NACADA Academic Advising Research Support Grant

 

NATIONAL ACADEMIC ADVISING ASSOCIATION

2012 Application for Research Support  

The 2012 grant application deadlines are due November 1, 2011 for consideration during the first round, and March 19, 2012, for consideration during the second round of 2012 grant readings.

Note: all application materials should be submitted as attached .doc or .pdf files emailed to miller@ksu.edu

 No paper (snail mail) grant applications will be considered.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

NACADA research support is intended to facilitate research related to academic advising. Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodologies are welcome, as is research from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Successful proposals will clearly describe the development, implementation, analysis, and reporting of rigorous inquiry that investigates academic advising’s impact, context, or theoretical basis. 

• The impact of academic advising on students and institutions, such as measurement of advising’s impact on particular student populations or on institutional goals (such as retention or program implementation) or analysis of the impact of particular advising practices, models, or organizational structures on student learning and development 

• The context of academic advising, which may include examination of institutional and cultural conditions that have an impact on student academic decision-making, institutional support, or reward and recognition of advising 

• The theoretical basis of academic advising development and practice, including evaluation or analysis of advising-based theory from philosophical/theoretical perspectives informed by a variety of disciplines

 

Within these areas, the Research Committee has identified a research agenda of critical areas for research. Potential researchers should note this agenda. Researchers may also be interested in a list of research topics previously awarded NACADA grants as well as a sample grant evaluation checklist used by previous selection committees. These may be found on the NACADA Web site.

 

ELIGIBILITY

 

Practicing professionals and graduate students from any institution (US or international) seeking support for dissertation research in academic advising are eligible to apply. NACADA membership, while always encouraged, is not required. Grant recipients will be awarded a one year NACADA membership at the time of distribution of funds. NACADA membership information may be found at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Membership/index.htm. Find abstracts for previous grant recipients at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/programs/Awards/GrantWinners.htm

 

GRANTS AMOUNTS

 

Research grants fall into one of two categories—Single-Year Awards of up to $5,000 and Multi-year Awards of up to $5,000 (U.S. dollars) each year.

 

Dollar amounts of support for a project range from $500 to $5,000. Stipends are awarded to cover research costs, only.  Stipends are not available to cover program costs.  Funds may be used to cover release time and travel for research purposes. Strong justification needs to be included in the proposal if funds are requested for these purposes. Conference attendance is not funded.

 

Since the purpose of NACADA Research Support is to promote research in academic advising, grants of $500 may be given to support development, distribution and analysis of small-scale survey research, while a grant of $5,000 might fund a full-scale study in one of the categories listed above.  Applicants may request a specific dollar amount (such as $1,800) or they may request a range (such as $500-$1,000); however, the NACADA Research Committee reserves the right to set both the amount and duration of the support.  We will release funds in U.S. dollars following the research grantee’s submission of the NACADA Research Agreement.

 

INDIRECT OR OVERHEAD COSTS

 

The NACADA Research Support Program does not provide funds to meet indirect or overhead costs assessed by institutions, agencies or individuals.  We advise that research applicants discuss this policy with appropriate institutional or agency officials before submitting a research application.  A letter to this effect can be provided to your research office.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES, DEADLINES AND GRANT DECISIONS

 

Research award recipients will be notified of award and amount of support within 75 days of the submission deadline. Grant funding begins upon the receipt of the Human Subject Clearance and all required grant agreement paperwork. Failure to submit completed grant agreement paperwork within 45 days of the grant notification nullifies the grant award. Likewise, failure to submit the signed Human Subject Clearance (IRB) form within the award year nullifies the grant award. 

 

RESPONSES TO PROPOSAL CATEGORIES

 

Responses to each item should be concise and to the point. Please adhere to page specifications.  Bibliographies may be as lengthy as needed.  Proposals should include complete copies of all instruments, surveys or questionnaires to be used. 

• Proposals unresponsive to the Application items will not be read.

• Proposals  written for another audience (e.g., dissertation proposals, grants prepared for other funding sources) will not be read by the Committee.

• Proposals for institutional assessment or evaluation will not be read.

 

It is imperative that applicants describe their projects clearly, defining the objectives and the methodology they will employ. The project must be placed in an academic advising context (refer to relevant scholarship in advising) and must be supported both in its relevance to the field and to the applicant’s personal or institutional goals.  Applicants must explain how their background and experience are relevant to the proposed project. Comment on the feasibility of completing the project within the stated time-line and on the adequacy of resources and facilities to be found in your own or partner institutions necessary for the completion of the project (e.g., access to computing facilities). Budgets must provide an explanation of why each item is needed to conduct the proposed project.

 

Grant recipients are expected to present findings of the NACADA funded study at a NACADA-sponsored event and submit a manuscript based upon results for consideration by the NACADA Journal.  Find Journal manuscript guidelines at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Journal/journal_guidelines.htm

 

Questions concerning the Research Support Program should be directed to Janet Schulenberg, NACADA Research Committee Chair, at jks142@psu.edu.

 

RECEIPT OF GRANT PROPOSALS

 

Email confirmation will be sent for all grant proposals received. Those submitting a grant and NOT receiving an email confirmation within one week should contact the NACADA Executive Office at miller@ksu.edu. 

 

GRANT DECISIONS

 

Individuals submitting proposals will be notified within 75 days of the submission deadline as to the disposition of their proposal. If a grant is awarded, all funds will be disbursed to the successful awardee's institutional grants office, not directly to the individual. Research grant agreements will be sent to each recipient and must be signed and returned within 45 calendar days in order to be eligible for funding. This form requires that recipients have signatures from individuals within their institutional grants office; recipients should contact their grants office as soon as possible after notification that their grant will be funded. The signed Human Subject Clearance (IRB) must be on file before any monies can be distributed.  Monies must be dispersed within the same year as the grant award.