The BAC considers all non-science research, scholarly, or creative project proposals. Eligibility for research-oriented grants (i.e. faculty research grants) is limited to existing employees of the University who are in a tenure-track or tenured position at the time of the grant award. Non-tenure-track faculty that are employed in a full-time status at the time of the grant award may apply for faculty development short course grants, instructional development grants, mini-grants, and travel-to-present grants.
If you are trying to decide whether your application should be submitted to the BAC or the HAC, the BAC and HAC chairs along with the Director of BIRS have formed a grants advisory panel that will help you decide the most appropriate committee for your proposal. If you want the help of the panel, please submit your proposal to the BIRS office two weeks prior to the November 5th deadline.
General Policies
Proposal Forms
Mini-Grant
Short Course/Workshop Attendance Grant
Travel to Present Paper at National/International Conference
Instructional Development Grant
Faculty Research Grant
BAC Members
- Proposal Quality - The committee has an expectation that proposals will be well written and grammatically correct, with few, if any, errors in punctuation, spelling, etc.
- Stipends – Summer stipends of up to $3,000 per faculty member are allowed for 9-month faculty only on those grant types that allow stipends. Stipends for students are also permitted up to $3,000 per person. It is expected that students would be paid by the hour. Students' work not be limited to the summer. Multiple stipends on the same grant proposal must be justified.
- Budgets – Budgets will be carefully reviewed by the Committee. Supporting documentation for large expenditures in any budget category is recommended. Grant funds cannot be spent until the actual start date of the grant, (exceptions will only be made for air fare and hotel reservations; if the exception is approved travel must be completed in the same fiscal year as the grant).
- Grant Extensions – Occasionally an extension of the grant period of annual grants is permitted. If an investigator requires additional time to complete his/her project, an extension request should be submitted no later than one month prior to the end of the grant period. No new grant money will be released until the first project is completed, including the final report.
- Reports – Reports are due in the Institute for Research and Scholarship office no later than 60 days following the end of the grant period for all grant types. Failure to submit a final report could jeopardize future funding. See the individual grant descriptions for more details on what content is required for each grant type.
- Computer Purchases – Computer hardware and software will be supported only if they are essential to the unique requirements of the research project.
- Equipment Purchases – All equipment purchased with a BAC award becomes property of Butler University when the project is completed.
- Professional Association Membership Fees - the BAC will fund conference registration fees but will not fund professional association membership fees.
- Travel-to-Present Grants – BAC grants for travel are limited. BAC will approve up to $750 per trip if travel is international, and up to $500 per trip for domestic travel. BAC will fund up to two trips per fiscal year, as long as funds last. The grant is intended to supplement college travel funding. The grant amount must be matched by college travel funds. The matching college funds may be funds awarded by the college for prior travel during the fiscal year, college funds provided for the present application, or a combination of the two. If the applicant's college cannot fully match the requested BAC grant amount, the dean of the applicant's college should indicate this on the BAC application form. Requests for such travel will be granted at the discretion of the BAC.
- Priority – In the event that two proposals are of equal quality, BAC will give priority to proposals by tenure-track (but untenured) faculty members over proposals by tenured faculty members.
- BAC is committed to funding as many quality grant applications as possible, and to helping faculty develop the skills necessary to successfully compete for extramural funding. Therefore, effective in the fall of 2009, after three or more successful BAC Faculty Research Grant (or Summer Faculty Fellowship) applications, applicants will be required to submit, along with their next Faculty Research Grant application, evidence of having attempted to secure extramural funding to support their research.
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Proposal Forms
These documents are Word fill-in forms that can be completed in Word and printed. All proposal forms should be submitted to the Institute for Research and Scholarship in JH 240.
