Research Awards (Project Funding)

Research Mentor and Feedback – You are required to work with a faculty or professional mentor. The mentor must submit answers to 3-4 questions regarding your proposal and their support of you as a mentor.

Research Proposal – You are required to develop a proposal with the components listed below. Proposals can be a maximum of 4 pages (strong proposals are often 3-4 pages; one page proposals will be insufficient) and can only be submitted as a PDF. Click here for the Research Proposal Template. You MUST use the template provided; using a different format might result in missing pieces from the rubric and receiving a lower score or not having your submission reviewed.

1. A background/description – situates your work in the field, motivates it, and provides credibility
2. The question, hypothesis, problem, or creative work being explored
3. Methodology or process
4. Projected timeline
5. Significance and implications for advancing knowledge within the discipline or field
6. Link between the research and the student’s curricular interests (project does not need to be in the student’s major)
7. Appropriate references
8. Brief explanation/justification of budget

Project Budget – You are required to submit a proposed budget outlining the use of award funding. You must use the budget template provided below. You will need to include the following information (be specific):

• Total amount requested
• Total amount broken down into expense categories (ex: test tubes, paint brushes, mileage reimbursement) with detail (e.g., estimated amounts, unit prices x units)
  • Too vague – “supplies”, “gas”, “chemicals”, “materials”
• Fall and Spring Awards: If the award is disbursed to an NC State faculty mentor, you will need to submit the following:
  • Ledger 20 or 21 or 25 Account Number
  • 6-digit Departmental OUC Number
  • Bookkeeper Name
  • Bookkeeper Email
• Summer Awards – Funding can only be disbursed to the student. It cannot be disbursed to a mentor.
  • memo-summer grant department reimbursements REV 2020

To submit your budget, you must use our template. Click here for the Research Budget Template

Approvals – If your project includes either of the following groups, you must have approval prior to receiving an award.

• Humans: NC State IRB Approval
• Vertebrate Animals: NC State IACUC Approval

• Teams must select one team lead to submit on behalf of the team
• All team members must be listed in the award application
• The maximum award amount is the same for teams during each award cycle
• Teams will have their award money disbursed to the lead student; unless written notice is provided requesting the award be split evenly among all members (ex: if a 2-person team receives a $500 award, each member will get $250)
• Each team member is required to complete the contractual requirements if the project is awarded

1. Click on the Submit Your Proposal button below to go to the proposal portal
2. Sign in using your Shibboleth login
3. Complete the form, including your mentor’s name and contact information
4. Upload your Proposal (4 mage maximum, PDF only)
5. Upload your proposed budget (use the template provided above)
6. Click submit

Your mentor will receive an email with a link, giving them access to your proposal and requesting they complete 3-4 questions regarding their support for your project.

Prior to submitting an application, you are required to attend a help session in order to obtain feedback on the process and your proposal in order to support your chance of being funded.

Students who receive project awards and their mentor(s) are required to sign a contract outlining the following obligations:

• Appropriate Expenses – funds will be spent according to the chart above
• Unused Funds – any unused funds must be returned to OUR
• Revised Budget – if changes from the project proposal occur, you MUST notify OUR
• Submission of a Final Report Survey – a link is provided to all award recipients toward the end of the award period with a survey (includes questions about the experience and a final budget)
• Project Presentation – you must present your work at one of the following:
  • NC State Spring Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium (April)
  • NC State Summer Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium (July/August)
  • State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium (required for fall graduates)
• Professional Development Experience – you must attend an OUR Seminar in the awarded semester and submit a report.
• Supplies, materials, technology – purchased items are property of NC State and must be returned to the department/entity at the end of the awarding period
• If you are working on a team, all team members must complete each requirement.

Students are also required to sign a statement indicating additional sources of project funding. In some instances, this may not be permitted. Students enrolled in an REU cannot receive project funding. Summer awards are paid to students and will not be paid to mentors/PIs.

In addition to presenting at NC State symposia, students are encouraged to publish in a professional journal and/or present at:

• State of NC Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS) in November/December
• National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in April
• A disciplinary conference held nationally or internationally

• Proposals are reviewed by the project mentor’s department/college
• Scores are provided based on a pre-defined rubric with assigned points. Click here for the Research Award Scoring Rubric
• These scores, along with any associated comments, are then considered within and across all colleges
• OUR prioritizes funding as many proposals as possible during each award cycle
• Applicants are notified approximately one month after the proposal deadline
• Students already receiving funding from OUR are not eligible for additional funding during the same semester(s)

Do I have to complete a project from initial concept to dissemination to receive an award?

No! Project funding is provided for a semester. In many cases, it is not feasible to complete a project from initial idea to dissemination. Be clear in your timeline what you plan to finish — this could be the literature review portion, a pilot study, one experiment in a series of experiments within a study, etc. — and support/motivate your work and the greater study with all of the knowledge you have or what you can predict based on previous knowledge. You can also indicate how your work would progress over time.

I’m planning to conduct my research while studying abroad. Can I still apply for an award?

Yes! Please contact OUR prior to submitting your application so we can discuss which expenses are allowable.

If I’m working on a team, can we get more funding?

Unfortunately no, teams have the same maximum funding as individuals.

I wasn’t able to work on my project during the time I received the award. Can I keep the award and work on the project next semester?

No, this is not possible. As outlined in your contract, you must utilize the award during the time period you received it. If you do not, you are expected to return the award to OUR. We encourage you to re-apply for funding.

Why can I only get $500 in the summer if I’m enrolled full-time in classes?

This rule is in alignment with our awards offered during the academic year, which are a maximum of $500 and have the requirement that students be enrolled in courses. OUR will verify enrollment status prior to award decisions. If you are taking fewer than 6 credits, you are considered a part-time student and are therefore eligible for a maximum of $2,000.

Will my award impact my financial aid?

No, your award will not impact your financial aid. When OUR distributes funding to students, it is sent through the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OFSA). OFSA will verify the award is not intended as salary/stipend and will then process the award for payment.

Will my award be reported on my 1099 or W-2?

No, your award will not be reported. This does not mean these payments are not taxable. It simply means the university does not have a reporting or withholding requirement. In most cases, the IRS will consider these “non-qualified scholarship” payments which are taxable according to the IRS. Award recipients should refer to IRS Publication 970 and the Form 1040 instructions. For further information on what amount is reportable and how to report it when filing your tax return, students should contact a tax professional.