Research Project Awards

Faculty may apply for and receive funding for Tier 1 research projects offered through CRS for research projects. Tier 1 research projects are those that have a max requested amount of $7,500.

For research projects involving undergraduate residential students, applications directly associated with proposals emerging from Research-Intensive courses will receive prioritization, if all other qualifications are equal.

Apply

Read the criteria below and apply here.  Projects will be funded once approved by the funding source and applications will be reviewed until all funds are fully expended.

CRS recommends submission of applications at least 2 months prior to when funds are needed due to the necessary administrative review at numerous levels and associated processes.

Eligibility

• Applicant should be a LUR or LUO faculty member.
• Applicant should currently be involved in research mentorship or instruction. (Provide course number and description or description of research collaboration with students).
• Applicant should demonstrate in his/her application how the student(s) will be a significant contributor(s) to this project.

Evidence of Real-World Impact

Articulate how the proposed research enhances students’ competitive advantage in pursuing career opportunities, advances the University’s reputation, impacts society, and applies to the industry.

Evidence of Well-Planned Research Proposal

Ability to clearly articulate the components of the research project/creative work as specified in the application. This includes the following:

• Background and research problem/interest/question
• Connection of the project to the university mission
• Plan and method of the proposed work (including application to IRB if applicable)
• Facilities and resources needed
• Significance of the project
• Role of the faculty mentor and students in the research agenda
• Bibliography
• Implementation timeline
• Itemized budget
• The commitment of support from external collaborators (if applicable).

Evidence of Commitment to Research

• A curriculum vitae that details specific examples of participation in research and scholarship to demonstrate the applicant’s qualifications for guiding the research project.
• If the applicant is utilizing a new technique or is a novice researcher, please include a letter of support from a supervising faculty member who will mentor and oversee the process.

Follow-Up Expectations

Faculty receiving this award will be expected to follow the reporting requirements outlined below:

Report should be submitted at the end of each semester during which the faculty receives research support – Fall, Spring, and Summer (if applicable). All of the points below will need to be addressed in the report:

• Impact on students (research knowledge/skills conveyed, learning objectives, number of students)
• Award amount total
• Budget expenditures to date (Please address any estimated over-expenditures or significant under-expenditures) – Ask for a percentage
• IRB Approval date – Must submit email/letter of approval in first round of reporting
• Timeline – compared to what was proposed
• Publications/Presentations
• Actions steps planned for next cycle
• Any delays/deviations and explanations for why
• How could this project lead to the pursuit of external grants?

Please email your summary to crs@liberty.edu.

Chair will review and provide an evaluation statement.

Sponsorship Acknowledgment

Any publication, presentation, public recital, exhibition, or other public display of the faculty’s work made possible through a research award must include an appropriate acknowledgment of the sponsoring department i.e. Center for Research & Scholarship, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Graduate School, Fulbright Program, or the Center for Academic Development.

Although no one format is required, we recommend the following: This [research, etc.] is made possible in part by support from the [grant program name (i.e. Center for Research & Scholarship)], Liberty University.

Faculty may apply for and receive funding for Tier 2 research projects offered through CRS for research projects. Tier 2 research projects are those that have a requested amount above $7,500. These projects will be approved through a recommendation from a committee to the Provost for approval.

Apply

Read the criteria below and apply here by November 1, 2022.  Once an award has been received, the recipient will be required to meet with the Office of Sponsored Programs.

CRS recommends submission of applications at least 2 months prior to when funds are needed due to the necessary administrative review at numerous levels and associated processes.

 Eligibility

• Applicant should be a contracted Liberty University faculty member.
• Applicant should currently be involved in research instruction or mentorship (provide course number and description or description of research collaboration with students).
• Applicant should demonstrate in his/her application how the student(s) will be a significant contributor(s) to this project.
• Applicant should meet at least two requirements of an experienced researcher:
  • Published or presented research or scholarship in the past 2 years
  • Recipient of an external grant in past 5 years
  • Recipient of a Tier 1 grant through Liberty University
  • Research/Scholarship has received an honor/award/patent
• Excellence: the program of research, scholarship, or creative endeavor must be of the highest quality.
  • It is expected that the outcomes of this project will bring recognition to the researcher(s) and the university.
    • It is assumed that outcomes of the project will be significantly recognized as leading the discipline or field of study and contribute to the overall prominence of the university.
• Can provide the rationale for why he/she should be considered for an exception to these standards

Evidence of Real-World Impact

Articulate how the proposed research enhances students’ competitive advantage in pursuing career opportunities, advances the University’s reputation, impacts society, and applies to the industry.

 Evidence of Well-Planned Research Proposal

• Ability to clearly articulate the components of the research project/creative work as specified in the application. This includes the following:
  • Background and research problem/interest/question
  • Connection of the project to the university mission
  • Plan and method of the proposed work (including application to IRB if applicable)
  • Facilities and resources needed
  • Significance of the project
  • Role of the faculty mentor and students in the research agenda
  • Bibliography
  • Implementation timeline
  • Itemized budget
  • The commitment of support from external collaborators (if applicable).

 Evidence of Commitment to Research

• A curriculum vitae that details specific examples of participation in research and scholarship to demonstrate the applicant’s qualifications for guiding the research project.
• If the applicant is utilizing a new technique or is a novice researcher, please include a letter of support from a supervising faculty member who will mentor and oversee the process.

