ANSWER:
SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network) is a searchable funding opportunities database designed to provide up-to-date information on current national and international government and private funding sources.  

ANSWER:
Yes. In this time of budget cuts, everyone is looking for additional funding sources. An external grant is a viable option. SPIN currently contains information from more than 2,500 different sponsoring agencies, which together fund thousands of separate funding opportunities. Your SPO pays an annual subscription for this service to assist you with your funding searches. SPIN workshops are held every fall semester. If you need immediate assistance, please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
SMARTS (SPIN Matching And Research Transmittal Service) is an electronic matching and funding opportunity notification system which provides investigators with a direct and targeted electronic link to comprehensive, current, and available research funding information - both nationally and internationally. Your investigator profile is automatically matched to the funding opportunities and when there is a match, you receive an e-mail notification.  

ANSWER:
Yes. SMARTS is another service that will help you with your search for funding an external grant. SMARTS workshops are held every semester. If you would like to register for SMARTS now, please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
First, try reassessing your keywords and deleting or adding to them. Selecting different keywords will vary your results. If you are still experiencing problems, please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
SMARTS funding results are collected and e-mailed directly to you when matches are made, whereas SPIN searches are for those investigators who need immediate information for funding sources currently available.  

ANSWER:
Your SPO holds workshops for SPIN every fall semester and for SMARTS every semester. However, if you need immediate assistance, please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Here are some ideas to get you started:

•  talk to your peers;

•  check out the SPO website at http://spo.uca.edu under External Funding Sources;

•  call SPO at 450-3451

•  register for SMARTS; and

•do a SPIN search. 

ANSWER:
Here are some of the responses from SPO's recent Client Survey concerning what faculty liked most about writing proposals:

•  having the grant funded/getting the money;

•  completion of the project-the doing;

•  being funded and seeing the results;

•  being able to actually do the project;

•  watching students work in a networked classroom
    (on equipment obtained through an external grant); and

•  the collaboration process/opportunities to work with others.

Other advantages derived from writing a grant proposal and having it awarded are:

•  opportunities to obtain research equipment to further research capabilities and outreach projects; and

•  opportunities to strengthen your promotion and tenure file.

ANSWER:
The first thing you should do is check out the SPO website at http://spo.uca.edu. Under External Funding Process select Proposal Preparation, select Links to Proposal Writing Guidelines, select UCA Guide to Proposal Writing, then select How to Get Started. SPO is always available to assist you in person too, just call us at 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Utilize your professional journals; talk to your peers, fellow faculty members, and/or your chair; browse the websites of possible funding agencies; and contact SPO at 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Yes. In some cases, the funding agency's program officer for your program will look at a draft of your proposal and give you advice. In addition, your SPO has many contacts and will assist you in obtaining help. Please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
You can share your proposal with peers, your chair, your dean or assistant dean. It's a good idea to ask them to check for clarity, a thorough description, and grammatical or typographical errors. Also, SPO is always available to proof and edit. For further assistance please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Sometimes funders require that the applicant share or "match" some of the costs of the project. Depending on the requirements of the funder, that "matching" can either be "in-kind" (funds that are already budgeted such as salaries or computers) or "cash" (new funds set aside just for the purpose of this particular grant). For more information please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Ultimately, the faculty member is responsible for locating the funds to be committed, but those funds can be obtained from a variety of sources such as departmental, college, or Sponsored Programs budgets. Work with those three sources early in the proposal development stage to assure there will be no problem. For more information please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Contact your chair, your dean, and/or SPO for their advice. Your grant proposal will have to go through an internal submission process called Cayuse424 before it can be submitted to the funding agency. Each agency has its own submission requirements. Check the agency website and download the latest guidelines. Depending on the agency's requirements, you will either have to submit your proposal electronically or in hard copy format. SPO will help you with the submission process. For assistance, please call us at 450-3451.

ANSWER:
SPO strives to ensure that the best quality proposal possible is reviewed by the funder. Also, an award is usually made to the university, not an individual. Therefore, ultimate responsibility is assumed by the university, not you as an individual. A university official, usually the President, signs the various certifications and assurances that the government and some private funders require.  

ANSWER:
As soon as you know you intend to submit a proposal, you should call the SPO Electronic Research Specialist at 450-3451.All proposal are uploaded and routed through an internal submission called Cayuse, which requires a profile to be created and training on the system through SPO. The procedures for submitting a proposal electronically are different. You should be aware of certain software and timeline requirements. SPO provides instruction sheets to guide you in the submission process.  

ANSWER:
Yes. SPO is responsible for making sure the subcontract protects the individual and the university, and makes sure the subcontract is signed by a university official to make it binding. 

ANSWER:
Yes. Funders sometimes will state that they will fund only 501(c)3 organizations. At UCA, that means we route the award through the foundation. However, for tracking, reporting, and promotion/tenure purposes, the proposal is still run through the university administrative structure.

ANSWER:
It depends on the agency. Some do require prior IRB approval; some do not. Check the agency guidelines concerning human subject research and check with the Research Compliance Coordinator (450-3451). It is a good idea to submit your human subjects research application to the IRB before submitting the grant, as the IRB often provides helpful suggestions. The application forms are available at the Human Research (IRB) Homepage.

Education/training in human subjects protections is required to conduct expedited and full review human subjects research. The education can be accomplished through an NIH internet tutorial accessed through the Human Research (IRB) Homepage http://spo.uca.edu.  

ANSWER:
If the animals are vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians), then yes, you do need approval from the IACUC. The UCA IACUC Manual and Forms are available at http://spo.uca.edu/You will be required to complete a training tutorial through CITI. If you have any questions you may call the Research Compliance Coordinator, Tina Pilgreen (450-3451) or Dr. Brent Hill, IACUC Chair (450-5925). UCA has an assurance filed with the Public Health Service (PHS). 

ANSWER:
After you supply SPO with a copy of your award notice/letter, they will alert the Grants Accountant to establish an account. You should contact the Grants Accountant (450-3409) when you receive your award letter from SPO. The Grants Accountant will advise you on the administration of your grant account. 

ANSWER:
The Grants Accountant, Financial Services, can help you understand your budget. She can be reached at 450-3409.  

ANSWER:
UCA will need to complete a subcontract or a memorandum of understanding with the institution for which the faculty member will be working. Then, the faculty member's department initiates a Personnel Action Form (PAF) to trigger the payroll system to issue a paycheck to the faculty member.  

ANSWER:
25% of the costs go into the faculty member's departmental budget, 25% into the faculty member's college budget, 30% to administration, and 20% to the Sponsored Programs Office (paying for services such as InfoEd SPIN and SMARTS, faculty travel to meet with funders, etc.).  

ANSWER:
Sometimes no, sometimes yes. Only your Grants Accountant knows, so contact her at 450-3409.  

ANSWER:

•  The majority of online forms require Acrobat Reader software. You can obtain a free version by going to http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.

•  Try hitting the Reload Icon at the top of your screen.

•  Try exiting Netscape (or Explorer) and re-entering the site before attempting to download the form again.

Sometimes the problem may not lie with your computer. If you are still experiencing problems with the SPO forms, please call 450-3451.

ANSWER:
Yes, you can save a PDF document, but only if you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat. You cannot save a PDF document with Acrobat Reader.  

ANSWER:
It must be purchased if your department does not already have it. Talk to your supervisor about UCA's policies and procedures for purchasing software.