MSU Center for Water Sciences

Current CWS Venture Grant RFP

New! You can now use Venture grant funds to lead a workshop. We encourage the creation of faculty teams on campus around specific research topics related to water. Use venture funds to support a workshop or series of workshops that gathers faculty on campus and outside experts to jump-start research. The outcome of the workshop should be a brief white paper describing the topic, research needs, and a plan for action to further the research.

The CWS promotes the development of interdisciplinary teams to advance scientific research and knowledge for understanding, protecting, and restoring water resources and their sustainable use by humans and ecosystems around the Great Lakes and the world. To accomplish this mission, the Center will award funds for innovative research programs in water science.

Eligibility
Project Scope
Submission and Review Process
Due Date
Review Criteria
Agreement for Funding
Download Application
Final Reports

 

Eligibility

  1. One or more of the investigators must have faculty membership status in the CWS.
  2. Project must be relevant to the CWS mission.
  3. Project must be multidisciplinary.
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Project Scope

Funds up to $10,000 per project will be awarded for a duration of 1 year.

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Submission and Review Process

Proposals should be submitted electronically using the form provided by CWS to Dr. Erin Dreelin (dreelin@msu.edu) by 5:00 pm on the due date. Proposals should be written for a general scientific audience. Proposals will be distributed to reviewers suggested by the CWS Advisory Committee and/or CWS faculty for review. Proposals will be reviewed based on criteria below and recommendations for support or no support will be submitted to the co-directors, who will decide upon funding. 

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Due Date

Proposals are accepted twice a year; they are due by 5:00 pm on December 15 and April 15.

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Review Criteria

All funding applications should support the mission of CWS.  CWS will use the following criteria to review proposals:

  1. Quality of the research proposed.
  2. Quality of long-term research program that the proposed funding supports.
  3. Possibility of federal grants that the PI will initiate as a result of these funds.
  4. Support of junior faculty of the project and related long-term research program.
  5. Multi-disciplinary nature of the project and related long-term research program.
  6. Relation to priority research areas of CWS

CWS gives preference to proposals that:

  • Support junior faculty
  • Create new collaborations
  • Support faculty who have not received prior funding from CWS
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Agreement for Funding

Faculty receiving funding will be expected to:

  • Submit a final report one month after the end of the award. Reports should include any/all publications, including abstracts presented at national and local meetings that are derived from the project. Reports will be posted on the CWS website.
  • Provide information to CWS on the progress of your project to include in the Center's annual review and report.
  • Acknowledge CWS in all publications that result from work supported or partially supported with CWS resources such as: “This material is based upon work supported in part by the Center for Water Sciences at Michigan State University.”
  • Participate in Center activities, such as review committees, seminars, and workgroup meetings.
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Application

Click to download RFP and application in Word or pdf.

Download a CWS budget form in Excel. You must include an itemized budget and justification in your proposal.

 

Final Reports

Final reports are due to CWS one month after your award ends (closure of your account). Click to download final report requirements in pdf.

 

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