New Policy for Submission of HAC and BAC Proposals
In the interest of expediting the internal grant approval process, saving time and paper, the BAC, HAC and HUG committees have agreed that proposals for ALL internal grants (including those due on November 5th) will now be submitted to the BIRS office electronically. The process up to submission remains as it has in the past. The application is filled out and taken to the department chair and dean for signature. The next step is the change in the process – once the application has been signed by the dean it should be scanned and sent via email to the BIRS office (rholm@butler.edu) for electronic distribution to the appropriate committee. If you need help scanning your document contact any Instructional Technology staff member at x8575 or training@butler.edu. Thank you for your cooperation in making our transition to an electronic grant submission/approval process as smooth as possible. If you have any questions, please contact Bob Holm at x9766 or rholm@butler.edu.
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Mini-Grant
$500 max. (Mini-Grant Form - Word file)
Program:
This program supports special research needs for projects that are not part of a larger project or supported by other funding.
Proposal Format:
The proposal consists of a program statement which should include, the nature of the research and the need for support, the objectives, significance, how the work will be conducted, and a time schedule for completion. In addition, a detailed budget is required.
The proposal should be signed by the applicant, Head of Department, and Dean of the College.
Deadline:
Proposals are due on the first of each month.
Report:
A brief report describing the outcome of the research conducted using these funds is due in the Institute for Research and Scholarship office no more than 60 days following the end of the grant period. Failure to submit this report could jeopardize future BAC funding.
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Travel-to-Present Paper at Domestic/International Conference
$750 max. for international travel
$500 max. for domestic travel
(Travel-to-Present Form - Word file)
Program:
This program supports faculty travel costs to a national or international meeting to present the results of a research, creative or scholarly project. BAC grants for travel are limited. BAC will approve up to $750 per trip if travel is international, and up to $500 per trip for domestic travel. BAC will fund up to two trips per fiscal year, as long as funds last. (Domestic travel includes travel within the continental U.S. and travel to Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. All other travel is international travel. ) The grant is intended to supplement college travel funding. The grant amount must be matched by college travel funds. The matching college funds may be funds awarded by the college for prior travel during the fiscal year, college funds provided for the present application, or a combination of the two. If the applicant's college cannot fully match the requested BAC grant amount, the dean of the applicant's college should indicate this on the BAC application form. Requests for such travel will be granted at the discretion of the BAC. In cases of multiple authors, only the principal presenter will be supported.
TTP funds can be used to fund convenors of sessions and those presenting papers. BAC understands “convening” to involve proposing and organizing a session, and inviting participants. Those who chair or preside at a panel, but do not propose or organize the session, cannot receive funding. Discussants, respondents, and panelists will be funded at a rate of 50% of the usual limits. Exceptions to these rules may be made if significant extenuating circumstances obtain.
Proposal Format:
The proposal consists of a program statement which identifies the conference and describes the research, creative, or scholarly results to be presented and how it meets BAC guidelines. The statement should be typewritten, one and a half spaced and no more than two pages. Enclose a copy of the invitation to present a paper at the conference.
In the budget summary, please list and total all requested expenditures and identify the source of the matching funds.
The proposal should be signed by the applicant, Head of Department, and Dean of the College.
Deadline:
Proposals are due on the first of each month preceding the month of the conference.
Report:
A brief report of the outcome of the conference and the benefit of participating in it is due in the Institute for Research and Scholarship office no more than 60 days following the end of the conference. Failure to submit this report could jeopardize future BAC funding.
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Short Course/Workshop Attendance Grant
$750 max. for an international short course/workshop
$500 max. for a domestic short course/workshop
(Short Course Grant Form - Word file)
Program:
This program supports faculty attendance at continuing education short course programs and workshops such as the NSF Chautauqua Short Courses. It is the responsibility of the applicant to explain to the Committee how the application meets the criteria for this grant. The amount of the award does not normally exceed $500 for domestic travel or $750 for international travel.
Proposal Format:
The program statement should describe the short course the applicant wishes to attend and how it will contribute to his/her professional development. Include a copy of the workshop announcement and program. The statement should be typewritten, one and a half spaced and no more than two pages in length.
The budget summary should list and total all requested expenditures. Requests over the domestic/international maximum must include a written justification.
The proposal should be signed by the applicant, Head of Department, and Dean of the College.
