University of Lethbridge Research Fund (ULRF)

University of Lethbridge Research Fund (ULRF)

The 2024/2025 Guidelines have been updated for the current competition.

****If you are having issues submitting the ULRF using the Internal Grant Application Form via the Bridge, try selecting "no" when asked if you are a PI on an external grant. We have had issues with this field in the current competition****

* If a deadline falls on a weekend or a public holiday observed in Alberta, the deadline will be 4:00pm the MDT the next business day

Description:

The University of Lethbridge Research Fund (ULRF) is an internal source of funds administered by the Office of Research & Innovation Services (ORIS) directed toward the support of research activities in any discipline. The ULRF is intended to seed new projects and to leverage funding to launch a program of research. The ULRF is not intended to provide on-going support, through repeated applications, or to supplement an on-going program of research.

The ULRF SoTL Stream is an internal source of funds directed toward the support of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and administered by the Teaching Centre. As a pilot program for the 2024/2025 academic school year revised grant opportunities will be available and, in hopes of better supporting educators, applications will now be accepted four times throughout the year. Please visit the ULRF SoTL site for more details on these opportunities.

Eligibility:

All University of Lethbridge members, as defined in the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association Collective Agreement, who hold continuing appointments with research duties as part of their appointment may be eligible to apply. Other University of Lethbridge members may be eligible to apply, pending approval by the Dean in consultation with the Department Chair where Departments exist. Applicants may only be named on one ULRF application per competition. Applicants cannot hold more than one ULRF at a time. Applicants cannot simultaneously hold multiple awards from internal funding sources regardless of the project. Applicants are permitted, however, to hold a University of Lethbridge Travel Fund (ULTF) award concurrently with a ULRF.

Eligible Expenses:

• Research Assistants: Research assistant costs must include each employee’s title and type of work to be performed, the estimated number of hours/months to be worked, and the rate of pay per hour/month plus benefits.
• Contract Personnel: Costs associated with hiring external experts (i.e. designers, editors, technicians, etc.) are eligible, but must include cost breakdown such as hourly rate and anticipated scope of contract.
• Materials and Supplies: Requests for materials and supplies must clearly indicate their purpose in the proposed activities.
• Equipment: A descriptive statement of each item of equipment must be included in the justification of the budget. Applicants are reminded that all equipment purchased with research grants remains the property of the UofL in accordance with university policy. Applications for computer equipment will need to provide a particularly strong justification, establishing the specific need of the item for the proposed research.
• Travel: Travel costs must include the purpose of the travel for each destination, mode of travel, cost of meals and lodging, and the number of days of the travel.
• No more than 10% of the project budget may be used for professional development activities.
• No more than 10% of the budget may be directed to dissemination of research results, including conference attendance. Use of ULRF awards for conference costs will be restricted to expenses that are not eligible under the University of Lethbridge Travel Fund (e.g. costs associated with publication or poster production for presentations).

Conditions of the Award:

1. Use of Funds: Expenditures may be made only for those cost elements identified in the application or as limited in the Request for New Fund Form. Special conditions may include human participant research or animal welfare approval, expenditure limitations, etc. Minor transfers of funds from one budget category to another are permitted. Expenditures included in the application budget may be eligible if incurred between the application deadline and the Notice of Decision of the ULRF Competition if prior approval is granted by ORIS. Major transfers or the use of funds for a previously unspecified expense or a new budget item requires approval by ORIS.
2. Term: The term of an award is twenty-four (24) months or less, in accordance with the applicant's request. Requests for extensions should be submitted to ORIS thirty (30) days prior to the end date.
3. Reports: A final report on the work funded by the ULRF must be submitted within six months of the termination date. Subsequent applications can be considered only after receipt of satisfactory final reports and/or progress reports for previous or existing grants.
4. Equipment & Library Acquisitions: Equipment or library materials acquired with grant funds remain as property of the UofL in accordance with university policy.

How to Apply:

An application consists of a document attached to the Internal Grant Application Form found under the Research Services tab in the BRIDGE system. The attachment must be prepared in accordance with the instructions found here.

NOTE: Do not complete the online form until your attachment is complete and ready to be uploaded, as you cannot save the online form for completion at a later date.

Application Attachment Instructions:

Applicants must complete the online Internal Grant Application Form available through the BRIDGE and include the required attachment. For the attachment, use font size of 12 point, black type. Maximum of six lines per inch. No condensed/narrow fonts, type, or spacing. Insert a margin of 2 cm (3/4 inch) minimum around the page.

The application should be clear and concise and justify the use of all funding and provide all requested information.

