The Benjamin and Rhea Yeung Center for Collaborative Chinese Studies, under the Office of the Provost, is pleased to announce its AY 2011-12 grants program for Johns Hopkins University students, faculty, programs and schools. The Yeung Center requests proposals for initiatives that advance its mission of promoting collaborative research and scholarship on China and supporting the development of new opportunities for Johns Hopkins students to learn about China. The Provost s Office will be funding projects in each of the Yeung Center s five priority initiative areas: Expansion of Academic Partnerships with Nanjing University o Examples might include new research collaborations, training programs, workshops, faculty and student exchanges Building Research Capacity at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC) o Examples might include faculty sabbaticals in Nanjing, coupled with seminars at the Center; doctoral and post-doctoral students in residence at the Center while conducting research in Nanjing; research assistantships for HNC master s students Creating New Degree and Course Offerings on China o Examples might include grants to develop new interdisciplinary courses on China to be offered in Baltimore and/or Washington or even joint courses (via Distance Video Conferencing) between Nanjing University and Johns Hopkins; new dual degree programs at either the undergraduate or graduate levels Enhancing Study and Research Project Opportunities for Students in China o Examples might include grants to develop and/or support study abroad, field work, archival research, internships, independent research and service projects in China Annual Conference on China (on a topic of interest in both China and the US) In this first year, preference will be given to applicants who partner with the Hopkins-Nanjing Center or with an academic department or a faculty member at Nanjing University. Funding Opportunity Description The purpose of the Yeung Center grants program is to promote collaborative and interinstitutional research and scholarship on China and to develop new opportunities for Johns Hopkins students to learn about China. In this first year, the Yeung Center expects to fund several proposals and encourages applicants to seek matching funds from their Chinese partners. Matching funds, including in-kind contributions, should be reflective of the partner s efforts; they need not be at 1:1 match of Hopkins funding. 1
Proposals will be accepted from both individuals and institutional units. Individual proposals may be submitted by students (undergraduate and graduate) or faculty. Grants in this category may range from $3,000 to $5,000 for short-term projects, such as exploratory research over the summer or travel grants to meet with potential research collaborators, or up to $50,000 for a full year of research in China. Semester-length proposals are also welcome. Institutional proposals may be submitted by programs, institutes, centers, departments, and schools. Grants in this category may involve feasibility studies, workshops, conferences, or program-building initiatives up to $150,000 per year. Institutional proposals must include a letter of support from a member of your division s senior leadership, such as the Dean or the Vice Dean for Research. The Yeung Center expects to fund several grants each year for five years (AY2011-12 to AY 2016-17). Eligibility All faculty in any Johns Hopkins division are eligible to apply for a Yeung Center grant. Likewise, all enrolled undergraduate and graduate students in any Johns Hopkins division are eligible to apply for a Yeung Center grant. Preference will be given to full-time faculty and students. In recognition of the 25 year partnership that Johns Hopkins has enjoyed with Nanjing University, preference will be given in this first year to project proposals that have a partner from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center or from an academic department at Nanjing University. Application and Submission Information Content and Form of Application Submission Applications should not exceed five pages single spaced, excluding appendix materials. Please use one-inch margins. The requested format of the application is as follows: 1. Application cover page (attached to this RFP) not included in page limit 2. Abstract (200 words) 3. Participants (suggested: 1 page) who will be the key faculty or students from Johns Hopkins who will contribute to this initiative? How? Who are the Chinese partners who will contribute to this initiative? How? 4. Program/project description (suggested: 2 pages) describe the program in detail 5. Goals (suggested: 2 pages) How does the initiative support one or more of the Yeung Center s five priority initiatives? What are the project s anticipated outcomes? What are the opportunities and prospects for supplementary or long-term funding? 2
