Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center and Pennsylvania Sea Grant Small grants program for FY 2013 Request for Proposals, due pm December 14, 2012 Overview The Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center (PA-WRRC) and Pennsylvania Sea Grant invite faculty of all Pennsylvania colleges and universities to submit proposals for research or outreach addressing water resources issues in Pennsylvania The PA-WRRC is part of the National Institutes for Water Resources (http://niwr.net/), while PA Sea Grant is part of the National Sea Grant College Network (http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/) Both organizations fund small grants in the areas of research, education, and outreach to foster science-based decisions about water resources Here, funds are available from PA-WRRC (via the USGS 104B small grants program) and from PA Sea Grant (via National Sea Grant competitive funding), and all proposals will be considered for both sources of funds Proposal Deadline A proposal is due by pm on Friday, December 14, 2012, to be prepared using the template below consistent with the required USGS format Activities Both research projects (which address unanswered questions in water resources) and information transfer projects (which make research-based information available to user communities) are encouraged Highest priority is given to projects that advance understanding of important water resources issues in Pennsylvania and accomplish several of the following objectives: • Address water resources issues of major importance to Pennsylvania (see below) • Assist younger scientists/engineers with developing a water research and education program • Work cooperatively with state agencies or other stakeholder groups in the state • Develop effective outreach materials or peer-reviewed research publications Current areas of research interest include, but are not limited to: • Impacts of Marcellus shale / natural gas exploration on water resources; • Understanding sources, effects, or remediation of pollutants (e.g., nutrients, pesticides, emerging contaminants); • Impacts of climatic variability and change on water resources; • Enhancement of water supplies (e.g., via increase of water availability, decrease in water use, improvements in water technology and/or infrastructure, prevention of pollution, or improvements to water management institutions); • Coastal water resources Eligibility Academic Faculty at public or private colleges and universities in Pennsylvania may lead proposals Permanent research personnel (e.g., research professor or extension specialist) may also lead proposals as their colleges and universities allow Post-docs, graduate students, and other temporary appointees are not eligible to apply Range of Awards small grants of approximately $20,000 each are anticipated from each Sea Grant and from PAWRRC The PA-WRRC’s obligations under these programs are contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds Award Dates Awards will have a start date of March 1, 2013 (or when possible) and an end date of February 28, 2014 Project duration is limited to one year Use of Funds Funds can be used to support research (e.g., student wages, travel, supplies, sample analyses), or information transfer activities (e.g., public educational or technology transfer activities, workshops, manuals, brochures, videos) Tuition and fees can be included if the dates for the full semester or quarter fall entirely within the project period (typically, semester) While possible, we recommend that funds not be used toward salary support for faculty Federal funds shall not be used to pay indirect costs Matching Funds Each applicant must match each Federal dollar provided with not less than two dollars from non-federal sources Matching funds shall be obligated during the project period, and can be provided from any non-federal source Because this RFP doesn’t allow colleges or universities to charge indirect costs on these projects, matching funds may contain indirect costs (overhead at the applicant’s negotiated indirect cost rate, NICR) Matching funds can also include investigator salary (non-federal) and the fringe benefits associated with this salary Other sources of matching funds that are frequently used are: graduate assistantships or undergraduate wages contributed from other sources, and equipment for research purchased from other sources Expenditures for matching funds must be made within the budget period for the research If the proposal is selected for funding, matching funds commitment letters verifying the amount & sources of the match will be required Expectations Each funded project will be required to submit a final report in April 2014, after the project end date, using a prescribed format Investigators will need to be willing to provide updates on research, achievements & awards, student support, publications, and follow-on funding that stemmed, at least in part, from this small grant for years after the project ends We encourage each project to present their findings at events sponsored by PA-WRRC and PA Sea Grant Timeline • Proposals due by 5pm on Friday, December 14, 2012 • Reviewed by a committee who will make decisions before the end of December Sorry, we not provide review comments • Proposals selected will work with PA-WRRC staff to finalize matching letters, budget information, and content to submit to USGS by the deadline of January 15, 2013 • Funding start date March 1, 2013 (or when possible, given availability of funds) • Funding ends February 28, 2014 • Final report due April 2014 Submission Contacts Proposals should be submitted using the template below in Microsoft Word via e-mail to Elizabeth W Boyer and Robert Light at Penn State University Please note that in order to be considered for funding, proposals must adhere to the template below with elements as required by the USGS 104B program All submissions will be confirmed via e-mail; if you don’t receive a confirmation within 24 hours, please contact us Elizabeth W Boyer, Director, PA Water Resources Research Center Penn State at University Park (814) 865-8830 ewb100@psu.edu Robert Light, Director, Pennsylvania Sea Grant Penn State at Erie (814) 898-6160 rwl2@psu.edu Submission Format Template 2013-2014 WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH PROJECTS PROJECT TITLE: Concise but descriptive PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Provide name, academic rank, university, email address and phone number for all of the principal investigators TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Specify whether the proposed project