Internal Funding

BU is moving toward a policy of having all research publications available open access. To support faculty, we have set aside $20,000 for faculty and graduate students to request funding to publish their work for 2022-2023.

This is the pilot year for this program. Therefore, we are interested in understanding the College’s needs and resources for open access publishing. We are seeking to support researchers at all levels (graduate students, lecturers, clinical faculty, tenure-track faculty). We would like to focus on those for whom these funds would be the only source of support, although all members of the College are eligible to apply for and receive funds. Anyone who feels they have a need is encouraged to fill out the Open Access Fee Support Request form, and we plan to use this information to make decisions about the amount of funding available for future years.

Proposal Submission Deadline: March 1 (for subsequent Fall semester) and September 1 (for subsequent Spring semester)

Download the template application.

Description

The purpose of this internal award is to support faculty who plan to write and submit a grant proposal in the immediate future. This award is intended to provide faculty with additional time (1 course reduction) during the semester preceding their grant submission to facilitate successful proposal completion and grant submission. Up to 4 awards will be made each academic year.

Eligibility

• Faculty members must have identified the specific grant for which they will apply.
• Grant submission deadlines must be within 3 months from the semester end date of when this award is received (e.g., a grant received in spring semester must be submitted by August of that year).
• Direct costs of total grant budgets must be $250,000 or more (whether for a single year or multiyear award) AND must be at the full IDC rate (currently 65%).
  • a. Grants that do not meet the full IDC rate may be considered if direct costs of the grant are sufficiently large enough to result in equivalent IDC revenue for the College.
  • b. Grants that do not meet the total grant amount may be considered with department chair and associate dean for research approval before submission.
• In multi-faculty PI/Co-PI teams, only one member of the team is eligible for this award.
• Faculty members must teach at least 1 course during the AY in which they receive this internal grant.
• Faculty members may receive only one of these internal grants every 3 years.
• Faculty members must submit the final grant application according to the proposed timeline. Exceptions must be approved by the associate dean for research before the timeline is changed.

Review Process

• Applications for this award should be submitted to the associate deans’ administrator by the due dates noted above.
• Applications will be reviewed by the associate dean for research and the chair of the Research Committee, who will together make recommendations for award decisions to the dean. The dean has final decision making authority for the issuing of awards.

Reporting & Acknowledgement

Each awardee is required to submit a brief report and project abstract to the associate dean for research at the time of the large grant submission. Faculty members agree that if they fail to submit the final grant application by the agreed to date, they will “pay back” the teaching reduction in one of the next two semesters immediately following the intended submission date.

Example: Bill gets this award in the spring semester and he intends to submit his IES grant in July. He does not complete his application and fails to submit his grant. Bill would normally teach 2 courses in the Fall semester but since he needs to “pay back” his course, he will teach.

Failure to comply with these reporting requirements will disqualify an individual for future consideration in all internal funding programs.

Proposal Submission Deadline: January 8 and July 8 by 5 pm (ET).

Description

The Small Grant Awards are designed to provide funding for new pilot research studies that have the potential to attract subsequent external funding or to support completion of an existing research project where funding has been exhausted. These awards are to support projects that are not currently funded by external sources or department funding (though may be supplemented by department matching) and are intended for projects that can be completed within an 18-month period. Up to $5,000 may be requested, and budgets must be clearly articulated and followed. The Research Committee or associate dean for research (ADR) may award partial amounts or work with departments to supplement funding as necessary and at its discretion in order to support a greater number of faculty projects. Individuals may submit only one application for this program per fiscal year (July 1-June 30). An applicant is only eligible to have one funded small grant award over a three-year period. Exceptions to this eligibility criterion must be in writing with a letter of support from the department chair.

Small Grant Awards are intended for specific use projects (i.e. funds for a specific pilot study or for completing transcription for an existing study) and are not intended for general purposes. Faculty applicants should not have received start-up funds exceeding $20,000 during the past five years or the applicant should provide a detailed description of how such funds have been or will be exhausted—thus demonstrating the necessity of small grant funds. Small grant awards will not be awarded to centers. Requests for the following will NOT be funded through this mechanism:

1. Purchase of computer hardware or software (except for software packages that are related to the project and not available otherwise through BU)
2. Travel to meetings and conferences or travel to training workshops
3. Supplementation of other internal or external support
4. Faculty salary

Required Proposal Components

The proposal must be submitted as a single PDF to the associate deans’ administrator and include:

1. Project narrative: Up to 6 pages inclusive of graphics, tables, equations, and formulas, and using 1.5 spacing, 1 inch margins, and 11 pt. Arial font), including the following domains:
   1. Objectives
   2. Significance and impact
   3. Planned approach/method
   4. Expected outcomes
   5. Feasibility: Provide a planned timeline of all activities, including information on IRB approvals, partnership agreements, and data collection
   6. Planned, specific, usage of study information (e.g., pilot data for an R21 submission or publication of the completed dataset)
2. References (do not count as part of the 6 page narrative)
3. Biosketches for the PI and any Co-PIs/Co-Is: These may be generated in MyCV or on your own and it is recommended that they align with that required by the planned subsequent funding agency when applicable (e.g., NSF, NIH). If subsequent funding is not planned or the agency does not specify biosketch information, a 2-page maximum biosketch should be submitted.
4. Current and pending support should be listed in a brief, bulleted, document for each PI, Co-PI, Co-I. Include in this section any cost sharing or matching that has been authorized by the department chair or others.
5. Detailed budget and justification: Costs listed should reflect the actual anticipated expenses and must be justified.

Review Process

Applications for this award should be submitted to the associate dean’s administrator by the due date. Applications will initially be checked against the eligibility criteria outlined above. If eligibility is not met, applications will be returned without additional review alongside an appropriate explanation by the ADR. After the initial screening, applications will be reviewed by the Research Committee. The Research Committee will make recommendations to the ADR, who will be responsible for awarding the grant. The Research Committee and ADR reserve the right to review and change budgets and ask for clarifications from potential awardees. The review criteria and scoring used to review and rank each proposal is provided at the end of this document.

Reporting and Acknowledgment

Each awardee is required to send a project update each semester until the project is completed. The awardee will submit a report to the Associate Dean of Research within 90 days of completion of the project and will be expected to present the outcome of the award to the College at an annual research event (complete) and faculty assembly (brief). Each report should detail the outcomes of the project and link them to the aims set forth in the proposal. The report should include information on presentations, publications, or other scholarly work deriving from the project and the awardee must acknowledge the award support in all publications resulting from the award. In addition, any external award submissions that result from the project or utilize the data derived from the project should be detailed in the report. (If such external awards are sought after the report, the awardee is expected to alert the Associate Dean of Research of this at the time of submission). Failure to comply with these reporting requirements will disqualify an individual for future consideration in all internal funding programs.

Rubric

Proposal Submission Deadline: April 1

Description

The Faculty Large Research Award is intended to support one or more faculty members to engage in original, potentially groundbreaking work. Ideas for research not currently being conducted by the faculty member are strongly encouraged. Up to $20,000 may be requested and budgets must be clearly articulated and followed. Funding will facilitate proof-of-concept activities (e.g., literature review, pilot data, data analysis) or full research studies. Applicants are eligible to have only one funded large grant award in a 5-year period. Exceptions to this eligibility criterion must be made in writing with a letter of support from the department chair.

Large Grant Awards are intended for specific use projects (i.e. funds for a specific pilot study or for completing transcription for an existing study) and are not intended for general purposes. All BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development full-time faculty members may apply. Collaborative research including researchers from other institutions may be funded, but the applicant must be a Wheelock faculty member and must serve as a PI on the study. Large grant awards will not be awarded to centers. Requests for faculty travel to meetings and conferences or training workshops will NOT be funded through this mechanism. Requests for faculty salary, up to a maximum of $8,000, must be accompanied by a letter of support from the department chair and must articulate if cost-share will be provided by the department to facilitate a course-release.

Required Proposal Components

The proposal must be submitted as a single PDF to the associate deans’ administrator and include:

1. Project description and research plan (Up to 6 pages inclusive of graphics, tables, equations, and formulas, and using 1.5 spacing, 1 inch margins, and 11 pt. Arial font). The research plan should include sections that cover the following:
   • a. Study rationale
   • b. Methodological approach
   • c. Data analysis plan
   • d. Funding rationale
   • e. Impact of funding on scholar’s career
   • f. Description of anticipated outcomes, including specific plans for future external funding if relevant
2. References (do not count as part of the 6-page narrative)
3. Biosketches for the PI and any Co-PIs/Co-Is. These may be generated in MyCV or on your own and it is recommended that they align with that required by the planned subsequent funding agency when applicable (e.g., NSF, NIH). If subsequent funding is not planned or the agency does not specify biosketch information, a 2-page maximum biosketch should be submitted.
4. Current and pending support should be listed in a brief, bulleted, document for each PI, Co-PI, Co-I. Include in this section any cost sharing or matching that has been authorized by the department chair or others.
5. Detailed budget and justification. Costs listed should reflect the actual anticipate expenses and must be justified.

Review Process

Applications for this award should be submitted to the ADR’s administrator by the due date. All applications will initially be checked against the eligibility criteria outlined above. If eligibility is not met, applications will be returned without additional review alongside an appropriate explanation by the ADR. After the initial screening, applications will be reviewed by the Research Committee. The Research Committee will make recommendations to the ADR, who will be responsible for awarding the grant. The Research Committee and ADR reserve the right to review and change budgets and ask for clarifications from potential awardees. The review criteria and scoring used to review and rank each proposal is provided at the end of this document.