6. Appendix A A detailed budget with justification, including all direct costs. In terms of Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations, no indirect costs should be included. 7. Appendix B Bios of Johns Hopkins and Chinese initiative participants (2 pages per person and/or institutional unit) 8. Appendix C A letter of support from any Chinese partner that explains their role and documents their institutional contribution, including in-kind contributions, to the initiative. Any proposal that involves the Hopkins-Nanjing Center should include a letter of support from the Center s American Co-director. 9. Appendix D For institutional proposals only, a letter of support from a member of your division s senior leadership, such as the Dean or the Vice Dean for Research. 10. Appendix E For students only, a letter of support from your faculty advisor, mentor or sponsor is required. For student research proposals, the required letter from your faculty advisor, mentor or sponsor should include a statement affirming that the student researcher has completed training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research. Submission Dates and Times Only electronic submissions will be considered. Please send your submission as an email attachment to Dr. Pam Cranston, Vice Provost for International Programs, pcranston@jhu.edu. A confirmation of receipt will be sent within 24 hours. Application receipt date: Friday, March 25, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. EST Award date: Friday, April 29, 2011 Earliest award dispersal date: Wednesday, June 1, 2011 Applications received after the receipt date will not be accepted. Incomplete and nonresponsive applications will not be reviewed. In such cases, applicants will be notified. For research studies, institutional review board (IRB) approval of human subjects is not required prior to review of an application. However, prior to the initiation of any research study and awarding of funds, proof of IRB approval or exemption will be required. For student research proposals, the required letter from your faculty advisor, mentor or sponsor should include a statement affirming that the student researcher has completed training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research. Application Review Information Review Process Applications will be reviewed by the Yeung Center s Faculty Steering Committee. A detailed review of each application will not be provided; rather, feedback will be limited to a notification of grant award. 3
Review Considerations Grant proposals may be in any field. Primary review consideration: Funded proposals will most successfully advance the mission of the Yeung Center and fully address one or more of the five priority areas. Additional review considerations: Academic excellence Benefit to or involvement of Johns Hopkins students Strengthen the Hopkins-Nanjing Center (including holding events at or hosting programs in the Center) Are multi-divisional, i.e., involve more than one Hopkins division Are inter-institutional, i.e., involve a partner from Nanjing University Will receive matching funds, including in-kind contributions, from the Chinese partner Employ new collaborative approaches to building innovative academic and research programs at the HNC, especially those that engage students Have the potential to grow and sustain themselves with alternative sources of funding beyond the life of the Yeung Center grant Projects for which funding might not be otherwise available from traditional sources Funding Restrictions Funding may be requested to support all activities justified in the budget. This may include, but is not limited to, salary support for faculty, graduate student tuition and stipends, travel and health insurance, or community collaborator support. In terms of Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations, no indirect costs will be charged to the grants. Awards are for a 12 month continuous budget. A one-time, no cost extension for up to one year may be granted by written request with justification accompanied by a brief progress report. An individual or institutional unit may receive multiple Yeung Center grants over the course of the next five years. Award Administration Information Award notices will be issued by the Yeung Center office which reports to the Johns Hopkins University Office of the Provost. 4
Reporting All Yeung Center grant recipients will be required to provide an interim report (at the midway point) on progress toward their project outcomes. Upon completion of the award, grant recipients are expected to submit evidence (such as publications) of achieving their outcomes and a 3-5 page report detailing how the grant money advanced the Yeung Center mission and the priority initiative areas, as indicated in the proposal. This report should include what opportunities exist to sustain the initiative. Applicants must agree to credit the Yeung Center for any products and publications that result from the awards (e.g., this project was supported through a grant from the Johns Hopkins University Benjamin and Rhea Yeung Center for Collaborative Chinese Studies. Tips for Writing a Strong Application Applicants should consider the following: Does the program/project have a clearly stated goal/well defined outcome? Does the program/project involve Johns Hopkins students? Are the implications of the program/project clearly articulated? Can the level of the award realistically accomplish the work proposed? Does the program/project have potential to attract sustainable funding from other sources? Is the program/project feasible, innovative, and collaborative? Is the Chinese partner engaged and enthusiastic about the initiative? Questions? Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Pam Cranston, Vice Provost for International Programs, pcranston@jhu.edu, 410-516-8993. 5