Funding Proposal Format
All of the items detailed below must be included before the proposal will be considered. Please use one inch margins on all sides and 12 point type. The Cover Page, Background, Description of Research Plan, Budget, and Schedule are required for all funding requests.
Cover Page (required for all proposals)
1. Date of funding request.
2. Title of Research or Project.
3. Requesting organization’s name and contact information including full mailing address, telephone, fax and web address.
4. Organization’s tax status with the IRS, with supporting determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service.
5. Contact person’s name, title, mailing address, e-mail address and telephone and fax numbers.
6. Dollar amount of the funding request.
7. Total budget for the research or project.
8. Organization’s current budget and fiscal year.
9. Period covered by the funding request.
10. Signature(s) of persons making request on behalf of this organization.-
Background Information (required for all proposals, one page, excluding biographies)
1. Briefly describe the requesting organization’s history, mission and goals.
2. Describe current programs and activities, and recent organizational accomplishments.
3. Provide a brief, biographical sketch of all personnel involved in this project. Include a description (where applicable) of each individual’s current position, educational background, training, experiences, awards, honors and publications.
Description of Research Plan and Its Significance (no more than 5 pages for sections 1-5)
1. Specific Aims: State in a concise and explicit manner the specific aim(s) and hypotheses being tested by the proposed research.
2. Background and Significance: State the goals of this research, why it is important, and how it advances the science of gearing, the AGMA Foundation’s Mission and Vision statements, and the general public. Briefly discuss the results of any previous research in this area, and identify how the proposed research will fill gaps in existing knowledge, or otherwise contribute to the body of knowledge. Discuss who will benefit from this project.
3. (optional) Preliminary Data: Provide any data or information to strengthen the hypothesis and/or research methods or approaches.
4. Methods: Discuss the experimental design and procedures to be used to test the hypothesis or accomplish the aims of the project. Be complete with your descriptions and relate individual methods and approaches to the specific aims previously described. While the applicant may safely assume that the reviewers are familiar with current methodology, reviewers will not make the same assumption regarding the applicant. It is not sufficient to state, for example, that a “variety of gears will be evaluated.” The reviewers will need to know which types of gears and the techniques that will be employed, as well as the rationale for using that particular design.
The burden of proof is on the applicant to show, through a succinct explanation, that he/she understands and is capable of handling the research methodology. If new procedures and protocols are proposed describe the advantages over existing methodologies. Indicate what quantitative measures will be used to record and analyze data. Indicate whether statistical considerations have been employed in designing the studies and/or in analyzing the data, and provide the specific statistical method.
5. Potential Difficulties, Limitations, or Anticipated Problems: Discuss along with measures that will be taken to address or overcome them.
Budget, Schedule of Work, Reporting and Payments
1. Budget (2 pages maximum): List all revenue and expenses for this project, being VERYspecific. For expenses, be sure to break out equipment by item, and detail all other direct and indirect expenses. For revenue, list all funding acquired for this project and all outstanding funding requests.
2. Schedule of Work, Reporting and Payments: Outline the schedule of work for this project (what will be accomplished and by when) and propose, for the Foundation’s review, a draft schedule of when progress reports will be submitted, and funds will be disbursed. Final reporting and payment schedules will be established on a case-by-case basis.
Distribution of Results and Support Material
1. Distribution of Results and Foundation Credit: Describe whether and how any work products (reports, data, educational materials, etc;) will be made available to the general public including, where applicable, any meetings/conferences where the recipient intends to present results, or any publications where the recipient intends to publish. Can the AGMA Foundation make the project results available on its website or in other formats? Describe how the Foundation will be credited for funding this project in written, electronic and oral formats.
2. Supporting Material: Attach any letters of support from interested parties.