Competitive research grants

Competitive grants are offered on a two-year cycle, through a peer-reviewed process that begins with a call for preliminary proposals.

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Call for Preliminary Proposals
for February 2010–January 2012

The deadline has passed and the call for preliminary propsoals is now closed. Invitations for full proposals will be made in early March 2009.

The Oregon Sea Grant Program invites preliminary proposals for research on important marine and coastal issues from researchers who are affiliated with any institution of higher education in Oregon. Proposals will be entered into a highly competitive review and selection process. Proposed work may begin on either February 1, 2010, or February 1, 2011. 

Complete guidelines for preparing and submitting a proposal are found on our Webnibus online submission system.

• Submission and review schedule
• Proposal guidelines
• Funds available
• Our decision process
• Submitting a proposal

THE PROPOSAL SUBMISSION AND REVIEW SCHEDULE

• Preliminary proposals due: February 6, 2009, by 5:00 p.m. PST
• Invitations for full proposals: March 6, 2009
• Full proposals due: May 8, 2009, by 5:00 p.m. PST
• Peer review period: May 9, 2009, to July 30, 2009
• Reviews to investigators: July 31, 2009
• Investigator responses to reviews due: August 7, 2009
• Notice of funding decisions: September 4, 2009
• Successful projects begin: February 1, 2010, or February 1, 2011

GUIDELINES

An ideal Sea Grant proposal would apply the best science and an innovative approach to a well-defined coastal or marine problem or opportunity that is important to Oregon, the Pacific Northwest Region, and the nation.

Successful Oregon Sea Grant proposals are likely to:

• be of the highest scientific quality
• show significant progress within two years
• focus on prediction (rather than explanation) and societal relevance
• focus on outcomes and clearly show how and to whom the work would make a difference
• include meaningful collaboration with industry, agencies, communities, or other stakeholders
• have substantive evidence of co-funding or co-support from interested stakeholders and partners
• request less than $90,000 per year and provide convincing justification for the funds
• involve regional or multi-institutional collaboration, especially that which involves one or more Sea Grant programs from other states
• include support for students
• address a research or information need in the West Coast Sea Grant Draft Regional Report (available online by December 15, 2008, at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/research/RegionalPlanning/index.html)
• reflect Oregon Sea Grant themes and priorities (http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/themes/index.html) and Strategic plan (http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/q05001.html)
• clearly align with the National Sea Grant Office Strategic Plan (http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/admininfo/documents/0209_StratPlan.pdf)

FUNDS

Total funds available for new projects on February 1, 2010, and February 1, 2011, are approximately $900,000 each year.

Not all ideal proposals can be funded. Excellent proposals are sometimes not as “good a buy” relative to other excellent proposals. Proposals requesting larger amounts will be accepted; however, all else being equal, proposals that request $90,000 or less per year will have a competitive advantage over those requiring more than $90,000 per year since we want to fund as many efforts as possible.

Federal law requires that Oregon Sea Grant provide a non-federal cost share of one dollar for every two dollars of federal funds received. Since our Omnibus Program Plan is a culmination of many projects with cost share from a variety of state, local, or private funds or in-kind services, we can be somewhat flexible on this requirement, but researchers are advised to take cost share into consideration as they develop their budgets and projects.

DURATION OF GRANT

Proposals requesting support for either one or two years will have a distinct competitive advantage over proposals seeking three years of support. Requests for support exceeding three years will not be considered. Proposals to continue work beyond the initial one or two years may be entered into a future regular biennial competition.

STUDENTS

Oregon Sea Grant supports graduate students working on Oregon Sea Grant-funded research projects awarded through its competitive process, providing supported students with a stipend, tuition remission, and other benefits. 

Oregon Sea Grant is starting a Scholars Program that will help create a community for supported students. This new program will identify the students with Oregon Sea Grant and provide them professional development opportunities, giving them the ability to connect research to appropriate outreach. The Oregon Sea Grant Scholars supported on funded proposals will participate in Oregon Sea Grant activities, such as orientation meetings, workshops, and colloquia, at which students will present their work to other Sea Grant students, researchers, faculty, and staff.

MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL TEAMS

We strongly encourage multi-institutional approaches to regional issues which include proposals that mobilize the best research talent to address complex issues and which involve funding from more than one Sea Grant program. Since such an approach is administratively complex, we suggest that investigators informally discuss ideas with us before submitting such a preliminary or full proposal. 

OUR DECISION PROCESS

We will fund the best science that has societal relevance. Research to gain knowledge solely for its own sake is considered inappropriate for Oregon Sea Grant support. Investigators must present a clear rationale for, expected outcomes from, and beneficiaries of the proposed work.

Oregon Sea Grant uses different sets of criteria to evaluate proposals at various points in the process. These criteria are listed in Appendix 3 of the Oregon Sea Grant Strategic Plan Note that this is our 2003–2008 strategic plan, under which this proposal process will operate. We will release our 2009–2014 strategic plan in early 2009. 

Investigators are strongly encouraged to incorporate into their proposals information from Sea Grant’s West Coast Regional Planning and Information project (a draft of which will be available online by December 15, 2008, at:http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/research/RegionalPlanning/index.html) and from the National Sea Grant Priorities: (http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/GreenBook/sg_strategic_plan_082304.pdf).

OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

Researchers must plan their projects to meet societal needs and benefit Oregon stakeholders. Proposals must describe public engagement goals and how those goals will be achieved through outreach (communications and extension) and education. For further guidance, contact a member of the Oregon Sea Grant leadership team.

PRE-PROPOSAL NARRATIVE

Preliminary proposal narratives (two to three pages) should contain the following components, in order:

1. Issue identification. State the research problem and explain how results will benefit society.
2. Alignment. Address how the work relates to priorities identified by the National Sea Grant Office, Oregon Sea Grant, and the West Coast Regional Planning and Information project.
3. Proposed Research Summary. Briefly introduce methodology.
4. Link to Outreach and Education. How will the research be extended to those who can apply it?
5. So what? What could happen if this proposal were funded? What are the expected outcomes and potential impacts to society and to the research field?
6. Budget estimate. Enter the budget estimate on the title page in Webnibus.

SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

Web-Based Process

Oregon Sea Grant has developed a Web-based proposal process called Webnibus. This system helps researchers prepare and submit proposals and will reduce the volume of paper used in the submission and review process. We ask you to use Webnibus, our Web-based process unless there is a specific reason it cannot be used.

If you have not used Webnibus before, you may find it beneficial to contact us early on for help. We will not be offering formal group help sessions this year, but please contact us if you have any questions (phone: 541-737-2714; e-mail: seagrant.admin@oregonstate.edu).

ELIGIBILITY

Preliminary proposals may be submitted by the faculty of any public or private institution of higher education in Oregon. Awards will be made only through colleges and universities. We encourage the involvement of (non-funded) collaborators and researchers who are not university faculty, but the project’s principal investigator must be a faculty member. With sufficient justification, individuals not associated with a college or university may serve as paid or unpaid consultants to the project’s principal investigator.

Researchers may submit more than one preliminary proposal, but it is unlikely that more than one full proposal will be requested from any one investigator.

For more information or assistance, please contact the Sea Grant administrative office (541-737-2714 or seagrant.admin@oregonstate.edu). We are always happy to help.

If you have questions regarding potential proposal ideas, please contact:

Stephen Brandt, Director
Phone: 541-737-2714
E-mail: stephen.brandt@oregonstate.edu

For other questions about the process, see our contacts page.