Deadline:
Proposals are due on the first of each month, one month prior to the date of the short course.
Report:
A report describing the knowledge or skills gained by attending the short course is due in the Institute for Research and Scholarship office no more than 60 days following the end of the course. It is also recommended that, when appropriate, the faculty member should share the knowledge gained with his or her colleagues by giving a seminar or colloquium.
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Instructional Development Grant
$2,000 max. (Instructional Development Grant Form - Word file)
Program:
This program supports the development of new courses or the revision of existing courses. The maximum award is $2,000.00, to be used in the summer. A stipend can be a part of the award for the development of a new course in the catalogue or a course new to the applicant. Stipends for a course currently taught by faculty members are not provided, but materials, publications, etc. are permitted for an existing course revision. The applicant must teach the course supported by the grant during the following academic year.
Proposal Format:
The program statement should describe the nature of the course, the need for development and how work will be accomplished. It should also describe how the proposed course meets the BAC guidelines for an Instructional Development Grant Application. The statement should be typewritten, one and a half spaced and no more than two pages.
The budget summary should list and total all requested expenditures.
The proposal should be signed by the applicant, the Head of the Department, and the Dean of the College.
Deadline:
There are traditionally two deadlines each year. Both deadlines are for projects to be conducted the summer following award of the grant. One falls in mid-November, and one in late March. Specific deadlines will be published on the Institute for Research and Scholarship web page and in campus e-mail.
Duration:
The grant period is normally from May 1st to December 31st, unless an extension is required.
Report:
A report describing the final design of the new course or how the existing course has been improved is due in the Institute for Research and Scholarship office no later than 60 days after the end of the grant period.
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Faculty Research Grant
$6,000 max. (Faculty Research Form - Word file)
Program:
The Butler Awards Committee Non-Science Faculty Research Grants support original, creative, and scholarly faculty research projects in the humanities, social sciences, the fine and performing arts, education, business and other non-science areas. The research may be theoretical or empirical. The research may be basic or applied. If you are trying to decide whether your application should be submitted to the BAC or the HAC, the BAC and HAC chairs along with the Director of BIRS have formed a grants advisory panel that will help you decide the most appropriate committee for your proposal. If you want the help of the panel, please submit your proposal to the BIRS office two weeks prior to the November 5th deadline.
The program is competitive and open to all tenured or tenure track non-science faculty. $3000 of the overall award can be designated as a stipend to compensate the applicant for the extensive time invested in conducting research, writing a play, or creating a proposal for a book. The employment of Butler students on the project is encouraged but not required. The maximum amount of the award is ordinarily $5,000. Proposals up to $6000 will be considered in the case of extraordinary travel or equipment needs. In such cases, however, it is the responsibility of the applicant to justify the extra expenses. In no case, however, may the stipend requested exceed $3,000.
Criteria for Consideration of Faculty Research Proposals:
Criteria for Consideration of Faculty Research Proposals
Proposals must be well-written and logically constructed, and must clearly make the case for why and how the proposed activity meets the criteria below:
- The activity requires a high level of discipline-related expertise.
- The activity creates new knowledge, is innovative, and relevant to contemporary scholarly or creative discourse.
- The work and its results can be documented and disseminated.
- The work and its results can be peer-reviewed or (in the case of creative activities) juried.
- The activity has the potential to enrich the classroom experience of Butler students.
Rules, Exceptions, and Stipulations:
- Multiple Collaborators: The $3000 maximum faculty stipend may be divided among several colleagues. Two or more faculty members may submit multiple proposals for the same project, but limited resources make it unlikely that more than one grant would be funded in any one given year.
- Student Workers: A $3000 stipend per student is permitted.
- Travel/Conferences: Allowable travel costs include food and incidentals, actual lodging costs, actual travel fares and mileage. Faculty members are encouraged to use college or department funds for other travel expenses or to apply for a BAC Travel-to-Present award. Travel within central Indiana will not be supported.
- Books: Generally speaking, applicants should not request more than $250 for the purchase of books and other texts. Applicants may request more, but must clearly justify the additional need.
