Call for Proposals
2023-2024 POD Network Research Grant Program
Applications Due Monday, April 10, 2023, at 12:00 PM (noon) ET

 

Purpose: 

The purpose of the POD Network Research Grant Program is to promote a greater culture of evidenced-based research designed to contribute new knowledge in the fields of educational, instructional, and organizational development, including the preparation of future faculty. The POD Network is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion; while all proposals are welcome, we are particularly interested in proposals that advance equity and justice. We are especially interested in receiving applications from those who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and/or as a member of other groups that are minoritized, including LGBTQIA+ and those with disabilities.

Proposed research may be carried out within an existing program or as part of a new initiative. The duration of the grant is for one full year.

For the 2023-2024 award period, the Core Committee has made a total of $14,000 available to the grant program.

POD Network Early Researcher Grant:

The purpose of this grant is to support POD Network members who are initiating their first research project in an area related to teaching and learning, or to broaden educational or organizational development. This includes seasoned researchers from other disciplines who have become POD Network members, but who have not received external funding or published research related to the aforementioned areas of focus. We also encourage applications from those who have not had a research program before and are looking to enter into one.

A total of $4,000 has been allocated for funding Early Researcher proposals and each applicant may request up to $2,000.

POD Network Research Grant: 

The purpose of this funding is to support POD Network members who have research experience in an area related to teaching and learning, or to broader educational or organizational development that includes publication, presentation, and possibly external funding. Funding may be used to initiate research in a new area, or expand / extend research already in progress, including research supported by other external funding.

A total of $8,000 has been allocated for funding POD Network Research Grants, and each applicant may request up to $4,000.

POD Network Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Research Grant: 

The purpose of this funding is to support POD Network members who are initiating faculty development projects and/or research related to topics of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Funding may be used to initiate new research or expand / extend research already in progress, including research supported by other external funding.

A total of $2,000 has been allocated for funding POD Network DEI Research Grants, and each applicant may request up to $2,000.

Previously funded projects have included a range of topics and institutional types. Visit the POD Network website for a list of previously funded proposals: https://podnetwork.org/resources/grants-and-awards/previously-awarded-grants/

 

Eligibility (All Awards)

  • The principal investigator must be a POD Network member at the time of submission.
  • Previous grant recipients are eligible to submit another proposal only after 3 years have passed since the submission date of the previous proposal. After that time, previous recipients who have submitted the required reports may submit a proposal for an unrelated new project or a related project that represents a considerable advancement of the previous project. The exception is Early Researcher awardees, who may apply for a Research Grant or DEI Research Grant without waiting 3 years.
  • Eligible expenses (not exhaustive): Wages for research assistant(s), consulting or data-analysis fees, research equipment, supplies, travel for conducting research.
  • Ineligible projects & expenses (not exhaustive): Dissertation research, implementation of a new program (face-to-face or online), conference/institute travel and fees, payments for entertainment, alcohol, gift cards, routing operation expenses and wages, purchasing of equipment for personal use, funds for the production of commercial items.
  • The POD Network cannot pay overhead, indirect costs, or facilities and administrative costs.

Eligibility (POD Network Early Researcher Grant, specifically)

  • To qualify for the POD Network Early Research Grant, we also ask for a curriculum vitae that includes any previous publications and sources of external funding (if applicable). to expedite the review process, please consider whether any content on your curriculum vitae might raise questions about eligibility and include a separate written explanation if appropriate.

 

Proposal Review & Evaluation Criteria

All grant proposals will undergo anonymous review from at least three members of the Research Grants subcommittee and/or members of the POD Scholarship Committee. Please limit identifiable information to the Cover Page. The review committee will not review materials that include information identifiable to an individual, center, or institution.

Each proposal will be evaluated by a set of four required elements, using the following rubric:

  • 0 points: Criteria not addressed.
  • 1-2 points: Criteria may be implied or addressed indirectly, but explanation is insufficient for reviewer to make a judgment.
  • 3-4 points: Criteria is explicitly addressed in proposal. Criteria is fully met.
  • 5 points: Criteria are not only met but are distinctive and compelling.

The Required Elements include:

  1. Importance of Project:
    • The specific problem to be addressed through proposed research is recognized by a significant portion of the POD membership.
    • The importance of the research is supported by a concise review of the existing literature around faculty and organizational development. Review includes literature closely related to the proposed research.
    • Results of the proposed research will be of use to a large segment of the POD membership.
    • The proposed research will advance the mission and values of POD.
  1. Project Design
    • Project Objectives: Explicit objectives to be achieved during the project period are clearly described. The objectives are aligned with the purpose for the project. The objectives are ambitious but feasible. The proposal remains within the requirements of eligibility as outlined in the call for proposals. Products to be developed during the project are identified and described.
    • Project Timeline: A one-year timeline for implementation includes all major project activities and completion of proposed work during the funding period is clearly described or presented in a table.
    • Project Staff and Responsibilities: Responsibilities of each member of the research team are described. Staff are identified by their roles or titles but are not named to allow for anonymized review.
    • Data Collection and Analysis: The type of data that will be collected during the research project, and the way it will be collected, analyzed, and summarized for presentation are clearly described. The data to be collected are appropriate for evaluating progress on the project objectives.
    • Dissemination Plan: Presenters should also plan for dissemination of project outcomes. This can include submission of a POD Network conference proposal, POD Live, POD Speaks, or other similar dissemination outlets (conference / journal).
  1. Probability of Success
    • Project staff are highly qualified to carry out the project activities.
    • Early Researchers: Institutional resources, structures, and related factors are in place to support the proposed new research. All other proposals: Institutional resources, structures, and related factors are adequate to support proposed research, which may complement work already in progress.
    • Proposed one-year timeline is sufficient to achieve the project’s objectives.
  1. Budget and Justification
    • All costs are listed, and each is justified with an explanation of why it is necessary and how the budgeted amounts were estimated.
    • All expenses are within the POD guidelines for grant expenditures.
    • A plan for ownership and use of any equipment purchased with grant monies after the grant period ends is clearly described.

