- Are researchers outside of the US eligible for grant funding?
- Can the same person be listed as a team member on more than one project?
- The RFP says that the budgets for non-empirical projects should only include salary replacement. How strict is that limitation?
- Can I combine funding from the Happiness & Well-Being Project with funding from other sources?
- Do word limits on letters of intent (3,000 words for an empirical project LOI, 1,000 for a non-empirical LOI) include references?
- The RFP says that an empirical project must include a team member with expertise in either philosophy, theology, or religious studies. Must the individual with expertise have a Ph.D. in one of these fields?
- Can project team members be at different institutions?
- Can the PI be employed at a non-profit research institution rather than a traditional university or college?
- Must every project team member have a Ph.D. and a faculty position?
- Can a PI on a project move to a different university during the project?
- Can a non-empirical project have more than one team member?
- Can a project have multiple PIs?
- Can budgets include summer salary?
- Can I receive a grant personally, rather than through an institution?
- Can my budget include funds for hiring a post-doc?
RFP Questions and Answers:
Yes, absolutely.
Yes, under certain conditions. First, no one may be listed as the PI on more than one project; however, someone can be listed as the PI on one project and a non-PI team member on another project. Second, no one may be listed on more than one proposal of the same type; that is, the same individual can be listed on no more than two proposals, one empirical and one non-empirical. See the "Grant Eligibility" section of the RFP for more details.
It is strict. We are only funding salary replacement for non-empirical projects; consequently, proposed budgets should not include overhead charges, benefits, research and travel funds, or anything else other than strictly salary. This allows us to fund more projects, and also encourages universities to invest more in the scholarly work of their faculty.
Yes, and we encourage you to do so if possible.
No, the word limits do not include lists of referenced materials.
No, having a Ph.D. in philosophy, theology, or religious studies is not required for expertise. However, if the team member with expertise in one of these fields does not have a Ph.D. in that field, the proposal should make clear the nature of the individual's expertise in the field. This could be done by, for example, demonstrating a record of publishing scholarly work in the field, or by having had extensive training in the field. Note that proposals will be reviewed by scholars in the relevant fields, who will determine how far the team member has the necessary expertise, in their view. Importantly, empirical proposals will be evaluated partly by the extent to which they involve genuine collaboration across disciplines (see the "integration narrative" requirement in the RFP).
Yes, they can. We will contract with the project PI's institution, but other team members may be at other institutions.
We assume that any accredited college or university has the capacity and credibility to host and administer one of these grants. Researchers based at other organizations, such as a non-profit research institution, may apply for the sub-grant competition provided that the institution has sufficient capacity and credibility to host and administer a project of the sort we are seeking, as described in the RFP. We will decide this question on a case-by-case basis. As we limited resources for vetting such organizations, applicants may want to speak to the qualifications of their host institution in their proposals.
No, only the principal investigator (PI) on the project must have a Ph.D. and be faculty at a university or similar institution. This is not required of non-PI team members, nor is it required of co-PIs. If the project has co-PIs, one PI must take the primary contractual responsibility for their project, and that person must have a Ph.D. and be contracted as faculty to an accredited university or college.
Yes, though any costs associated with moving the grant from one university to another must be borne by one or both of the universities. No budget increase will be provided.
Yes, non-empirical projects may have more than one team member. However, budgets should still only include salary replacement.
Yes, a project can have more than one person listed as PI. However, for contracting purposes, one person will be considered as having primary responsibility for ensuring that the contracted research is performed.
Yes, budgets may include summer salary. For non-empirical projects, no overhead or benefits may be included, but summer salary may.
No, we will not award grants to individuals, but only to universities or similar institutions.
Yes, both empirical and non-empirical project budgets may include funds for post-doctoral fellowships. For non-empirical proposals, the same budget limits apply as for the PI: we will cover salary only.
