OURS Project Supplies Grant
The OURS Project Supplies Grant supports undergraduate student research, performance, and scholarship and is designed to encourage collaborative scholarly research and creative work between undergraduate students and faculty. An undergraduate student may propose a research, scholarly, or creative project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may actively recruit an undergraduate student for collaboration. These grants provide students with financial support of up to $500 for supplies and equipment. Undergraduate students (both part- and full-time) are eligible to apply. Students are eligible for funding only once per academic year.
About the Award
AWARD
Up to $500 to be used on supplies, equipment, and library and archival activities for faculty-mentored research and scholarship.
The OURS Project Supplies Grant is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis for the Fall or Winter semesters (provided proposals meet established guidelines) until funds are exhausted for the semester. Although grants are non-competitive, each application will be reviewed by the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship.
Please note: OURS grants are NOT to be used for travel expenses for conferences. If a student is presenting at a conference and needs funding for travel, apply to the Academic Conference Fund (coordinated by the student) or the Academic and Professional Enrichment Fund (coordinated by faculty).
ELIGIBILITY
Funding eligibility is open to all undergraduate students who meet the following:
- Are at least a halftime undergraduate student of Grand Valley State University (6 credits)
- Are in good financial and judiciary standing with the University
- Are in good academic standing with the University
Students may be awarded one OURS grant only during her/his GVSU Undergraduate career.
Faculty mentors will commit an appropriate portion of their time to effectively and actively mentor a student. Faculty must disclose any pending or successful applications for additional funding for the project.
Proposal Requirements
The proposal must be one PDF, include the following sections, and adhere to the following guidelines:
Project Proposal
Please prepare a non-technical proposal no more than 1,000 words which includes the following information:
- Statement of purpose that includes a description of the project and what the student wishes to gain from the experience.
- Description of previous work on this project, if applicable.
- Projected timeline for completion of the project that details the responsibilities of the student and mentor at each stage.
- Expected dissemination outcomes. What plans, in addition to Student Scholars Day, does the student have for disseminating outcomes of the project?
Proposed Budget
Please itemize your budget and include only those items which directly pertain to your project. Include a description of each item, the timeline (proposed date of reimbursement request), and the amount. You may use the Budget Template linked in the application).
Budget Justification
Include a budget justification of no more than 250 words.
Faculty Mentor Recommendation
It should be written on GVSU letterhead, signed by the faculty mentor, and include the following:
- Discuss the qualifications of the student.
- What is the significance of the proposed project for the student?
- What are the faculty member’s student-centered goals for this project? What pedagogical techniques will the faculty member use to help the student achieve those goals? What active collaboration will take place?
- Describe the steps to be taken to allow the student to become a more independent researcher/scholar during the project.
- Describe any past or present experience supervising this student as a research assistant, in a course, or in a directed study project; describe the student’s work in that capacity and how it differs from the proposed project.
- If funds are available to you through grants or other sources, please indicate whether additional funds will be committed to this project. If so, please indicate amount and source of funding.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted on a per semester basis for the academic year until funds are depleted. Funding awards will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. We will accept applications until funding is depleted.
Faculty and student should prepare the proposal per the requirements listed below. The proposal needs to be one complete PDF document that you will submit online. There is only one upload button, so please be sure your document is complete.
Grantee Responsibilities
Student Scholars Day
Funded students will be required to participate in the Student Scholars Day (SSD) that falls within the academic year that the grant was awarded, and must submit their SSD abstract to GVSU's Institutional Repository, Scholar Works.
Budget Tracking
Students and their mentors are responsible for monitoring this budget and initiating any reimbursements. The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship will reimburse the costs associated with the project up to the amount awarded. We do not order supplies, make travel arrangements, etc. We will reimburse the faculty mentor's department through inter-department OnBase transfer requests. Purchases should be processed through the faculty mentor's department first, then the department will request a transfer of funds through OnBase. The transfer request must include receipts showing the purchase(s).
OURS Project Supplies Grant Report and Reflection
Each student must provide a final report and reflection, which includes actual budget information, an abstract ready for publication or presentation (outside of the GVSU community) or a description of the current status of the project, and a reflective essay. The report will be due on the last Friday of classes of the project semester (i.e., the Friday before Exam Week).
You will be asked to submit your final budget with the report and reflection. We have provided a budget template that you may use. The use of the template is not required, but an actual budget is required.