 

Submitting your Proposal

Proposals must include a Cover Page and a Project Proposal. The Cover Page must be sent as a separate document in the same email to expedite the anonymous review process.

Cover Page must include the following information:

  1. Title of project.
  2. Names, titles, affiliations, and contact information for the principal investigator and all co-investigators.
  3. Proposal category: Early Researcher, Research, or DEI Research
  4. Abstract of 250 words describing the project.
  5. Provided a copy of each investigator’s curriculum vitae.
  6. **For Early Researcher Award: Please include the following statement: “I have read the above criteria for the POD Network Early Researcher Grant and am eligible to receive this grant.”

Project Proposal Outline (include all of the following sections)

  1. Importance of the Project (up to 750 words): Fundable proposals will successfully argue for the centrality or critical nature of the issue addressed. Proposals must have a clear problem statement that outlines what issue the project will address with the funds from the POD Network. The text should include a brief literature review. It must clearlyindicate how this project adds to the existing research (i.e., what is new or what problem will be solved?) and that it holds promise for a sustained impact on the work common to the POD Network community. Strong proposals will attend to issues of equity and justice, advance the mission and values of the POD Network, and demonstrate that other POD Network members and institutions will have an interest in and will be able to access and use the results of the project.  Cross-institutional projects are encouraged, especially for a larger grant award, but not required.
  2. Project Design (up to 3,000 words):
        • Problem Statement: A clearly articulated statement of the issue under consideration or investigation.
        • Project objectives: Explicit objectives for the project that are clearly tied to the problem. Include description of products to be generated.
        • Project timeline: A timeline detailing project implementation that will be sufficient to achieve objectives.
        • Project staff and responsibilities: Description of who will work on the project and their responsibilities. (Please omit the names of individuals and only describe roles).
        • Evaluation plan: A clear and feasible plan for evaluating progress on the project objectives that includes description of qualitative and/or quantitative data to be collected and analyzed.
        • Dissemination plan: Presenters should also plan for dissemination of project outcomes. This can include submission of a POD Network conference proposal, POD Live, POD Speaks or other similar dissemination outlets (conference / journal). (Reminder: Acceptance is not guaranteed.)
  1. Budget and Justification (up to 500 words): Each item in the budget should be associated with an amount and a brief justification for its inclusion. The amounts should be reasonable and the outlined expenses should be directly relevant to meeting the project objectives outlined above. Reference eligible and ineligible expenses above.
  2. Probability of Success – Support Letter: Evidence of sufficient institutional support (e.g., a letter from a supervisor, Dean, Provost) and of PI’s and CoPIs’ prior experience with a similar project or ability to undertake the project (e.g., through academic preparation or prior work experience, may be in the form of a vita). Please have your letter of support sent as a separate document to the Research Grants Co-Coordinators – see Grant submission process below.

 

Awardee Expectations 

All recipients are expected to:

  • Conduct the research as proposed, to the best of their ability, and keep the Research Grants Co-Coordinators apprised of changes that might need to be made in their plans.
  • Keep the Research Grants Co-Coordinators informed of IRB status if Internal Review Board approval is required or advised.
  • Provide a brief mid-year report in February 2024 (a template will be provided).
  • Submit a one-page final report in September 2024 that describes: a) overview of the project activities, b) summary of results for the project (which will be posted to the POD Grants section of the POD Network website), and c) summary dissemination efforts and plans.
  • Disseminate project outcomes. This can include submission of a POD Network conference proposal, POD Live, POD Speaks or other similar dissemination outlets (conference / journal). (Reminder: Acceptance is not guaranteed.)
  • Acknowledge the funding from the POD Network when collecting data, presenting, and publishing the findings.
  • Be willing to serve as a reviewer for the POD Network Grants in the coming year(s).

 

Grant Submission Process

  • Follow the Project Proposal Outline described above.
  • Proposals must be received by 12:00 PM ET, April 10, 2023
  • E-mail your materials (Cover Page and Project Proposal, as Word or PDF documents) to the Research Grants Co-Coordinators (Angela Atwell and Sarah McCorkle): [email protected]
  • Document naming convention
    • Principal Investigator’s Surname_Cover Page
    • Principal Investigator’s Surname_Project Proposal_Grant Type (Early Researcher, Research, or DEI Research)
  • Subject line:  2023 POD Network Grant Proposal
  • Support letter (see #4 in Project Proposal Outline above): The supporter should email the letter directly to the Research Grants Co-Coordinators (Angela Atwell and Sarah McCorkle): [email protected]
    • Document naming convention: Principal Investigator’s Surname_Support Letter
    • Subject line:  2023-2024 POD Network Grant Proposal Support Letter

Applicants will be notified of the decision in May 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have created a Frequently Asked Questions document that also may be helpful as your create your grant proposal.