Seed Money Grants Guidelines

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  1. Seed money grants provide support to initiate research activities or other innovative scholarship which has the potential of generating extramural funding or an equivalent measure of scholarly achievement, in fields in which extramural funding is scarce. The applicant must demonstrate that the proposed project is new and original and must list extramural agencies that might provide future support for the project.
  2. Grants are to be made to any full-time member of the faculty at UH Hilo. Those who are on leave of absence without pay and visiting faculty are ineligible.
  3. Support is provided for research in curriculum development or for training institute planning which may generate support for the full utilization of the developed curriculum or training program. Indication of potential extramural support is required in the application as well as a listing of extramural agencies that might support the project proposal.
  4. Awards are limited to one seed money grant per faculty or staff member per year. A grant may be considered for renewal for a second year only if there is strong evidence that the additional work will strongly enhance the potential for extramural support for that project and there are funds available. A faculty or staff member may be awarded no more than two grants during a five-year period.
  5. Funds may be requested for all types of expenses directly related to the proposal with the following exceptions: dissertation research, manuscript preparation, summer stipends, books, dues, subscriptions to journals, and supplies and equipment normally provided by departments. Requests for the purchase of personal computers and printers from these funds are strongly discouraged.
  6. The maximum award is $15,000. Requests for smaller grants are strongly encouraged. Requests for larger amounts must be fully and carefully justified. A full narrative justification of items requested in the budget must be attached.
  7. Support to travel to professional meetings to present results of research should not be included in this application. Such requests should be directed to the UHH Research Council's Travel Awards Program.
  8. Proposals which include 'matching funds' will be given priority. (The matching must come from funds not already allocated or available to the PI.)
  9. Applications for support from this Fund will be reviewed and awards will be made by the Research Council on a competitive basis judged on the merit and feasibility of the proposed projects and the potential for generating extramural funding.
  10. The Research Council does not discriminate against faculty members who currently hold or who have previously held extramural grants. However, an intramural seed money grant is not intended to be used as a supplement to an extramural grant.
  11. The University Research Council reserves the prerogative of reducing the size of an award below that requested by the applicant if it is in the best interest of the overall program.
  12. The original plus 5 copies of the application should be sent to the UHH Research Council via Daniel Brown, Coordinator of Research and Graduate Education for UHH.