UW Research

Instructions for Preparing an RRF Proposal

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. Pages should be single-spaced, using 11-point font and 1/2″ margins. Applications exceeding page limits, with missing items, or including extra documentation will be returned to the PI for corrections.

Item Page Limit
1. Proposal cover page: Include the eGC1 number, proposal title, name and department of the PI and any Co-PI(s), 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. 1 page
3. Description of proposed research. See details below.

 6 pages
4. Budget page(s). See details below.

 3 pages
5. Curriculum Vitae of the PI and any Co-PI(s). CVs for acting faculty, faculty with temporary appointments, and postdoctorates should be provided if they are requesting salary. Biosketches are also acceptable in lieu of CVs. 2 pages per CV / biosketch

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-PI(s). Note: If pending support is subsequently awarded, and the overlap between this research and the RRF project is significant, the Office of Research may request return of unexpended RRF funds. 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 per PI / Co-PI
7. Literature Citations / References / Bibliography. List publications by the PI and others that are cited in (or related to) the proposed research. 2 pages

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).

For 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 sums from SAGE to prepare a budget itemizing specific project needs, as seen below. Justify all budget items requested. All figures quoted are examples only; make sure to verify all rates and costs. Round all figures to whole dollars, group items by Object Codes for Expenditures, and 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
PI Carlton Jacobs, Professor, replacement salary cost estimate, Spring 2025 (RRF Scholar) x benefit rate 10,549
Co-PI Zhen Liu, Assistant Professor, 100%, $5,000 per month, one month of summer salary x benefit rate 6,205
Veronica Dumont, Research Assistant, 50%, $2,586 per month, three months, Spring 2025 x benefit rate 9,410
Subtotal 26,164
02 Personal Service Contracts and Other Purchased Services
Research Subjects – 25 subjects @ $10 each 250
Subtotal 250
03 Other Contractual Services
Recording and editing fees 450
Subtotal 450
04 Travel
Professor Liu to travel to research site, city, state, round-trip airfare for 1 trip 600
Subtotal 600
05 Supplies and Materials
Chemicals 1,000
Electronic components 843
Subtotal 1,843
06 Equipment
ABC 200 mm telescope 5,195
Subtotal 5,195
08 Student Aid and Other Grants and Services
Veronica Dumont, Research Assistant, Spring 202x rate 5,498
Subtotal 5,498
TOTAL BUDGET 40,000

Budget Categories & Guidelines

01 Salary and 07 Benefit Costs
Information needed for each individual who is 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
  • 07 Benefit Costs will populate automatically under each salary line

Salary types

Replacement salary (RRF Scholar only)
Budget should reflect the actual cost of hiring a replacement, not the PI’s salary. See additional comment under “Faculty salary.”

Routine secretarial charges
Not allowed.

Faculty salary
Salary may be requested for PIs, Co-PIs, Acting Faculty, and/or faculty with temporary appointments. For 9-month faculty, salary support is limited to two months of summer salary. (Note: UW rules state that summer salary for faculty on 9-month appointments should not exceed 2.5 months total from all funding sources.) 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. Co-PIs may apply for two months of summer salary each. Acting Faculty and faculty with temporary appointments may receive up to two months of salary but may not serve as PI or Co-PI. Salary support will not be provided for affiliate or visiting faculty. RRF Scholars will only be awarded summer salary support in exceptional cases and with clear justification. 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 or postdoctorates.

Postdoctorates
A compelling argument must be made to support a postdoctorate; include a 2-page CV. This fund is not intended to support independent research projects undertaken by graduate students or postdoctorates.

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. Payments of per diem to consultants are allowed only in exceptional circumstances.

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.

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.