Reporting and Acknowledgment

Each awardee is required to send a project update each semester until the project is completed. The awardee will submit a report to the ADR within 90 days of completion of the project and will be expected to present the outcome of the award to the College at an annual research event (complete) and faculty assembly (brief). Each report should detail the outcomes of the project and link them to the aims set forth in the proposal. The report should include information on presentations, publications, or other scholarly work deriving from the project and the awardee must acknowledge the award support in all publications resulting from the award. In addition, any external award submissions that result from the project or utilize the data derived from the project should be detailed in the report. (If such external awards are sought after the report, the awardee is expected to alert the associate dean of research of this at the time of submission). Failure to comply with these reporting requirements will disqualify an individual for future consideration in all internal funding programs.

Evaluation Criteria

Each proposal will be independently assessed by each member of the research committee. Proposals will be scored in six domains on a 1 (lowest) – 5 (highest) scale and provide an overall score. The overall score must be based on the likelihood that the proposal will achieve its stated objectives.

Proposal Submission Deadline: April 1

Description

The purpose of the Gordon L. Marshall Fellows Program is to provide funding for full-time faculty to pursue significant teaching and research opportunities. Funding for the Gordon Marshall Fellowship Program allows two fellowships with stipends to be awarded each academic year. The fellowship is intended to enable a faculty member to achieve specific intellectual, academic, pedagogical or creative goals not possible while engaged in full-time teaching and service to the College. For that reason, fellows may use their stipend to receive released time from teaching. All full-time Wheelock faculty may apply to be fellows. To allow as many faculty members as possible to participate in this program, a faculty member may not be a fellow more than once in a five-year period.

Terms of the Fellows Program are as follows:

1. Each fellowship will carry a stipend of $10,000 and an additional $2,000 for academic resources, including travel.
2. Fellowships are intended to foster intellectual growth, contribute to one’s discipline or profession, result in a product – such as a publication, institutional program, or new component of the curriculum – that will be disseminated beyond the College, and enhance the academic environment and reputation of the College. If a potential applicant is uncertain if their proposed “concrete product” would satisfy this criterion, they are encouraged to consult with the Selection Committee. (Of course, an affirmative response does not mean that the proposal will be awarded.)
3. Fellowships cannot be awarded concurrently with a sabbatical.
4. Fellowships may not be used for teaching at or consulting for other institutions. It is expected that the candidate will not engage in compensated employment or supplemental salary during the fellowship without the express permission of the Dean.

An eligible faculty member may apply for one of two types of fellowships:

Teaching-Related Fellowship

1. The teaching fellowship is intended to support a significant project that extends beyond the normal expectations for ongoing course development and revision. The project must lead to clear and demonstrable enhancement of the curriculum. Examples include: New program design, curriculum development, use of technology to enhance course delivery format, collaboration with the Wheelock administration on a project designed to support faculty in their teaching or scholarship, establishment of school or community partnerships to enhance teaching, or a joint project with another faculty member.

Scholarship or Creative Work Fellowship

1. The scholarship or creative work fellowship is intended to support a significant creative work or research project. Examples include: research projects, journal articles, media contributions, books or book chapters, digital scholarship and publications, public sector reports. Proposed research projects must include clear and demonstrable outcomes that will advance knowledge in any one of the four areas of scholarship and research identified by Boyer (1990).
   • a) Scholarship of Discovery: The scholarship of discovery is a traditional research category that concerns itself with the search for new knowledge, discoveries, and information. Projects in this category of scholarship are typically shared through scholarly publications.
   • b) Scholarship of Integration: The scholarship of integration develops new perspectives on existing knowledge by making innovative or creative connections between the disciplines. This type of scholarship offers new insights into existing data, disseminates knowledge to new audiences and discerns novel patterns and meanings. These projects address questions such as, “Is it possible to interpret what’s been discovered in ways that provide a larger, more comprehensive [or different] understanding of the topic?” The scholarship of integration represents new ways of seeing, understanding, or explaining.
   • c) Scholarship of Application or Engagement: The scholarship of application or engagement asks, “How can knowledge be applied to consequential problems?” “Can social problems define an agenda for scholarly investigation?” Traditionally, this category of scholarship was defined as ‘service,’ but it remains a legitimate mode of academic inquiry. The scholarship of application or engagement seeks insight into solving new or unique problems in the field of practice.
   • d) Scholarship of Teaching & Learning: The scholarship of teaching and learning refers to “problem-posing” investigations about an issue of teaching or learning. These may include examining a problem over time through methods appropriate to the discipline, applying the results to practice, and communicating the results to a wider audience through peer-reviewed journal publications and/or professional presentations in the field.

