The division provides an array of funding programs and opportunities to West Virginia researchers. While specific, required information is detailed in the announcement/request for proposals for each program or competition, a general set of guidelines cuts across all the division’s initiatives. While no one project is expected to contain all aspects, proposals should address as many of the following areas of emphasis as possible:
Collaborations among projects, institutions or principal investigators
Linkages between researchers at primarily undergraduate institutions and the two research institutions (Marshall University and West Virginia University)
Linkages with K-12 schools, teachers and students
Involving students in research
Targeting Appalachian, African American, Native American, Hispanic, female or other underrepresented or underserved student populations in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields
Proposals from or that partner with Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU’s)
Proposals that clearly articulate a potentially broad impact to the state’s citizenry
Proposals that clearly articulate a potential scientific breakthrough, or that are otherwise cutting-edge or transformative in their expected outcome(s)
Proposals that support high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical state and national need
Research proposals that have potential for commercial products, licensing, patenting and job creation
Proposals that support a technically trained and scientifically literate work force
You should also know:
All programs are competitive
All proposals will be peer reviewed externally by qualified fellow scientists
All grant projects will be evaluated
All grants require rigorous reporting and accountability for funding
All grants are cost-reimbursable or require advance performance measures
All multi-year grant awards require annual progress reporting and renewal measures
All grant projects require a final report that clearly states outcomes
All grant awards are monitored for adherence to grant conditions
All grant awards are made subject to the availability of funds provided by the state legislature or federal agencies
All significant modifications to grant awards must be approved in advance
All grant awards result in a binding contractual agreement that may include additional terms and conditions
All grant awards limit direct support to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (students and faculty)