from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a cosponsor of FFATA, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. The guidelines, however, do not address how the agencies are to work with grant and contract recipients to post data related to sub-awards, which is also required under FFATA and has been a source of consternation to both universities and Coburn. Despite a Jan. 1, 2009, deadline for the reporting of sub-recipient data, none are yet posted on USAspending.gov website. For additional detail see  Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA).

National Institutes of Health (NIH) is now reviewing the 49,000 comments it received in response to its draft guidelines for human stem cell research. NIH spokesman Don Ralbovsky has announced that  NIH intends to post thecomments but has not yet decided where they will be available. The draft guidelines were issued April 17 at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-9313.htm andcomments were accepted until May 23. NIH plans to issue final guidelines by July 7. A variety of groups, including the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops, had made their comments known before the comment period ended. 

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http://www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/fsources.html

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Grants

Global Climate Change Education (GCCE)

Grants

Advancing Public Health Protection through Water Infrastructure Sustainability

Picture America - School Collaboration Projects

Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program
ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers
NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM)
International Research Network Connections (IRNC)

Cottrell College Science Awards

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• The D'Addario Music Foundation was established in 1981 as a non-profit corporate foundation committed to inspiring and assisting the growth and appreciation of music throughout the world. The focus of the Foundation's giving is in the areas of stringed as well as band and orchestral musical instruments primarily through the support of educational programs, events, and performance-based activities. By providing support early in the development of an organization and encouraging expansion in the donor network, the Foundation seeks to help organizations achieve long-term stability and self-sufficiency.
• Eligibility: 501 (c)(3) organizations.
• Funding: Average grant given is $2,000; although, in-kind contributions may also be funded.
• Web: http://www.daddariofoundation.org
  
• Deadline: Pre-screen Applications Due August 15, 2009

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Education, in cooperation with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, solicits proposals for the NASA Global Climate Change Education (GCCE) project. The GCCE project is designed to improve the quality of global climate change and Earth system science education at the elementary, secondary, and undergraduate levels. Each funded proposal is expected to take advantage of NASA’s unique contributions in climate science to enhance students’ academic experiences and/or to improve educators’ abilities to engage and stimulate their students. Proposals will only be accepted from educational institutions or other nonprofit organizations pursuant to the authority of the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook Section 1260.12(c)(2). NASA Centers, Federal Agencies, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, education-related companies and other institutions may apply through partnership with the lead organization. Individuals from organizations other than educational institutions or other nonprofit organizations may be identified in a proposal as a Co-Investigator or other type of team member/collaborator except Principal Investigator. Proposals that include the participation of an individual from a NASA Center or JPL must include a letter of support acknowledging his/her participation signed by the Center Education Director and other cognizant officials, where appropriate. NASA’s GCCE project is motivated by recommendations made in the National Research Council report Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond. This Earth decadal study identifies responding to our changing planet as one of the greatest and most important intellectual challenges facing humanity. It specifies that both the acquisition of new knowledge about the Earth system and the utilization of Earth observation data are equally important in meeting the complex challenges of global change.
  
• Funding: It is anticipated that approximately 20 small awards and 4 larger awards will be made under this announcement pursuant to the authority of the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook (http://ec.msfc.nasa.gov/hq/grcover.htm), Section 1260.12(c)(2). Small awards may be up to $150,000, in total, dispersed over a period of up to 2 years. Larger awards may be up to $500,000, in total, dispersed over a period of up to 3 years.
  
• Web: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={6950C5E7-9903-AFEA-2AB0-A839C6F510B4}&path=open
  
• Deadline: August 03, 2009

• While the Kazanjian Foundation maintains a vital interest in the overall efforts to increase economic literacy, the Board of Trustees will give special attention to proposals and projects with national impact that address the following issues: (a) The Foundation has an abiding interest in elevating the nation's understanding of the need for economic education. It will support programs that raise various public's participation in economic education and/or create a demand for greater economic literacy; (b) The application of new strategies for teaching economics including on-line and web-based instruction is of interest to the Foundation; (c) Projects, policy studies, or programs that encourage measurement of economic understanding more often and/or more effectively are of specific interest; and (d) The large number of students at risk of leaving school, and hence never effectively participating in the nation's economic system are of concern to the Foundation. Programs that help otherwise disenfranchised youth and/or young adults with children learn to participate in the economic system are very important to the Foundation.
  
