Application Procedure
The CIRS application process begins with the preparation of a five-page pre-proposal. Pre-proposals should be submitted through CIRS Online. Pre-proposals submitted after midnight on the published deadline date will not be reviewed.
Pre-proposals selected for further consideration – usually 8 to 16 projects – will be developed into 12-page Planning or Full Proposals. Guidelines for the preparation of invited proposals will be sent directly to each project’s Principal Investigator.
The CIRS Program expects to make between four and eight awards each year. Project funds will become available on July 1st.
Pre-proposal Preparation
1. Coversheet: A coversheet is automatically generated by CIRS Online.
2. Format: Pre-proposals should not exceed five typed pages (single space, 1-inch margins, minimum 11 pt font size, figures included). References and the estimated budget are not included in the five-page limit. Supplemental attachments are not permitted.
3. Content of the pre-proposal:
Section I. Project NarrativeSection II. Project Alignment with CIRS Goalsa. Describe the new and novel scholarly activity in language understandable by diverse, non-expert reviewers
b. Describe the role and qualifications of PI and Co-PIs
c. Describe how the project’s short and long term success will be measured
Section III. Budgeta. Describe the project’s potential for broadly impacting the campus research and scholarly community
b. Discuss how the proposed activities will leverage existing strengths or areas of potential campus excellence. Indicate how these activities differ from similar efforts at peer institutions
c. Discuss plans for the project’s sustainability when CIRS funding ends
a. Budget: provide a budget estimate not to exceed $50,000 and one-year’s duration for planning projects; not to exceed $100,000 per year and up to three-year’s duration (keeping in mind that projects are rarely funded for more than two years) for full projects. Estimates should be broken down into major expense categories (e.g., personnel, minor equipment, supplies, meeting support). Download budget template (PDF or MS Word).
b. Provide a list of campus funding received during the last 5 years (e.g., CIRS, Research Board, matching commitments, ad hoc departmental or campus funding for research.)
CIRS awards are distributed as ICR funds and campus guidelines must be followed for all expense categories including requests for food and beverages.
CIRS Online, the CIRS Program's electronic submission application, will be activated in mid-October.