Track 2: Public Impact Research for Washington

Detailed Proposal Instructions

In general, be succinct and explicit. Proposals that are not complete or have not followed the provided instructions will not be reviewed.

Format and Preparation

12-point font size and 1” margins only. Use plain language understandable to someone outside of your field.

Proposal Elements

Follow the links below to jump to the instructions for that element.

1. Non-Technical Abstract
2. Proposal Narrative (no more than five single-spaced pages)
   • Background
   • Objectives and Significance
   • Methodology and Assessment
   • Facilities and Resources
   • Timeline and Milestones
   • Future Funding Strategy
   • Project Team
3. References Cited (two pages max)
4. Current, Pending, and Past Support (two pages max)
5. CV or Biographical Sketch (two pages max)
6. Letter(s) of Support
7. Budget and Justification

Non-Technical Abstract

Maximum length: 250 words

Using plain language understandable to someone outside of your field, summarize the proposed project describing project goals, why it is important, and how you will achieve your objectives.

The abstract will be submitted in a PDF document along with your Proposal Narrative and References Cited.

Proposal Narrative

Maximum length: 5 single-spaced pages, inclusive of tables, charts, and other graphics

Title and prepare each section as follows:

1. Background: Explain the problem or project to be pursued and the expected outcome. Describe the need at the community or state level that the project will seek to address. What special capabilities, training, or ability do the PI and collaborators bring to the execution of the proposed project?
2. Objectives and Significance: This section should be an explicit statement of the objectives to be achieved. Define the significance of the proposed project within the contexts of the research enterprises of WSU and its potential impact to communities in the state of Washington and/or the state as a whole. Cite and evaluate related work where appropriate.
3. Methodology and Assessment: Discuss how your research design and procedures/methodologies are appropriate and adequate to make significant progress toward attaining objectives. Explain your assessment and evaluation plan to determine if your objectives have been met.
4. Facilities and Resources: Specify the facilities to be used. List any existing major equipment that will be used noting each location and pertinent capabilities. Provide any information describing other resources available for the project including available support services and any key personnel.
5. Timeline and Milestones: Identify the project timeline and specify the amount of time that the PI and others will spend on each task. Establish milestones for your project, goals against which project progress can be measured. These might include, for example, deployment of a pilot program, generation of a policy brief or public report, or a stakeholder convening. In addition to discrete goals, describe appropriate metrics for assessing the project’s progress (e.g., proposals submitted, partnerships formed, metrics of community engagement).
6. Future Funding Strategy: Describe the strategy you will use to solicit future external funding (federal and/or non-federal) to sustain this project or related projects. Indicate what sources of funding you will seek, and in what areas. Explain how your proposed activities will serve to create the foundations for sustained impact within Washington and beyond.
7. Project Team: Describe the team for the proposed project, the roles of the members and how they will collaborate. Proposals combining the capabilities and resources of multiple colleges or campuses will be considered favorably. Proposals must include a state or local stakeholder as a collaborator or supporter (e.g., a state agency, utility, non-profit organization, or Tribal organization). Describe the role of this partnership and how it will strengthen the impact of the proposed work.

References Cited

Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages

Your References Cited section will be submitted in a PDF document that also includes your Abstract and Proposal Narrative.

Current, Pending, and Past Support

Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages

For the project PI and co-investigators list current, pending, and past support relevant to the proposed project.

• Include WSU internal funding received in the last five fiscal years (FY22 – FY25) other than start-up funds, i.e., include seed grants and other internal grant programs and core funds for relevant labs, centers, or institutes.
• Include extramural funding received in the last five years (FY21 – FY25).
• List extramural proposals pending (date submitted, agency, title, amount, and time period).

CVs or Biographical Sketches

Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages each

Include a CV or biographical sketch for the PI and each co-investigator. The CVs/biographical sketches should focus on experience and qualifications relevant to successful completion of the proposed project. All CVs and/or biosketches will be submitted as a single PDF document

Letter(s) of Support

Include a letter of support from all local or state stakeholders. The letter should specify the stakeholder’s intended contributions to the project design and execution as well as any resources that they intend to provide. Each letter will be submitted as a separate PDF document.

Budget and Budget Justification

Contact your unit’s financial/budget manager to facilitate budget preparation. Use the standard FY25 Budget Workbook. The budget workbook must be approved by the certified grant budget administrator in your area/unit. A full list of grant administrators is available on MyResearch, click on department contacts. There is no F&A required for this competition.

This program will support expenditures that directly contribute to the successful completion the proposed project. All budget items must be reasonable, allowable, and necessary for project completion.

Budget Categories

• Salaries: Faculty buyout with approved release time, partial graduate student support and postdoctoral appointments are allowable. Clearly state all base salaries, time committed to the project and amount of salary applied to the project.
  
  Up to two months of summer salary for the project PI are allowable if strongly justified. Additionally, a strong justification will be required for any graduate assistantship that will be fully supported by this funding. Such fully funded assistantships must be integral to the project’s success and must work only on this project while being paid from these funds.
• Wages: Wages are permitted. Clearly state wages broken down by positions, include hourly payment rate.
• Goods and Services: Include all supplies and services required to complete the project, itemize by major items. Contact the responsible personnel for cost estimates of services, if included. Avoid requests for funding non-specified, “miscellaneous” goods and services.
• Travel: All travel requests should have a clear and relevant justification for the success of the project. Follow WSU travel policies when calculating travel costs. Check with a university approved travel agent or website for the most cost-effective travel to the destination.
• Equipment: Major equipment items ($5,000 or more) are allowed with a strong justification and certification from the associate dean or deans for research (or equivalent) of participating colleges that the equipment would not be duplicative of existing equipment.
• Benefits. Work with your financial/budget manager to account for benefits in your proposed budget.
• Other: Provide a detailed description of other budget categories that will be requested.

This program does not support the following:

• Civil service staff salaries
• Journal subscriptions
• Supplemental awards to existing projects
• Student led projects or senior thesis projects
• Commercial licenses
• Membership dues
• Facility renovations
• Purchase of vehicles or other modes of transportation 

Budget Justification

Maximum length: 2 single-spaced pages

The appropriateness of the budget is a significant factor in the selection process. All requested budget items must be accompanied with a justification of how they will contribute to the successful completion of the project. Strong justifications are expected for faculty summer salary and graduate student assistantships included in the request.

Revised Budget

If a proposal is awarded at less than the amount originally requested, a revised budget and scope of work is required to be submitted to the program coordinator(s). Funds will not be released until these documents have been received.