Undergraduate Application for Funding Form

 Please be prepared to attach your resume and research proposal along with the application (vu username and password required ) as outlined in the Check Sheet. Please note that a completed application includes the Faculty Sponsor Endorsment Form and Letter of Support.   Guidelines for the research proposal are listed below.

Research Proposal Guidelines

Your proposal must be typed, up to a maximum of 5 pages. Observe the following format:

1. Project Description. Describe the purpose of your project, providing appropriate background information. Be as succinct as possible. Include hypotheses/arguments, references to relevant literature (be sure to include “Literature Cited” or a bibliography at the end), and the significance of your research.
   
2. Methods. Describe as specifically as possible the methods you will employ to accomplish your project’s goals. In addition to specifying the manner in which you will collect your data, include the approach you will take to analyze data.
   
3. Final Product. Describe the intended results of your project, and the venue within which your scholarship will be disseminated.
   
4. Schedule. Provide a specific timetable for implementing the various steps of your research project.
   
5. Short Personal Statement. Provide evidence through your coursework, extracurricular activities, or other experiences that you have the background necessary to accomplish this project. Any inconsistencies or gaps in your academic record should be explained here. You should also describe here how this research is important to you – academically, personally, and/or professionally.
   
6. Budget. Provide a budget outline for expected costs. Include any additional funding sources and amounts associated with your proposed research project. See Budget Guidelines (below).
   

Budget Guidelines for Undergraduate Research Proposal

The stipend amount will be $3500 for summer grants (typically 10 weeks, 35 hours per week).  The Faculty Research Council reserves the right to set limits on supplementary project costs.

The budget document will consist of both a spreadsheet/tabular display of the budget information and a brief budget justification. Typical divisions of the tabular budget are equipment, supplies, travel, and other. Other categories, of course, can be added as needed. The budget should make clear how the totals for each category of expenses are reached. The categories below are to be used for both the spreadsheet and the justification. A budget justification must accompany the budget request. Under each budget category is a breakdown of the information that is required for the justification.

1. The following categories are the most commonly used in budget requests (note that not all categories may be pertinent to your proposal-see example below):
   
   • Travel - Foreign travel should be specifically detailed and justified, not combined with domestic travel, and the need to travel to professional meetings should be tied specifically to the proposed project.
   • Equipment - Indicate the estimated unit cost for each item to be purchased, and briefly justify the need for items of equipment to be purchased.
   • Materials and Supplies - Itemize materials and supplies by nature of expense. Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations (e.g., vendor quotes, prior purchase of similar or like items, etc.)
   • Other
     

Sample Budgets & Justifications

Budget Example 1

Justification Example 1

The present BET sample chambers are too small for my samples and three larger ones need to be made by a glass blower. The quoted price is $150 each. Each run requires 2 liters of liquid nitrogen. Cost of replacing one heating element is anticipated The results of this research will be presented at the student poster competition at the national conference of the ASCE.

Budget Example 2

Justification Example 2

I will visit Valley Forge to make field observations, make use of the park’s archival resources and consult historian contacts. I will conduct archival research by visiting the Athenaeum’s architectural resources on Paul Cret and consult with the archive’s librarians to develop a more sophisticated understanding of architectural blueprints. I will also visit the Urban Archives at Temple University, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Paul Cret papers at the University of Pennsylvania.  It will be essential to visit the Pennsylvania State Archives, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that hold the records of the Valley Forge Park Commission . I will also travel to investigate Cret’s works in Washington DC, including the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Duke Ellington Bridge.  I will visit New York City to compare the National Memorial Arch with the Washington Arch in Washington Square Park.   My research will lead to a cohesive report to be presented to park rangers and other representatives at Valley Forge.