• Eligibility: Only IRS Approved 501(C)(3) organizations are eligible to receive grants.
• Web: http://www.kazanjian.org
  
• Deadline: September 15, 2009

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is seeking new and innovative research applications that link opportunities to advance public health protection with improvements in the condition and function of the water infrastructure. For purposes of this RFA, the water infrastructure includes centralized and decentralized systems that convey, store, and distribute potable and non-potable water and collect and manage municipal and industrial wastewater, storm water, and on-site rainwater. Innovation can take the form of wholly new applications or applications that build on existing knowledge and approaches for new uses. The focus of the solicitation is on improving the effectiveness of the water infrastructure for protecting public health. Projects should clearly demonstrate an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach that leads to advances in design, operation, and management of the water infrastructure and should directly tie those advances to public health protection in conjunction with improving water efficiency and reducing energy requirements.

• Eligibility: Public nonprofit institutions/organizations (includes public institutions of higher education and hospitals) and private nonprofit institutions and organizations (includes private institutions of higher education and hospitals) located in the U.S., state and local governments, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, and U.S. territories or possessions are eligible to apply.
• Funding: About $6 million for all awards. It is estimated that 8 regular awards and 4 early career awards will be made. For a regular award, the potential funding per awards is up to a total of $600,000, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of 4 years. Early career awards are limited to a total of $300,000, including direct and indirect costs, with a duration of 4 years. Cost-sharing is not required.
• Web: http://epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2009/2009_star_water_infrastructure.html
  
• Deadline: August 17, 2009

•  The National Endowment for the Humanities invites proposals for local and regional projects that foster collaboration between K-12 educators and humanities scholars to encourage engagement with the rich resources of American art to tell America's story. Participants should plan to: strengthen understanding of the connections between great works of American art and significant events, themes and topics in the American experience; encourage local and regional collaboration between K-12 educators and humanities experts; foster discussion of how to use the Picturing America images among K-12 educators within a locality or region; and provide access to rich scholarly resources and primary materials that support teaching.

• Eligibility: Colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations; state, local, American Indian tribal (federally recognized), and special district governments; and independent school districts.
• Funding: $75,000 each for up to 30 awards.
• Web: http://www.neh.gov:80/grants/guidelines/pascp.html
• Deadline: October 7, 2009

Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program

• The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from junior faculty members at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.
• Funding: $80,000,000  per year for new awards.
• Web: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08557/nsf08557.htm
• Deadline: July 21, 2009 - July 23, 2009

ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers

• The goal of the ADVANCE program is to develop systemic approaches to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, thereby contributing to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce. Creative strategies to realize this goal are sought from women and men. Members of underrepresented minority groups and individuals with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. Proposals that address the participation and advancement of women with disabilities and women from underrepresented minority groups are particularly encouraged. Proposals from primarily undergraduate institutions, teaching intensive colleges, community colleges, minority-serving institutions (e.g. Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions), women's colleges, and institutions primarily serving persons with disabilities are encouraged. In 2009-2010, this program will support the following types of ADVANCE Projects: Institutional Transformation: awards are expected to include innovative systemic organizational approaches to transform institutions of higher education in ways that will increase the participation and advancement of women in STEM academic careers.  These awards support comprehensive programs for institution-wide change.  IT projects must include a research component designed to study the effectiveness of the proposed innovations in order to contribute to the knowledge base informing academic institutional transformation (see additional ADVANCE merit review criteria). Institutional Transformation Catalyst: awards are designed to support institutional self-assessment activities, such as basic data collection and analysis and policy review, in order to identify specific issues in the recruitment, retention and promotion of women faculty in STEM academics within their institution of higher education.   This type of work is fundamental for institutions that plan to undertake institutional transformation.  The institution's need for external resources to undertake institutional self assessment and policy review will specifically be evaluated using an additional ADVANCE merit review criterion. Partnerships for Adaptation, Implementation, and Dissemination: awards may focus on one institution or organization, or they may be a partnership between several institutions and/or organizations.  PAID projects can focus on all STEM disciplines, several disciplines, or only one discipline, including the social and behavioral sciences.   Projects may have an international, national, state or local scope.  Previous or current funding from ADVANCE is not a prerequisite for submitting a PAID proposal (see additional ADVANCE merit review criteria).  PAID awards support activities such as: Adaptation and implementation of materials, tools, research, and practices that have been demonstrated to be effective in increasing the participation and advancement of women in STEM academic careers; Dissemination and diffusion of materials, tools, research, and practices, to the appropriate audiences, that have been demonstrated to be effective in increasing the participation and advancement of women in STEM academic careers.  Please note that simply making materials, tools, research, and practices available to others is not effective diffusion and dissemination.  Rather, an effort to teach and/or train individuals and groups how to adopt or adapt the information is expected as well; and Scientific research designed to advance understanding of gender in the STEM academic workforce (PAID-Research). 
• Funding: $16,000,000  - Pending availability of funds, NSF anticipates having approximately $16,000,000 available over the two fiscal year period FY 2009-FY2010 for support of the ADVANCE portfolio. Approximately $9,000,000 will be available for the FY2009 competition and approximately $7,000,000 will be available for the FY2010 competition.
• Web: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09504/nsf09504.htm
• Deadline: Letter of Intent Due August 4, 2009; Full Proposal Due November 12, 2009

NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)

• The S-STEM program emphasizes the importance of recruiting students to science and engineering disciplines, mentoring and supporting students through degree completion, and partnering with employers to facilitate student career placement in the STEM workforce. Participating institutions are expected to support the goals of the S-STEM program including: Improved educational opportunities for students; Increased retention of students to degree achievement; Improved student support programs at institutions of higher education; Increased numbers of well-educated and skilled employees in technical areas of national need. Students to be awarded scholarships must demonstrate academic talent and financial need. In addition, they must be US citizens, permanent residents, nationals, or refugees. It is expected that scholarship recipients will achieve at least one of the following by the end of the scholarship award period: Receive an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree in one of the S-STEM disciplines; Transfer from an associate degree program to a baccalaureate degree program or from an undergraduate program to a graduate program in one of the S-STEM disciplines; Successfully complete a stage within an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program in one of the S-STEM disciplines that, in the particular institution, is documented and described as a point of unusually high attrition.
• Funding: S-STEM grants may be made for up to five years and may provide individual scholarships of up to $10,000 per year, depending on financial need. Grantee institutions may elect to support individual student scholars for four years or may elect to support several cohorts of students for a shorter duration within the award period.
• Web: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09567/nsf09567.htm
• Deadline: Letter of Intent Due August 11, 2009; Full Proposal Due September 14, 2009

International Research Network Connections (IRNC)

• The United States research and education community communicates, cooperates, and collaborates with colleagues in the global community. Members of this community access remote instruments, data, and computational resources located throughout the world, often as part of international collaborations. Similarly, major NSF investments in large-scale science and engineering facilities located both inside and outside the United States are utilized by multi-national research and education collaborations. To support such activities, NSF solicits proposals for International Research Network Connections (IRNC). NSF expects to make a set of awards to: provide network connections linking U.S. research networks with peer networks in other parts of the world; leverage existing international network connectivity; improve the quality of end-to-end networking on international paths; explore experimental networking; stimulate the deployment and operational understanding of emerging technologies such as IPv6 in an international context. Links funded by this program are intended to support science and engineering research and education applications, and preference will be given to solutions which provide the best economy of scale and demonstrate the ability to support the largest communities of interest with the broadest services. Funded projects will assist the U.S. research and education community by enabling state-of-the-art international network services and access to increased collaboration and data services. Through extended international network connections, additional research and production network services will be enabled, complementing those currently offered or planned by domestic research networks. This program supports international research network connections across three areas: Production network environments (IRNC:ProNet); Experimental networking activities in support of cyber-science applications (IRNC:Exp); and special projects including advanced network development, deployment, security, monitoring, and other approaches (IRNC:SP).
• Funding: $32.5 million total over FY 2010 thru FY 2014. NSF expects to make approximately 5 IRNC:ProNet awards, each at approximately $1M/year for 5 years, and a total of 5 to 10 awards for IRNC:Exp and IRNC:SP funded at a level of $250K to $750K per year over 2-3 years.
• Web: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf09564
• Deadline: August 21, 2009

