URC Policies and Guidelines

Thank you for looking to the University Research Committee to provide funding for your research. Below you will find important information regarding the current award cycle. Please be sure to note the submission guidelines.

Application Policies and Guidelines

Eligibility

Regular, continuing full-time faculty of Emory University are eligible to apply for a URC grant.  URC eligibility follows criteria for “full-time faculty” as defined within each school. URC eligibility follows criteria for “full-time faculty” as defined within each school.  Postdocs, Fellows, Adjuncts, and part-time faculty are not eligible. For full-time faculty in ECAS, more information regarding eligibility requirements can be found under "Leave Policies and Course Release" on the ECAS Office of Faculty website.

Past URC awardees must (1) wait three full URC cycles after their previous award's completion date before submitting a new funding proposal to the URC and (2) have completed the required URC project progress reports. It is important to note that an award's completion date includes any approved no-cost extensions (NCEs).  

Budget and Policies

Budget is not a criterion for assessing the scholarly merits of an application; however, reviewers may comment on the appropriateness of specific funding requests. Please ensure that all requested funding is appropriate for and aligned with the proposed research needs.

URC awards, available on a competitive basis, are short-term (12-month), non-renewable grants, capped at the amount specified in each category.  All fees and expenses should fall within the total dollar amount awarded, and should be spent within the 12-month award period.

1. Nothing that binds the University to a future expense or commitment is permissible;
2. Nothing that could be construed as part of a faculty member's usual operating expenses is permissible (e.g., the purchase of a pc/laptop/tablet/cell phone; conference travel and/or attendance, regular salary/benefits, or any other regular operating expense not listed herein)

• Direct expenses for the current proposed project.
• Subcontracts are accepted ONLY with the following Emory-affiliated entities and must include justification:
        o Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA)
        o Georgia Tech Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Student Assistance - funding for undergraduates and graduate students
• Co-worker Assistance - funding for post-docs and staff, as appropriate and with justification
        • NOTE: If included, applicants should ensure that additional funding sources are available to cover the student and post-doc compensation beyond the 1-year period of URC funding (as needed).
• Course Release(s) - Individuals requesting course releases should include a maximum of $12,500 per course within the proposed URC budget. Up to two course releases may be requested, with a maximum of $25,000 in course release funding requested.
• The proposal must include official approval from your school’s Dean for the requested course release(s). The format for documenting Dean’s approval is left to each of the participating schools. In addition to obtaining Dean’s approval, faculty who request course release(s) are also responsible for coordinating with their department head/chair, as appropriate.
         o Proposals that include a request for course release funds but that lack official Dean's approval will not be considered.
• If the budgeted amount in the proposal is not sufficient to support the school’s expectation for funding the requested course release(s), the applicant and the applicant’s Chair, in consultation with their Dean, are responsible for finding other (non-URC) funds to fill the gap.

All policies apply to currently awarded URC grants and are not retroactive.

• Purchase of equipment that supports standard day-to-day operations (e.g., computers, standard laboratory equipment in the field)
• Purchase of books, computer software, and/or subscriptions to professional journals
• Publishing costs of any kind
• Costs for conference attendance
• First / business class airfare
• Expenses or commitments beyond the award’s period of performance
• Faculty salary support or benefits
• All other regular operating expenses not listed herein

Post-Award

The Awardee must promptly notify the URC program coordinator if funding received from another source overlaps with the aims and allocated expenses of this award. In such instances, it may be necessary to relinquish all or part of URC funding. 

Awardees are required to submit four annual reports for URC awards. These reports provide the URC with needed insight into both the progress of work, the post-completion impact of each award made through the program, as well as supporting future allocations of institutional funds to the URC.

Non-compliant award recipients will be ineligible to apply for another URC grant until all the reports are submitted and accepted by the URC.

URC awards are non-renewable grants, designed to be completed within one 12-month time period, beginning to end. While it is not routine practice for the URC to grant No-Cost Extensions, on occasion additional time is needed due to extenuating circumstances that may have hindered the completion of the project within the standard 12-month time period. Upon approval by the URC faculty co-directors, one NCE is permitted for a project after the original 12-month award cycle.

The URC faculty co-directors will consider written requests for No-cost Extensions to include the following:

• Requested NCE date range (up to 12 months, maximum).  Include the begin and end dates.
• Research progress. A detailed timeline of progress made on the current project. Include the date research actually began.
• A brief narrative stating the reason(s) preventing completion of the current URC project.  Include the awarded end date.  
• A detailed justification for No-cost Extension request that includes a list of planned steps leading to the completion of the project by the end date of the NCE
• If the original budget is reallocated or adjusted, include the new budget and a detailed justification for the budget changes.

Send the no-cost extension request to the attention of the URC Administrative Support at urcappl@emory.edu.