Frequently Asked Questions - Grant Application Process
FAQ Categories
Yes, changes in methods or design are permitted. Reviewers will be evaluating whether your changes reflect a new or innovative way to approach you research question and the methodological rigor of the proposal overall.
Yes, modifications to your budget are permitted so long as they do not exceed the maximum allowable limit for short or complex projects.
When I cut and paste my proposal from Microsoft Word into my.rwjf.org, it says I’ve exceeded 4000 characters, but, according to my word count, the document has fewer. Is this a system error?
The word count program in my.rwjf.org counts some embedded HTML code that causes extra spaces --this is common with Microsoft Word. You can either cut and paste to a word processing program such as Notepad or TextEdit which strips all embedded HTML, or shorten the number of words in your proposal until you meet the character requirements. You should need to delete just a few more characters.
Unfortunately, according to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation policies, we are not allowed to give feedback on previously submitted proposals. However, we have crafted a suite of resources to help applicants in developing their proposals.
Please visit our Website where you will find three podcasts that will help you think about what the expectations are for these proposals.
Also, once you register with the RWJF as an applicant you will be given access to two important papers that are pending publication which define the field of PHLR: “The PHLR Framework” and “Measuring Law for PHLR”.
Additionally, we have a Web Applicant Call scheduled for March 17, 2010.You can sign up for the call on our Website.
http://www.publichealthlawresearch.org
http://my.rwjf.org/login.do?adminurl=http://www.rwjf.org/services/index....
http://www.publichealthlawresearch.org/events/brief-proposal-web-applica...
You can register for the Webinar on our by visiting the PHLR Website or directly at the RWJF.
All questions should be directed to the PHLR helpdesk. We prefer to receive questions by e-mail in order to facilitate accurate forwarding of the question to the appropriate staff member.
Inquiries can be e-mailed to phlr@temple.edu. Please be sure to include the name of the institution, the principal investigator and contact information in every communication.
If you wish to contact us by phone, please call (215) 204-2134. Helpdesk personnel are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. ET.
As mentioned above, grantees will be invited to participate in an annual meeting hosted by the NPO. Travel and accommodations for two senior personnel to attend this event will be paid for by the NPO, and should not be included as a separate line item in the applicant's budget. Any additional travel or planned meetings should be included in the applicant's budget. You can find more information about grantee budgeting at www.rwjf.org/publications/grantreporting.html.
No faxes or e-mails will be accepted. Proposals must be submitted online through the MyRWJF portal which can be found at www.MyRWJF.org.
This grant competition will not accept any materials in hard copy.
How should we address support by public health agencies or other partners that we have not identified yet?
If support by public health agencies or other partners is critical to the success of the project, a letter from those agencies or partners committing their support should be included with the proposal. If the project requires recruiting additional support, the full proposal should explain your plan to identify groups and engage their support.
Proposals should be submitted electronically via RWJF’s online system. Go to www.MyRWJF.org to create a login.
What information do you require and how should we submit it about subcontracts/relationships between institutions?
A fact sheet for subcontracts is a component of the application at Myrwjf.org and requests the following information: name of contractor, start and end date of agreement, cost of subcontract, workplan/deliverables. A budget and budget narrative for each subcontract should also be prepared and submitted with the proposal.
Each grantee should plan to send . two senior team members, preferably, the principal investigator and co-principal investigator Travel to this meeting should not be included in the budget, as the NPO will cover travel costs.
The target start date for these grants is November 15, 2010. The budget should not include any costs incurred before that date.
For the full proposal phase, is there a place to attach measurement instruments in the proposal? Does this count against the 24 pages?
Measurement instruments that are integral to the project should be identified by name, wherever possible, but they need not be included as part of the proposal. If measurement instruments are included, they should be placed in the proposal narrative and will be counted toward the 24-page limit.
At the brief proposal phase, please include a biosketch for The Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator (if applicable). At the full proposal phase, please include biosketches for all key personnel. As the applicant, you will determine who the key members of your team are. Each biosketch is limited to two pages.
How should applicants interact with Methods Core staff as they develop their proposals? Are there resources on data and methods that I can use?
Currently, applicant interaction with the Methods Core is going to be limited. If there are specific questions now, direct them to the helpdesk at phlr@temple.edu, and they will be addressed on an individual basis. The responses to questions of general interest will be posted as FAQs on the Web site.
The deadline for brief proposals is April 14, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. EDT. To be fair to all applicants, RWJF strictly enforces this submission deadline; late proposals will not be accepted.
There is a two-stage application process. First, applicants submit a brief proposal. Then, if selected, applicants submit a full proposal. Information about submitting a brief proposal can be found in these FAQs, in the CFP and at www.My.RWJF.org. In addition, applicants may participate in a applicant Web call with RWJF staff and the program director on March 17, 2010 , to learn about the program and ask questions. You can register for an applicant Web conference at publichealthlawresearch.org
Will there be flexibility in the RWJF Conditions of Grant item 6, public use data files, for highly confidential data (e.g., child abuse reports) that are prohibited from sharing by state statutes?
If a specific restriction exists for a dataset, please include an explanation in the proposal. RWJF will work with grantees to accommodate restrictions on an individual basis.
Does the study design section need to include a complete list of all survey questions that will be asked, or will example questions be adequate?
It is sufficient to provide a few examples of questions as well as provide references if it is an existing instrument. The full survey instrument does not need to be included in the proposal.
The purpose of an IRB review is to ensure human participant research is ethical and does not pose unacceptable risks to human subjects. Applicants should assess the proposed research for ethical issues and be prepared to initiate the IRB review process at your institution upon notification of funding. Requirements are established by the IRB review process at your individual institution;
Unfunded, or pending support, refers to research proposals that have been submitted but not yet awarded; it does not include proposals that have been turned down by other agencies. For unfunded and funded research, please be sure to include the title of the project, the individual's role on the project, the agency/institution to which it was submitted, the time frame for the study and the total dollar amount requested.
Is the submission of a biosketch good enough proof that someone has agreed to be a collaborator or consultant?
We would like to see a letter of support from key participants outside of the applicant organization to demonstrate s/he will participate in this specific project. While the biosketch provides sufficient background on the investigator, it is not necessarily a commitment to the project.
For each project, there should be one lead applicant organization that applies for an award. If the lead applicant organization's project is chosen by reviewers, meets all RWJF approvals, and receives an award, it can subcontract with other organizations on the project. Organizations which subcontract with the lead organization are allowed to budget 12% indirect in their budget. If, in the lead organization budget, Purchased Services (i.e., subcontracts, consultant costs) equals more than 33% of the total of Personnel + Other Direct Costs + Purchased Services, 12% indirect is allowed on Personnel and Other Direct Costs, and 4% indirect on Purchased Services. If the two organizations are proposing two different projects, they can each apply for an award. If there is only one project, one organization should apply.
Can a subgrantee submit the actual application on behalf of the principal investigator or must the grantee organization itself submit the proposal online?
The applicant organization who will receive the grant is the organization that needs to submit the proposal. A co-director from a different organization cannot apply on behalf of the applicant organization.
No, IRB approval is not required at the time of the application. However, applicants will be expected to have obtained any IRB review or approval required by their institutions by the time that the grant is funded.
