Request for Proposals

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CENSHARE
University of Minnesota
717 Delaware St SE, Rm 130
Minneapolis, MN 55455-2040

phone (612) 626-1975
fax (612) 624-3370
e-mail: censhare@umn.edu

Webmaster: Patricia Rizzi
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Home > Request for Proposals

Small Grant Awards for Research or Educational Projects
from the
Center To Study Human-Animal Relationships and Environments

www.censhare.umn.edu

The Center to Study Human-Animal Relationships and Environments (CENSHARE) is pleased to announce the availability of small grants for research or educational and demonstration projects to develop new knowledge or to disseminate and apply knowledge about human-animal interactions to improve the quality of life and the environment for animals and people.

(Proposals may be submitted at Any Time of the Year)

Amounts to be Awarded: Grant amounts will range from $1,000 to $10,000/year.

Who May Apply: The grants are available to University of Minnesota faculty or P&A appointees who will serve as principal investigators, or to doctoral students who will serve as PIs under the supervision of a dissertation advisor. Students and volunteers from the community may participate in planning and carrying out the proposed projects under the supervision of the responsible principal investigators.

Background: The history of human evolution and development connects intrinsically with animals as sources of food, shelter, clothing, and medicine, helpers in hunting, herding, travel, and other labors, social companions, and sources of aesthetic enjoyment, intellectual stimulation, and personal inspiration. Each of these and other facets of human-animal relationships involve complex attitudes, effects, and processes. These fertile yet largely unexamined fields are appropriate subjects for scholarly study from perspectives as varied as behavior and well-being of animals/people, education, recreation, urban planning, ecology, economics, architecture, environmental concerns, sociology, animal/human health and long term care, philosophy, psychology, and others. The nature of human-animal interactions needs further examination by scholars, practitioners, and the community at large in order to acquire accurate and useful new knowledge.

It is also important to develop new ways and programs for disseminating existing knowledge from past research. CENSHARE wants to support pilot educational and demonstration projects that will disseminate and apply current knowledge in these areas of human-animal interactions to improve the quality of life and well being of animals and people.

Sponsor's Mission: The mission of CENSHARE is to create opportunities to acquire, disseminate, and apply knowledge about the relationships between animals, humans, and their shared environments so that our choices improve the quality of life for all.

Criteria for research, educational and outreach projects:

1.	Relevance of the project to human-animal relationships and environments.
2.	Originality of project concept or extent of need for project.
3.	Soundness of overall rationale: clarity, focus, and innovation within an exploratory empirical framework are highly valued characteristics.
4.	Feasibility of project timeline and general logistics.
5.	Potential for specific applications and general dissemination.

Preference will be given to projects with the following characteristics:

1.	Research CENSHARE is interested in stimulating pilot projects on new research ideas where small grants may be most helpful. CENSHARE is also interested in stimulating investigations that would be part of other current or planned research projects. More specifically, the CENSHARE-funded investigation could be part of a larger project that provides a natural venue for collecting data specific to human-animal relationships. This approach can be very cost effective and provide important data gathered as an addition (piggy back) to a project funded by other sources.
2.	Educational and outreach projects - CENSHARE is interested in funding proposals for educational projects that address the needs of students, professionals and other members of the community for knowledge about relationships between humans and animals. Outreach projects that develop or provide: Educational materials for classrooms or for distance learning using innovative strategies or equipment to assist effective learning. Demonstrations and continuing opportunities for teaching students and/or volunteers. Useful information or model projects applicable to urban human-animal relationships. CENSHARE is also interested in stimulating research and educational projects that would be part of other larger current or planned projects. More specifically, the CENSHARE-funded project could be part of a larger project that provides a natural venue for a smaller research or educational project focusing on human-animal relationships. This approach can be very cost effective and provide important data gathered as an addition (piggy back) to a project funded by other sources.
3.	Ease of dissemination - Projects that include plans for dissemination of research findings and reports of outcomes of educational and outreach projects will be highly valued.
4.	Scientific rigor - Research, educational and outreach project proposals will be rewarded for apparent replicability, clarity, focus, and contributions to acquiring or disseminating and applying knowledge.
5.	Involvement - In keeping with CENSHARE's goals, projects that actively involve students and volunteers from the community, while maintaining appropriate academic standards, are of high interest.

Duration of proposed projects:

1.	Funding will generally be provided one year at a time. However, appropriate projects of more than one year's duration will be considered, with continuing funding contingent on progress.
2.	If CENSHARE funds are obtained as seed monies to sponsor development of a proposal for outside funding, the proposal must be completed within the year of CENSHARE support.

Informational inquiries encouraged:

Interested individuals are encouraged to contact CENSHARE with any questions prior to developing a complete response to this RFP.

Reporting requirements for projects:

1.	Interim reports of progress or difficulties at quarterly intervals to the Director of CENSHARE are encouraged.
2.	Final reports and financial accounting for all projects will be due within 15 months following the award date.

General information for applicants:

1.	Applicants are directed to the CENSHARE Web site at www.censhare.umn.edu for information on the REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING and for understanding of the mission and goals of the sponsoring organization.
2.	Proposals may be submitted at any time during the year. Proposals will be reviewed during the quarter of the year following their receipt in the CENSHARE office. Notification of an award will be given to the Principal Investigator as soon as possible after the proposal is approved by the committee and the Director of CENSHARE.
3.	Grant funds will be distributed to the appropriate administrative/academic unit for administration as requested by the principal investigator.
4.	Funds will be distributed in total upon approval of the project.
5.	CENSHARE promotes equal opportunity principles and encourages submissions from minorities, women, and people with physical disabilities.

Format of Application

Title page:

1.	Project title.
2.	Name of Principal Investigator, with departmental address, phone number, and email address.
3.	Names of additional collaborators.
4.	Amount of funds requested from CENSHARE.
5.	Abstract or Project summary (limited to 250 words).

Proposal: No more than 5 pages, double-spaced, 1” margins, plus budget.

1.	Conceptual objectives and/or hypothesis together with references to relevant literature in the field.
2.	Present status of knowledge.
3.	Plan of work, including methodology and measurement criteria for outcomes.
4.	Description of expected final product supported by this funding.
5.	Qualifications and responsibilities of project team, including professors, graduate students, undergraduate students, community members (no more than 1 page in length for each CV, including relevant publications).
6.	Budget: Project personnel, position, duties, and name (if known). Personnel to be paid by project funds – Percent time, salary, fringe benefits etc. for students, staff and faculty within project budget. Supplies, duplicating expenses, phone, postage, travel, etc.
7.	All required research/reporting forms of the University of Minnesota, such as the Compliance and Signature forms, Human and Animal Subject Protocol approvals, etc.

Submission procedure:

Five printed copies of the proposal should be submitted by US mail to CENSHARE, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St SE Rm 130, Minneapolis, MN 55455-2040.

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