   Required Proposal Components

   The proposal must be submitted as a single PDF to the Associate Dean of Research’s administrator. Candidates’ proposals should clearly outline their intended scope, goals, methods, conceptual framework, timeline, outcomes and the implications of the intended work on the faculty member’s professional growth. A completed application must include the following components in a carefully crafted proposal of no more than 6 pages (exclusive of appendixes).

2. Project Title
3. Project objectives: What ideas, problems, works, questions, or pedagogies will the project examine, engage, or answer? How is this work different? How does it enhance existing knowledge/creativity, offer new solutions to old problems, take a genre or discipline in a new direction, or revise normative disciplinary approaches to the classroom or topic? In what ways will the project build on, or complement, others who are working in a similar or different field?
4. Project plan: What is the plan for the work during the award and, if relevant, beyond it? Provide specific details of the project, including methodology, specific research and writing goals, timeline, location(s), syllabi, or pedagogical statements. Describe the feasibility of the plan.
5. Preparation: Candidates should describe preparation or capacity to carry out the intended work, if applicable, including previous related work. The proposal should address relevant scholarship, and necessary expertise and skills. What is the relationship of the project to the candidate’s ongoing development as a scholar?
6. Outcomes: Describe the anticipated outcomes, products, and impact of the project. The candidate must supply a comprehensive timetable that indicates all outcomes or products. The candidate need not complete the entire project during the leave, but the proposal should clearly indicate the expected outcomes at the end of the fellowship. Candidates may also want to reflect on how they will assess the success of the project.
7. Value and benefits: Detail the value and benefits of the proposed project to (i) the candidate’s professional, creative, scholarly, and pedagogical growth, (ii) BU Wheelock, and (iii) wider audiences (e.g., a scholarly discipline).
8. Appendices: The application should also include:
   • Citations/references from proposal (do not count as part of the 6-page narrative)
   • Biosketches for the PI and any Co-PIs/Co-Is. These may be generated in MyCV or on your own.
   • Current and pending support should be listed in a brief, bulleted, document
   • Any other relevant materials that might aid the Committee in evaluating the merits of the proposal (e.g., journal articles, syllabi, class assignments, conference papers, reviews, book contracts, etc.).
   • At least two references will serve as recommendations for the work to be accomplished, at least one of which must be from a colleague at another institution who can speak to the intellectual merit of the project.

   Review Process

   Applications for this award should be submitted to the Associate Dean for Research’s administrator by the due date noted above. All applications will initially be checked against the eligibility criteria outlined above. If eligibility is not met, applications will be returned without additional review alongside an appropriate explanation by the associate dean of research. After the initial screening, applications will be reviewed by the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development Research Committee. The Research Committee will make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Research, who will be responsible for awarding the grant. The Research Committee and Associate Dean of Research reserve the right to ask for clarifications from potential awardees. The review criteria and scoring used to review each proposal is provided at the end of this document.

   Reporting and Acknowledgement

   Each awardee is required to send a project update each semester until the project is completed. The awardee will submit a report to the Associate Dean of Research within 90 days of completion of the project and will be expected to present the outcome of the award to the College at an annual research event (complete) and faculty assembly (brief). Each report should detail the outcomes of the project and link them to the aims set forth in the proposal. The report should include information on presentations, publications, or other scholarly work deriving from the project and the awardee must acknowledge the award support in all publications resulting from the award. In addition, any external award submissions that result from the project or utilize the data derived from the project should be detailed in the report. (If such external awards are sought subsequent to the report, the awardee is expected to alert the Associate Dean of Research of this at the time of submission). Failure to comply with these reporting requirements will disqualify an individual for future consideration in all internal funding programs.

   Evaluation Criteria

   Each proposal will be independently assessed by each member of the research committee. Proposals will be scored in six domains on a 1 (lowest) – 5 (highest) scale and provide an overall score on the same scale. The overall score must be based on the likelihood that the proposal will achieve its stated objectives.

   
   

At the end of each academic year, the Edward H. Ladd Award for Academic Excellence & Service recognizes an outstanding member of the BU Wheelock faculty. Ted Ladd served on the Wheelock College Board of Trustees for more than 25 years, including 10 years as chair of the board. In honor of his service and commitment to BU Wheelock, his family and friends funded and named this senior faculty award in his honor. This award, which includes a cash prize, is given to one current, full-time, and promoted faculty member to acknowledge and honor their career-long commitment to academic excellence and service at BU Wheelock.

All nominations are due by April 30.

Please submit the award nomination form (link below) and your one-page nomination statement to the Associate Dean for Research’s administrator. All nominations will go to the Ladd Award Committee, which is comprised of former award winners. The committee will present a slate of possible candidates (2-3) to the dean of BU Wheelock, who will then choose the award winner in consultation with the associate dean of faculty affairs & research.

Download the nomination form.