Follow-Up Expectations

Faculty receiving this award will be expected to follow the reporting requirements outlined below:

• Report should be submitted at the end of each semester during which the faculty receives research support – Fall, Spring, and Summer (if applicable). All of the points below will need to be addressed in the report:
  • Impact on students (research knowledge/skills conveyed, learning objectives, number of students)
  • Award amount Total
  • Budget expenditures to date (Please address any estimated over-expenditures or significant under-expenditures) – Ask for a percentage
  • IRB Approval date – Must submit email/letter of approval in first round of reporting
  • Timeline – compared to what was proposed
  • Publications/Presentations
  • Actions steps planned for next cycle
  • Any delays/deviations and explanations for why
  • How could this project lead to the pursuit of external grants?

Email your summary to crs@liberty.edu and create a subject line in this format: lastname_firstname_activitycode.

Chair will review and provide an evaluation statement.

Sponsorship Acknowledgment

Any publication, presentation, public recital, exhibition, or other public display of the faculty’s work made possible through a research award must include an appropriate acknowledgment of the sponsoring department i.e. Center for Research & Scholarship, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Graduate School, Fulbright Program, or the Center for Academic Development.

Although no one format is required, we recommend the following:

This [research, etc.] is made possible in part by support from the [grant program name (i.e. Center for Research & Scholarship)], Liberty University.

Students (either as individuals or as research teams) may apply for and receive awards offered through CRS for research projects. Students interested in applying for these awards will need to meet criteria established by CRS, including an identified faculty sponsor.

For undergraduate residential students, applications directly associated with proposals emerging from Research Intensive (R-I) courses will receive prioritization, if all other qualifications are equal.

Apply

Read the criteria below and complete the application form.

CRS recommends submission of applications at least 2 months prior to when funds are needed due to the necessary administrative review at numerous levels and associated processes.

Eligibility

• Applicant(s) should be LUR or LUO student(s).
• Applicant(s) should currently be involved in research mentorship or instruction.
  • Provide course number and description or description of research collaboration with a faculty mentor OR Supply proof of current intent to participate in a research-based collaborative project with a faculty sponsor, which can be demonstrated in the declared faculty sponsor’s letter of support.
• Applicant(s) should be in good academic standing. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.2.
• Applicant(s) should provide a letter of support from the declared faculty sponsor, who holds the qualifications to guide the research/creative work agenda.

Evidence of Real-World Impact

Articulate how the proposed research enhances students’ competitive advantage in pursuing career opportunities, advances the University’s reputation, impacts society, and applies to the industry.

Evidence of Well-Planned Research Proposal

Ability to clearly articulate the components of the research project/creative work as specified in the application. This includes the following:

• Background and research problem/interest/question
• Connection of the project to the university mission
• Plan and method of the proposed work (including application to IRB if applicable)
• Facilities and resources needed
• Significance of the project
• Role of the faculty mentor and students in the research agenda
• Bibliography
• Implementation timeline
• Itemized budget
• The commitment of support from external collaborators (if applicable).

Evidence of Student’s Contribution to Research

Content requested in the Description of the Proposed Research section of the application should clearly indicate the substantial role of the student(s) as a contributor to the research project/creative work.

Follow-Up Expectations Changes

The student(s) will be expected to submit a final report describing his/her experience in the research project and outcomes.

Please email your summary to crs@liberty.edu.and ensure your report is saved in the following format: lastname_firstname_activitycode.

Each student must provide a final report and reflection, which includes actual budget information, an abstract ready for publication or presentation (outside of the Liberty University community) or a description of the current status of the project, and a reflective essay.

You are required to share your reflective essay with your faculty advisor using the link provided, who will then complete a form verifying the completion of your presentation.

Reflective Essay

Required content and guiding questions:

Final reflective essay should be 1-2 pages in length and should be written in a style accessible to a non-specialist reader. Please include the following:

• Research Project Title (as presented on your research project award funding application)
• Faculty Sponsor
• Program of Study
• Findings
• Guiding questions
  • What questions were you able to answer (or not answer) and why (or why not)?
  • What results did you obtain?
• Significance of the project
  • Guiding questions: What were the important takeaways for you, your work, and your field more broadly? How does your project speak to contemporary issues, needs, or fields outside of your own? How does your research address big questions beyond the specific parameters of your project? As you answer these questions, think about how you would explain the project, and why it matters, to a person with little or no knowledge of your field.
• Need
  • Guiding questions: What did CRS funding enable you to achieve that you would not have been able to otherwise? Include specific tasks (e.g., compensating survey respondents, travel costs), as well as broader endeavors (e.g., journal publication, dissertation completion, winning larger external awards).
• Future Directions
  • Guiding questions: What is the project’s current status, and when do you expect its completion? Did the project change as a result of your funded research (or other factors), and if so, how? How do you envision the project’s ultimate trajectory? Discuss limitations and future directions of research.
• How did this project impact your professional and academic opportunities?

Any publication, presentation, public recital, exhibition, or other public display of the student’s work made possible through a research award must include an appropriate acknowledgment of the sponsoring department i.e. Center for Research & Scholarship, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Graduate School, Fulbright Program, or the Center for Academic Development.

Although no one format is required, we recommend the following:

This [research, etc.] is made possible in part by support from the [grant program name (i.e. Center for Research & Scholarship)], Liberty University.