UW Research

Application Instructions

Create the eGC1 in SAGE

Prepare and submit proposals to the RRF via SAGE, the university’s web-based system for submitting a grant application and routing it electronically for campus review and approval before it is submitted to an extramural funding source. The RRF, which is internal funding, also uses SAGE to manage its proposal applications. This means that some of the data requested may not be applicable to the RRF.

View eGC1 instructions for the RRF.

Prepare the Proposal Documents

Each proposal must contain the following sections in the order specified and uploaded to the eGC1 as one PDF document; no other material is allowed. Pages should be single-spaced, using 11-point font and 1/2″ margins. Applications that exceed page limits, are incomplete, or include additional documents will be returned to the PI for corrections if time permits.

Page Limit Item
1 page 1. Proposal cover page: Include the eGC1 number, proposal title, name and department of the PI and any Co-PIs, and proposal abstract (maximum of 250 words).
1 page 2. Response to previous reviews: For the resubmission of a proposal not previously funded, a summary of responses to the previous reviews must be submitted.
6 pages 3. Description of proposed research. See details below.
3 pages 4. Budget table and justification. See details below.
2 pages per CV / biosketch 5. Curriculum Vitae of the PI and any Co-PIs. CVs for postdoctoral scholars should be provided if they are requesting salary. Biosketches are also acceptable in lieu of CVs; the same page limit applies to both formats.
2 pages per PI / Co-PI 6. Other research support: List sources, dates, amounts, and titles of all research awards for which you were the PI during the past three years, as well as any pending proposals. State the relationship of each project to the current proposal, if any. Provide this information for the PI and any Co-PIs. Junior faculty should also list the total amount and remaining balance of their start-up package. If the start-up funds are designated for specific uses (such as equipping your lab), please include an explanation.

If you have no other research support to report, include a statement to this effect.
2 pages 7. Bibliography and references: List publications by the PI and others that are cited in (or related to) the proposed research.

Complete the Description of Research

The RRF program recognizes that not all the wording and/or information requested in this application will apply equally to all eligible units within the university. PIs should try to answer the substance of the questions as they apply to their discipline. Reviewers may not be specialists in your field, thus the proposal should be understandable to colleagues outside of your particular discipline.

A. Introduction and Rationale
Provide a brief critical review of the pertinent literature, theoretical background, and justification for the proposed research, including its significance and potential impact. Describe any results already achieved, including publications.

B. Broader Impacts
How does the project and/or the team demonstrate engagement with broader impacts such as: activities that are aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in the field; supporting and mentoring BIPOC students, post-docs, and/or early-career colleagues; or conducting research that benefits underrepresented or underserved communities?

C. Objectives
What is the project designed to accomplish?

D. Procedure
With what methods, materials, or tools will the objectives be met? If access to a particular location or institution is required for research or data collection, state whether permission has been obtained.

E. Time Schedule
Provide a schedule showing how the proposed research can be accomplished during the desired support period, normally one year.

F. Need for RRF Support
What other efforts have been made to find support for the project? How could the results of the work lead to further outside funding or commercial applications?

For RRF Scholar applicants, provide documentation of a typical year’s teaching load (quarter, course number, title, and credits).

If you are senior faculty, describe in detail how the proposal meets at least one of the following criteria: a) supporting a genuinely new direction in the applicant’s research and/or career development; b) providing a unique opportunity (competing for subsequent one-time or infrequently-offered funding, undertaking research that is inherently time-sensitive/time-limited); or c) originating in a discipline for which external funding opportunities are minimal.

Complete the Budget

After completing the SAGE Budget in your eGC1, use the data to prepare a budget table itemizing specific project needs to include in your proposal. Justify all budget items requested. Provide a subtotal for each object code. The total budget should not exceed $40,000.

The university does not charge indirect costs to RRF grants, nor does it allow such charges from departmental or external agencies as part of an RRF budget.

01 Salary and 07 Benefit Costs
Information needed for each individual to be paid from this grant:

  • Name (if known at the time of the application)
  • Job title
  • Percentage of time expected to be devoted to grant
  • Salary rate per month, hour, etc.
  • Length of time salary is required
  • Benefit costs

Salary types

Replacement salary (RRF Scholar only)
Budget should reflect the actual cost of hiring a replacement, not the PI’s salary.

