Purpose 

The UCSB Institute for Social, Behavioral, & Economic Research (ISBER) and the Vice Chancellor for Research announce the availability of up to $5,000 per award from the the Collaborative Research Initiative Grant Program (C-RIG).  The purpose of this program is to enrich the quality of collaborative research in the social sciences at UCSB by supporting research groups in the first stages of extramural grant development.  Funds may be used in a variety of ways to facilitate group discussion and grant development.  Proposed research using any of the methodological or theoretical paradigms within the social sciences and humanistic social sciences is welcome.  All eligible faculty members are encouraged to apply. 

Eligibility

Ladder faculty of all ranks in Departments and Programs in the Social Science Division of the College of Letters and Science are eligible to submit proposals in collaboration with others.  Proposals may include faculty outside the Social Science Division, professional researchers, or researchers from other campuses as long as one investigator has ladder rank within the Division.  Previous recipients of awards from ISBER Grants Programs are allowed to apply, provided they have expended all funds and submitted a final report for prior project(s) and the requested funding is to support a new project.  Faculty who have never been awarded ISBER funds are also encouraged to apply.  Graduate students are not eligible to apply.

Criteria 

The C-RIG program will fund research at the beginning stages of development, with the expectation that a submission for extramural funding will result by the end of the funding period.  Priority will be given to projects with the greatest promise for future extramural funding.

Budgets and allowable expenses

The maximum allowable request under this program is $3,000.  The program will permit the following types of funding when adequately justified:

• travel (domestic or international): for the purpose of preliminary research, meeting with collaborators or potential funding agents

• research assistance:  UCSB graduate or undergraduate students only; no postdocs

• expenses related to the costs of meeting and consultation (e.g. food, housing, phone charges, etc.)

• supplies and expenses to copy and circulate written materials (e.g., Xeroxing, mailings, etc)

 

Equipment costing more than $500 and conference travel will not be funded.

Timeline for proposed work and award administration

The start date of research will begin wtihin 6 months of the date of the award.  All C-RIG projects will be funded for one year from the agreed-upon start date.  C-RIG funds cannot be renewed or extended beyond one year (no exceptions).  All project funds will be directly administered by ISBER.

Evaluation and review

The review of eligible proposals will be undertaken by the Director of ISBER.  Proposals will be reviewed fo their quality, degree of demonstrated interest by collaborators, and the promise of the resulting extramural proposals.  Funding decisions will be provided within one month of a completed submission.

Proposal content

Proposalcover sheets are required for submissions and are downloadable from the ISBER web site at: http://isber.ucsb.edu/files/C-RIG coversheet 2009.doc.

 

Completed proposals should include the following:

 

• cover sheet, including a statement of goals (250 words), a list of other funding received for the collaboration,and a list of any previous ISBER award(s) of any type or duration;

• a statement of the problem and its significance, rationale and argument for its collaborative character, and a plan of work (4 pp. single spaced maximum, 12 pt. type) for collaboration and proposal production;

• references cited (no page limit);

• budget (see ISBER proposal coordinator, Paula Ryan for assistance in budget preparation: paula@isber.ucsb.edu);

• budget justification – please provide a rationale for all budget items;

• c.v. (abbreviated 2-page maximum) for all participants in the collaborative group.
  

Submission of proposals

Proposals must be submitted electronically to paula@isber.ucsb.edu.  The target date for submission is June 26, 2009.  Proposals will be considered after this date pending availability of funds.  Prior to submission of proposals, please consult with Barbara Walker, Director of Research Development for the Social Sciences, xt. 3576 (blewalker@isber.ucsb.edu)