Program to Enhance External Research (Peer)

Purpose
The purpose of the Program to Enhance External Research (PEER) is to fund pilot or preliminary work in specific university research and other scholarly endeavors, including public service activities, which show high probability for attracting increasing levels of support from external funding agencies.

It is expected that a formal proposal(s) to an external agency(ies) will be prepared as an end product of a PEER award. The PEER program cannot be used as a supplement to currently funded research.

Eligibility:
Members of the James Madison University Faculty and Staff are eligible. Individuals or teams may apply, but at least one applicant must be either full-time or on a continuing full appointment by the university.

Criteria for Awards
A PEER proposal must supply convincing evidence that the following criteria have been met:
The proposed activities must represent high quality research or scholarly activities of significant benefit to the University and society.
A proposal will be submitted for continuation of the activity.
Priority will be given to proposals for original research and pressing national or societal issues.

Funding
The maximum PEER grant award will be $5,000. Generally, the range will be $2,000-$5,000. Funds may be used for such items as additional faculty release time or staff time during the academic year or summer, student assistance, clerical support, equipment, materials, and travel.
If the project requires it, faculty members may request release time, from one course, or a summer stipend. These requests must be accompanied by a letter, containing the following, from the faculty member's Department Head:

• The Department Head must confirm the necessity of released time or a summer stipend for successful completion of the proposed project.
• The Department Head must indicate the monetary provision necessary for hiring a temporary replacement.

Budgets will be reviewed critically, with all budget items requiring justification.

Reporting and Acknowledgment
Each grantee must submit a report not more than 90 days after the end of a grant period that describes progress in or the outcome of the project. It is also the responsibility of each award recipient to furnish information to the Office of Sponsored Programs concerning external applications which are submitted or awards received as a result of PEER funding. Such information should include date of submission, title of the project, inclusive dates, agency, total amount requested, and the status of each application. Failure to comply with this reporting requirement may disqualify an individual for future consideration in all internal funding programs.
Notice must be given of publications, exhibitions, or performances resulting from this award. The grantee must acknowledge PEER support in all publications resulting from the award and provide one copy of the publication to the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Intellectual Property
Intellectual properties must be in accordance with University Policy #1107. For additional information see the Faculty Handbook. For more information about how to protect intellectual property, see the following URL: http://www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/iproperty.html
Visit http://www.jmu.edu/JMUpolicy/1107.shtml for the full JMU Intellectual Property policy.

• Appendices are discouraged. If appendices are critical, refer the reviewers to them at appropriate times.
  
• If you have applied for or received approval from the Human Subjects Committee or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, indicate that, but do not include documentation.
  
• Proposals should be no longer than 15 double spaced pages including vita. It is strongly suggested that enough information be provided so that the attached proposal review questions may be answered.

Review Process
A committee chaired and chosen by the Associate Vice-President for Research and Program Innovation will review the submitted proposals. Most members will not be technically knowledgeable in all proposal research areas, so it is incumbent upon the principal investigator to present the project in a way that such a group may evaluate it.

Proposal Deadline
Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. Two copies of the completed, signed proposal should be submitted to the Office of Sponsored Programs, located at JMAC, Building 6, Suite 26, MSC 5728. Please call the Office of Sponsored Programs at 568-6872 with any questions.

Human Subjects Review
All proposals which deal with humans as research subjects, including surveys and interview protocols, must be reviewed by the James Madison University Institutional Review Board on Human Subjects and Experimentation, University policy #1104, prior to the initiation of any research. In order to assure a timely review, the proposal should be made to the review board concurrent with submission to the Office of Sponsored Programs. For more information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/irb.html or see the full JMU policy regarding human subjects at http://www.jmu.edu/JMUpolicy/1104.shtml

Animal Care Review
The Institutional Animal Care and use Committee (IACUC) must review all proposals which deal with research involving animals, University policy #2202, prior to the initiation of any research. In order to assure a timely review, proposals should be made to the IACUC concurrent with submissions to the Office of Sponsored Programs. For more information, visit www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/iacuc.html or see the full JMU policy regarding animal care and use at http://www.jmu.edu/JMUpolicy/2202.shtml

Contact Us
Please feel free to contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at 540-568-6872 if you have any questions.

For complete PEER guidelines and the PEER application, please visit our website at www.jmu.edu/sponsprog/internalsources.html
*Then click on the PEER Application Materials link for more information

	Last Revised: August, 2007     Publisher: Sponsored Programs     For Information Contact: jmu_grants@jmu.edu Privacy Statement