Cottrell College Science Awards

• The Cottrell College Science Awards support research in astronomy, chemistry, physics and closely related fields that significantly overlap with research in these three disciplines at public and private, predominantly undergraduate colleges. The projects proposed are judged on the basis of scientific originality, significance, feasibility, overlap with the three core disciplines and the ability of the institutional environment to sustain the activity. The involvement of undergraduate students in the research is expected, and is an important factor in most awards.

• Eligibility: Applications will be accepted from faculty members at public and private institutions of higher education in the United States. The applicant's home department must offer at least the baccalaureate, but not doctoral, degrees in the applicant's discipline. The institutional environment and support for research are important considerations in evaluating the potential of the proposal. The principal investigator must have a faculty appointment in a department of astronomy, chemistry or physics, or, if from another department, propose research that significantly overlaps with research in one of these three disciplines. At the time of application the applicant must be within the first three years of her (his) first tenure track appointment.
• Funding: Cottrell College Science Awards provide for only those direct expenses necessary for the conduct of the proposed research and within the five budgetary categories described in the guidelines. An institutional matching contribution to the project of at least 20% of the funding requested from Research Corporation for Science Advancement is expected. While these awards are designed to provide primarily summer support, continuation of the research throughout the academic year is expected. Budgets should be tailored to individual circumstances. Awards are approved for two years with a single, one-year extension possible to expend remaining funds. The total funding requested from Research Corporation for Science Advancement must be between $25,000 and $45,000.
• Web: http://www.rescorp.org/cottrell-college-science-awards
• Deadline: September 15, 2009

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The following external links are funding deadlines organized by discipline. Please select the applicable discipline to access possible funding opportunities: (courtesy of The Grant Advisor Plus)

• Fine Arts
• Humanities
  
• Sciences
  
• Social Sciences
  
• Federal Register
  
• Education
  
• International
  
• Health Related
  
• Unrestricted / Other
  
• Minorities / Women

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John Hulvey, Director of Sponsored Programs Administration and Accounting
MSC 5728, JMAC-6, Suite 26
hulveyjd@jmu.edu
x8-3725

Sponsored Programs Administration:
Pre-Award & Post-Award (Non-fiscal)
www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/
jmu_grants@jmu.edu
JMAC-6, Suite 26
MSC 5728
Phone: 568-6872; Fax: 568-6240

Sponsored Programs Accounting :
Post-Award (Grants & Contracts)
www.jmu.edu/acadaffairs/grant.shtml
JMAC-6, Suite 30
MSC 5713
Phone: 568-4623; Fax: 568-2397

Tamara Hatch, Associate Director
hatchtt@jmu.edu
x8-2350

Sally Dickenson, Grants Specialist
dickensr@jmu.edu
x8-2336

Whitney Gardner, Grants Specialist
gardnejw@jmu.edu
x8-3558

Carolyn Strong, Research Coordinator
IRB & IACUC Contact
strongcd@jmu.edu
x8-2318

Amanda Brown , Executive Assistant
brown2aw@jmu.edu
x8-6872 or x8-4623

Donna Crumpton, Financial Administrator
crumptdl@jmu.edu
x8-8099

Brenda Seifried, Financial Administrator
wilburbc@jmu.edu
x8-8-2314

Kyra Shiflet, Financial Administrator
shiflekl@jmu.edu
x8-7108

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