Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

Who can apply?
Eligible applicants are those who have submitted a letter of intent and been designated as finalists by the New Directions in the Study of Prayer Selection Committee. Applications from non-finalists will not be accepted.

Application Instructions and Timeline

Can you direct me to the instructions for submitting full proposals?
The instructions and guidelines for submitting full proposals begins on page 6 of the Research Initiative Request for Proposals and on page 5 of the Journalism & Scholarship Initiative Request for Proposals.

Is there a specific cover sheet I should use?
Yes. Please use the cover sheet provided on the NDSP page, below the research and journalism RFPs. Include a completed copy of this form with the rest of your application materials.

Are there guidelines for how I should name my application materials?
We ask that applicants utilize the following nomenclature for all of their materials: Last Name-First Name-Document Type

Do I need to submit the full proposal and accompanying materials simultaneously, or can I submit in stages?
Full proposals, along with supporting materials, should be submitted in a single email to religion@ssrc.org no later than May 15, 2012. Please do not send multiple copies of your application or submit from multiple email accounts. Additionally, please submit only the documents requested in the RFP. We encourage applicants to submit full proposals several days in advance of the deadline so that the SSRC can inform them of missing or incomplete elements of the application.

Will bibliographies or reference lists count towards the 10-page limit on the Project Description?
Reference lists, included as a separate document or on a separate page at the end of the project description section, will not count towards the 10-page limit. If you choose to include references as footnotes, they will contribute to the 10-page limit.

What is the deadline? When will applicants be notified of their status?
Full proposals must be submitted by May 15, 2012, and successful awardees will be notified by July 1, 2012.

Budget

The budget guidelines mention that “modest expenses (less than 15% of the total grant) for…travel… are allowable, provided that these items are clearly explained and justified in the proposal.” I’m planning to do field work, the costs of which include travel and will amount to more than 15% of my total budget. What do I do?
The category of travel refers to costs associated with an applicant’s participation in a conference or other non-fieldwork-related event that will require domestic or international travel. Travel costs associated with fieldwork are not included in the 15% figure. For more information about travel, refer to Section D of the budget guidelines.

Can I include salary funds in the budget?
Yes, applicants can include salary in the budget, so long as they only include salary for time spent working on the proposed project. However, if you have other work-related responsibilities during the duration of the grant, you may not request 100% of your salary. Additionally, if you will receive a salary from your institution for the time you spend working on this proposed project, you may not request additional salary funds.

Can I apply to other sources of funding to support the same project? If I get funding from the SSRC and a second source, do I have to turn one down?
Applicants are welcome to combine an SSRC award with funding from other sources. Additional sources of funding should be noted in the full proposal. Applicants applying for other sources of funding should confirm details with the second organization as well.

Is the grant channeled through an institution or given directly to the grantee?
In most cases, the grant will be channeled through an institution rather than given directly to the grantee. Financial transactions will be overseen by a person at the grantee’s institution who has responsibility for official financial data and can certify its validity.

Evaluation and Next Steps

How will full proposals be evaluated?
All full proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the NDSP advisory committee. A detailed set of evaluation criteria is enumerated on page 11 of the Research Initiative RFP and on page 10 of the Journalism & Scholarship Initiative RFP.

What happens if I am selected as a grantee?
Grantees will be asked to participate in a series of interdisciplinary workshops, conferences, and online initiatives organized in conjunction with the project. For more information on award obligations, see the research and journalism RFPs.

How many grants will be awarded?
NDSP expects to award approximately twenty to twenty-five research grants, ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, and a small number of journalism grants, of up to $50,000 each.