is primarily Research or Information Transfer FOCUS CATEGORIES Choose a maximum of three focus categories from the list below, with the most preferred focus category first RESEARCH CATEGORY: Choose from the following the one category that most closely applies: Social Sciences, Ground-water Flow and Transport, Water Quality, Biological Sciences, Engineering, or Climate and Hydrologic Processes KEYWORDS: Enter keywords of your choice descriptive of the work CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Of the university where the work is to be conducted OVERALL ABSTRACT: Provide a brief (up to page) description of the problem, methods, and objectives CONCISE STATEMENT OF REGIONAL OR STATE WATER PROBLEM (One paragraph to ½ page maximum): Include an explanation of the need for the project, who wants it, and why CONCISE STATEMENT OF RESULTS OR BENEFITS (Paragraph to ½ page maximum): Specify the type of information that is to be gained and how it will be used NATURE, SCOPE, and OBJECTIVES (Up to pages) of the project, including a timeline of activities METHODS, PROCEDURES, and FACILITIES (Up to pages) Provide enough information to permit evaluation of the technical adequacy of the approach to satisfy the objectives RELATED RESEARCH (Research projects only, up to page) Show by literature and communication citations the similarities and dissimilarities of the proposed project to completed or on-going work on the same topic TRAINING POTENTIAL: Estimate the number of students by degree level (undergraduate, graduate, postdoc) who are expected to receive training in the project Estimate any opportunities for outreach and public education INVESTIGATOR’s QUALIFICATIONS: Include resume(s) of the principal investigator(s) No resume shall exceed two pages or list more than 10 publications BUDGET BREAKDOWN Project Title: Cost Category Salaries and Wages Federal $ Non-Federal Total $ $ $ $ - Principal Investigator(s) - Graduate Student(s) - Undergraduate Student(s) - Others Total Salaries and Wages Fringe Benefits - Principal Investigator(s) - Graduate Student(s) - Undergraduate Student(s) - Others Total Fringe Benefits Tuition - Graduate Student(s) - Undergraduate Student(s) Total Tuition Supplies Equipment Services or Consultants Travel Other direct costs Total direct costs 10a Indirect costs on federal share XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX 10b Indirect costs on non-federal share XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX 11 Total estimated costs $ BUDGET JUSTIFICATION Project Title Salaries and Wages for PIs Provide personnel, title/position, estimated hours and the rate of compensation proposed for each individual Salaries and Wages for Graduate Students Provide personnel, title/position, estimated hours and the rate of compensation proposed for each individual (Other forms of compensation paid as or in lieu of wages to students performing necessary work are allowable provided that the other payments are reasonable compensation for the work performed and are conditioned explicitly upon the performance of necessary work Also, note that tuition has its own category below and that health insurance, if provided, is to be included under fringe benefits.) Salaries and Wages for Undergraduate Students Provide personnel, title/position, estimated hours and the rate of compensation proposed for each individual (Other forms of compensation paid as or in lieu of wages to students performing necessary work are allowable provided that the other payments are reasonable compensation for the work performed and are conditioned explicitly upon the performance of necessary work Also, note that tuition has its own category below and that health insurance, if provided, is to be included under fringe benefits.) Salaries and Wages for Others Provide personnel, title/position, estimated hours and the rate of compensation proposed for each individual Fringe Benefits for PIs Provide the overall fringe benefit rate applicable to each category of employee proposed in the project Note: include health insurance here, if applicable Fringe Benefits for Graduate Students Provide the overall fringe benefit rate applicable to each category of employee proposed in the project Note: include health insurance here, if applicable Fringe Benefits for Undergraduate Students Provide the overall fringe benefit rate applicable to each category of employee proposed in the project Note: include health insurance here, if applicable Fringe Benefits for Others Provide the overall fringe benefit rate applicable to each category of employee proposed in the project Note: include health insurance here, if applicable Tuition for Graduate Students Tuition for Undergraduate Students Supplies Indicate separately the amounts proposed for office, laboratory, computing, and field supplies Provide a breakdown of the supplies in each category Equipment Identify non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more than one (1) year and an acquisition cost of more than $5,000 per unit If fabrication of equipment is proposed, list parts and materials required for each, and show costs separately from the other items A detailed breakdown is required Services or Consultants Identify the specific tasks for which these services, consultants, or subcontracts would be used Provide a detailed breakdown of the services or consultants to include personnel, time, salary, supplies, travel, etc Travel Provide purpose and estimated costs for all travel A breakdown should be provided to include location, number of personnel, number of days, per diem rate, lodging rate, mileage and mileage rate, airfare (whatever is applicable) Other Direct Costs Itemize costs not included elsewhere, including publication costs Costs for services and consultants should be included and justified under “Services or Consultants (above) Please provide a breakdown for costs listed under this category Indirect Costs Provide negotiated indirect (“Facilities and Administration”) cost rate ... Elizabeth W Boyer, Director, PA Water Resources Research Center Penn State at University Park (814) 865-8830 ewb100@psu.edu Robert Light, Director, Pennsylvania Sea Grant Penn State at Erie (814)... approach to satisfy the objectives RELATED RESEARCH (Research projects only, up to page) Show by literature and communication citations the similarities and dissimilarities of the proposed project... Template 2013-2014 WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH PROJECTS PROJECT TITLE: Concise but descriptive PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Provide name, academic rank, university, email address and phone number for