Faculty salary
Salary may be requested for PIs and Co-PIs. For 9-month faculty, salary support is limited to two months of summer salary. If research spans two summers, summer salary is limited to two months total. 12-month faculty are limited to two months of salary. Faculty may not request salary for periods when they will be on sabbatical leave. Faculty salary is not mandatory on an RRF budget.

Graduate students
A graduate student can be supported throughout the academic year at the normal 50% level; hiring them at a 25% level or on an hourly basis are also options. Indicate the quarter(s) they will serve. A compelling argument must be made for greater than nine months’ support. This fund is not intended to support independent research projects undertaken by graduate students.

Postdoctoral Scholars
A compelling argument must be made to support a postdoctoral scholar; include a 2-page CV. This fund is not intended to support independent research projects undertaken by postdoctoral scholars.

Technicians / Professional Staff
Professional staff with PI status who are serving as PIs or Co-PIs are limited to two months of salary support. Justification must be provided to support other technicians or professional staff.

02 Personal Service Contracts and Other Purchased Services
List the nature and extent of the services.

03 Other Contractual Services
List details of service to be contracted. Subcontracts are allowed, but they must be justified. Conference fees, supplements to ongoing seminar programs, facilities renovation, membership costs, subscriptions, or production of CDs or other materials for commercial purposes are not allowed. Publication subsidies and/or journal page charges are allowed but should not normally exceed 10% of the total RRF budget. Lab fees are allowed if based on actual use of the lab (blanket lab fees are not allowed).

04 Travel
Only travel necessary to conduct research will be supported. Explain the nature of the travel expenses and their relation to the project. Identify individuals for whom travel funds are requested. Conference travel and registration fees are not allowed.

05 Supplies and Materials
List by major types, i.e., glassware, chemicals, etc. and give estimated cost of each major type.

06 Equipment
List all items of equipment and the cost of each item. Equipment will be supported only if tied to a research project and not available elsewhere on campus. A budget consisting solely of equipment will be funded only in exceptional circumstances.

08 Student Aid and other Grants and Subsidies
Use tuition rates as provided by the Graduate School. It is not necessary to budget for the Student Technology Fee.

Applying for an RRF Scholar Quarter

The RRF Scholar quarter supports one quarter of teaching release for faculty members. To be eligible, the applicant must teach at least four regular courses per year of three credits or more; independent study and dissertation supervision are not included.

RRF awards cover the cost of hiring replacement teachers, not the total salary for the faculty awardee during their release quarter. The RRF award is paid as a percentage of the awardee’s salary. Include the estimated teaching replacement costs in the 01 Salary and 07 Retirement and Benefits sections. The budget can also include research support (e.g., student assistants, travel, supplies). RRF Scholars will only be awarded summer salary support in exceptional cases and with clear justification.

It may help to review the post-award Scholar Budget Instructions to get an idea for how the Scholar and non-Scholar parts of the award are managed.

Complete the Suggested Reviewers Memo

A memo with suggested reviewers must be submitted. This is a Word document and is separate from the proposal itself.

1) Beneath the PI’s name, proposal title, and eGC1 number, please name two to four UW faculty or professional staff who would be able to provide a thorough and objective review of the proposal. Include a phone number and an email address for each person. (Please note that the RRF committee is not obliged to select from this list.)

  • It is fine to name colleagues from your own department(s). However, the RRF considers recent collaborators (past five years) in research or teaching to be conflicts of interest; these individuals should not be suggested as reviewers.
  • Please do not name colleagues who are applying to the RRF in the same round; current applicants are not allowed to review each other’s proposals.

2) Additionally, please name any UW faculty or professional staff who should not review the proposal. Recent collaborators (past five years) in research or teaching belong on this list, as well as any other colleagues you consider a conflict of interest.

Attach the memo to the eGC1 in the Documents to be Submitted to Sponsor section separately from your PDF application.

Submit Early for Review and Time to Make Corrections

Routing a ready-to-submit (RTS = Yes) proposal so that the eGC1 reaches “In OSP” status in SAGE 3-4 business days before the deadline will guarantee that RRF staff have time to review and provide feedback on proposals, giving PIs time to make corrections if time permits. The most common problems with RRF submissions are incomplete proposals and sections that exceed stated limits. Proposals that do not meet the requirements by the deadline are not reviewed. Please follow instructions carefully in preparing proposals and submit 3-4 business days in advance of the deadline to ensure that your proposal receives full consideration.