Guidelines for Proposals for Competitive Research Funds 2024

 

OVERALL FUNDING OBJECTIVES

The objective of the VCRS grant initiative is to fund proposals addressing important respiratory system issues, with the goal of improving animal health. The proposals should be innovative and should answer specific and significant scientific questions. The decision to fund a proposal will be based on the scientific merit of the proposal. Priority will be given to proposals supporting a graduate student or resident research project. However, the Principal Investigator (PI) must be a faculty member or researcher at the institution and a member of the VCRS.

 

GENEAL INFORMATION FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSIONAll proposals for the VCRS competitive funds must be submitted electronically to Dr. Minna Rajamäki(vcrs2024@helsinki.fi), co-chair of the VCRS Research Committee, by 12 Noon Eastern Standard Time, September 1st, 2024. The number or size of the awards will not be predetermined however, the total amount of funds requested shall not exceed $10,000 USD with a maximum duration of 1-year for funding. The proposals will be ranked based on scientific merit and critiques of proposals will be provided on request to all submitting investigators. Final funding decisions will be made by the VCRS board. Notification of awards will be made via email by November 1st, 2024. Release of funds will be made by December 1st, 2024 if all required documents have been submitted.

 

Broadly, the work or activity that is to be accomplished with the VCRS funds may be:

1. a) An initial phase of research in a graduate student research program or to satisfy specialty board certification requirements. (This research should be suitable for publication.)

 

• b)The development of a working knowledge of unfamiliar procedures or techniques that are integral to the overall goal of the program.

 

• c)The development of data of importance to the respiratory health and performance of animals which might not be funded through other sources.

 

The proposal should focus upon that portion of the program that will be accomplished with the funds requested through the VCRS. The one year budget should reflect the work to be done with the VCRS funds, NOT the total research program. Submission of no more than one research proposal will be accepted per principal investigator per year. Funding of a project does not preclude the principal investigator from submitting proposals for new projects in future years. However, principal investigators already holding an active grant are not eligible to apply for a second grant until the completion of the first one. Requests for additional money on a previously funded project will be considered by the VCRS Board if significant progress has been made.

 

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