Team Planning Grant FAQs

 

What exactly do you mean by “center?” Must the applying team have the formal designation of a center or institute?

No, the team does not need to be a formal WSU center or institute. For purposes of this planning grant, center is defined as a center, institute, consortium, or other organization of a large team of researchers, but does not have to be a formally recognized association. The planning grant may support the creation of a new group that will function as one of the aforementioned types of large teams, or an existing group may propose a new research initiative under this call.

 

How detailed does the budget justification need to be?

The budget justification portion of the proposal can be a general description of anticipated expenses (e.g. “Travel – $2,000 for our collaborator at TAMU to travel to WSU for planning activities.” or “Salaries – $5,000 in summer salaries for the lead PI to coordinate and oversee the planning process.”). It does not have to be detailed in the same manner as an NSF, NIH, or other federal budget proposal.

 

Can the planning grant include subawards/subcontracts to external collaborators?

No. The money for this planning grant comes from state funds, which do not allow the establishment of subawards/ subcontacts with outside entities. Planning grant funds may be used to support a travel stipend or other expenses in support of an external collaboration, but no salary or benefits can be paid to non-WSU employees.

 

Should the Research Assistantship be accounted for in the budget?

Yes, please include the cost of the research assistantship in your budget. If the cost of your RA is greater than Step 48, describe how the additional cost will be covered.