- Exclusions: These awards are not to be used to support the completion of a graduate degree program. In addition, proposals will not be accepted for projects for which the faculty member is already being compensated, such as writing a book for which there is anything more than a nominal honorarium already being paid by the publisher to the author.
It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator to clearly describe the research methods that will be used in the project. If a survey is a major component of the proposed research, the following information should be included with the proposal:
- Hypothesis
- Prior relevant research findings
- Potential knowledge to be gained
- Survey instrument
- Proposed data analysis
Proposal Format:
It is extremely important for the applicant to remember that the proposal will be reviewed by professionals in other disciplines and that the proposal should be in clear and concise language that can be evaluated by the reviewers.
- Title Page (use prepared form):
- Program Statement:
Please attach a description of the proposed project following the outline listed below. Proposals will be evaluated by readers who are not necessarily experts in the specific field of the proposal. The application should be written for a general audience to understand. The program statement is limited to a maximum of five typed pages (one and a half space). Proposals that exceed this amount will be returned without evaluation. - Background – The background for the project including the problem or need, related work and the underlying rationale.
- Objectives – The objective(s) of the project.
- Significance – The importance or significance of the research and the relation of the research to the applicant’s previous and future work. State how the project contributes to scholarship within the field.
- Methods – Describe the methods applicant will use to achieve his/her objectives including any of the following that apply: the creative procedures or experimental methods, equipment required, data gathering and analysis, time schedule, evaluation and reporting of results.
- Analysis – Describe information to be collected and how it will be used or analyzed.
- Role of students and level of involvement.
- If appropriate, suggest how research completed through this grant will create opportunities for future external funding.
- Budget (Use prepared form):
The budget is an important part of the proposal and care should be taken to ensure the budget is clearly defined and the proposed expenditures are justified. The maximum BAC Faculty Research award is $5,000. Awards may be less then $5,000. A faculty stipend up to $3000 is permitted. Stipends for students are also permitted up to $3,000 per student. It is expected that students would be paid by the hour. Students’ work need not be limited to the summer. Multiple stipends on the same grant proposal must be justified. Allowable travel costs include food and incidentals, actual lodging costs, actual travel fares and mileage. Faculty members are encouraged to use the college or department funds for other travel expenses or to apply for a BAC Travel-to-Present award. Travel within central Indiana will not be supported. The program does not support funding for degree completion, writing previously completed projects, writing textbooks or chapters for textbooks, curriculum development or planning classes. Computer hardware and software will be supported only if they are essential to the unique requirements of the research project. - Curriculum Vitae:
Include a one-page curriculum vitae indicating applicant’s capability to complete the work. - Publications and Bibliography:
List applicant’s publications that are relevant to the project and any bibliographic references. Limit of one page. - Appendix A (Report on Previous BAC-funded research):
Applicants who have previously received a Faculty Research Grant (or Summer Faculty Fellowship) must include a report on the results of work funded by the most recent BAC grant, and (if applicable) how the new work relates to the previous project. - Appendix B (Report on Extramural Grant Applications):
Applicants who have received three or more Faculty Research Grants (or Summer Faculty Fellowships) must provide evidence that they have received no more than three such internal grants since they last attempted to secure extramural funding to support their research. - Appendix C (optional):
Supplementary materials may be included.
The proposal should be signed by the applicant, the Head of Department, and the Dean of the College.
Deadline:
There are traditionally two deadlines each year. Both deadlines are for projects to be conducted the summer following award of the grant. One falls in mid-November, and one in late March. BAC strongly encourages applicants to apply in the first round, as declined applicants are generally given the opportunity to re-apply in the second round. You can contact the Institute for Research and Scholarship for information.
Duration:
The grant period is from May 1st to May 31st of the following year unless an extension is requested.
Report:
A report detailing exactly what was accomplished and the results of the project is due in the Institute for Research and Scholarship office no more than 60 days following the end of the grant period. This report can be a paper that has been submitted for publication. Failure to submit this report will jeopardize chances for future BAC funding.
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