1. Abstract and Key Words (max 1 page): Provide a succinct project description written so that a non-expert in the field of study can understand the proposed research, the scope and objectives of the project. Also outline the potential significance of the study to the University, discipline, researcher, students, and/or society at large. Key words: At the end of your Abstract, provide a list of up to 10 key words which describe your research project. These words can include: themes; areas of research or creative activity; objectives; methods/approaches; study populations/experimental systems; and outcomes, among others. The Key Words will assist the Multidisciplinary Review Committee in gauging their level of expertise in reviewing your proposal.
2. Research Proposal (max 5 pages): Organize the detailed narrative under the following headlines:
   • Background: Define the problem clearly and concisely, providing any background information essential to understanding the importance of the work.
   • Theoretical Framework, Methodology and Proposed Outcomes: Outline the theoretical framework governing the work proposed, the methodologies to be undertaken and the proposed outcomes. For collaborative applications with multiple applicants, indicate the unique role that each applicant brings to ensuring the proposed outcomes. Describe how the anticipated outcomes will serve to contribute to each applicant’s program of research. Indicate if the proposed research falls in a new or existing research program.
   • Significance and Dissemination: Include statements of the potential significance, future use, relevance or application of the results. Explain how the proposed project is situated within the PI’s larger research plan, including plans to continue the research with external funding. Explain how the results will be disseminated.
3. References (max 2 pages): Include references, where appropriate, to similar or related work. Indicate if the field is largely untouched.
4. Publications and Prior Research (max 5 pages): Provide an Academic CV (any format) including only recent (last six years) and/or relevant publications, and prior research activity. An applicant should indicate if they wish to be considered an Emerging Scholar if not obvious from the CV documents and provide justification.
5. Budget and Justification (max 2 pages): Applicants must provide a breakdown of the expenses equaling the total amount requested. Applicants must provide information on other sources of funding for the project if the proposed costs exceed the maximum provided by this fund. Provide a concise justification for each budget item.
6. Reviewer Information (optional) (max 1 page): If desired, applicants can include an additional page with the names of suggested (internal) reviewers, and any reviewers who should be excluded due to Conflict of Interest.
7. Research Assistants: Research assistants employed with grant funds are not regular University employees and are not covered by the provisions of the collective agreement with support staff.

The following priorities apply to all applicants:

• Grants are awarded on the basis of merit. In most instances, ULRF applications will be reviewed by two Reviewers who are members of the Multidisciplinary Review Committee. Due to limits on funding availability, appeals will not be considered.
• Proposals involving student participation are given priority. If student participation is not possible, it is strongly suggested that a brief justification be provided.

The ULRF awards will be allocated between Emerging and Established Scholars, according to tri-agency definitions. The number of each type of applicant to be funded will be considered annually based upon the number of applications, budget allocation to the competition, and the quality of submitted applications.

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Assessment of the Application (pass/fail): This is an overall rating for the proposal package.
2. Quality and Originality of Proposal (40%) including the clarity of purpose/objectives; potential significance of proposed research; suitability of research methods/strategies; relationship/importance to research program; and suitability of proposed timetable.
3. Research/Scholarly/Creative Achievements of Applicant (40%) including significance of previous work and level of research activity, taking into account the scholar's stage of career.
4. Justification of Proposed Budget (20%). It is the responsibility of the applicant(s) to provide adequate information and justification for activities and expenditures included in the application package.

The applications will be funded based on the ranking and the budget allotment for that funding year. It is expected that the number of fundable applications will exceed the amount of available funds for each competition.

Timeline:

• August – September: Launch of current competition.
• November 1, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.: Application deadline.
• November – December: Applications are reviewed by members of the Multidisciplinary Review Committee.
• January – February: Applications are ranked by the Multidisciplinary Review Committee and recommendations for funding are finalized.
• February: Notice of Decisions are distributed to applicants.
• March 1: Start date of successful ULRF applications.

Conflict of Interest Guidelines* for Reviewer Selection:

A conflict of interest occurs when a reviewer’s duties and responsibilities with regard to the review process are in conflict with that reviewer’s private, professional, business, or public interests. There may be a real, perceived or potential conflict of interest when the review committee member, external reviewer or observer:

• May receive professional/personal benefit resulting from the funding opportunity or application being reviewed;
• Has a professional/personal relationship with an applicant or the applicant’s institution; or
• Has a direct/indirect financial interest in a funding opportunity or application being reviewed.

A conflict of interest may exist when review committee members, external reviewers or observers:

• Are a relative or close friend or have a personal relationship with the applicant(s);
• Are in a position to gain or lose financially/materially from the funding of the application;
• Have had long-standing scientific or personal differences with the applicant(s);
• Are closely professionally affiliated with the applicants, as a result of having in the last six years:
  • Been a supervisor or a trainee of the applicant(s);
  • Currently supervise the applicant(s) (ie. Department Chair or Dean);
  • Collaborated, published or shared funding with the applicants, or have plans to do so in the immediate future; and/or
  • Feel for any reason unable to provide an impartial review of the application.

ORIS reserves the right to resolve areas of uncertainty and to determine if a conflict exists.

* Adapted from the Government of Canada website