Research & Innovation Services

Established by the Vice-President Research, the Interdisciplinary Research Development Fund (IRDF) is a one-time non-renewable research fund that will provide the foundation for developing the next generation of interdisciplinary concentrations of research excellence at the University of Lethbridge. Funding remains to invest in up to two IRDF proposals.

Objective

• To stimulate interdisciplinary research at the University to catalyze collaborations between faculty in different disciplines and lead to new research and scholarly projects.
• To help increase the probability of securing competitive external grant funding for new collaborative initiatives, as appropriate.

Eligibility

All faculty members in tenured or tenure-track appointments are eligible to apply.  Academic Assistants may be named as team members on IRDF applications.

Use of funds

Applicants can request funding up to $50,000 per year for a two-year term ($100,000 maximum). Project funding requests may include:

• Research assistantships for graduate or undergraduate students (Tri-Council compliant rates).
• Research equipment (not to exceed 50 percent of the proposed budget).
• Research tools such as databases and other resource collections as appropriate to the research area.
• Technical support.
• Networking and workshops.
• Requests for administrative personnel must be accompanied with an explanation indicating why this support is crucial to the project.

Key evaluation criteria

The IRDF does not replace individual scholarly activity as funded through the national granting councils or other agencies. Proposals will be assessed on feasibility, intrinsic intellectual merit, scope, and potential impact of the project on the research field. Proposals must comply with the following requirements:

• The proposal must show how the IRDF investment will create the potential to achieve major impact at the national and international level and, where appropriate, attract major external research funding in the medium- and long-term.
• The proposal must clearly outline the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed project.
• Ideally, proposals will be submitted by multidisciplinary/multifaculty research teams, comprised of 5 or more U of L faculty members.  The proposal must describe the critical role of each team member to the proposed research. 
• Where external linkages are important to the proposal; for example, to community groups, the relationship with these other groups/institutions should be fully described.
• The proposal must demonstrate the potential to augment the U of L's talent pool and to motivate the next generation of scholars.  Therefore, the active participation of Masters and Doctoral students in the research activity should feature prominently in the proposal. Similarly, proposals that include undergraduate students in study semesters, co-op internships, research assistantships or volunteer experiences are encouraged.

Conditions of the Award

• Grant funds may be used only for the project and purposes described in the application.
• Awardees must liaise with at least 1 grant facilitator in the Office of Research and Innovation Services throughout the term of the award.
• Where appropriate, applicants must commit to submitting an external funding propsal for the project within 36 months of the award.
• Awardees will be required to present project results and detailed plans regarding the future and sustainability of the IRDF project.  An IRDF workshop, open to the University community, will be held to showcase these presenetations.
• Grants will run two years from the opening of the research fund. No extensions will be granted.

Application Components

All applications must include:

• IRDF coversheet
• Abstract (1 page) succinctly describing the proposed research written for an intelligent reader who is relatively uninformed in the field of study.
• Research Proposal (5 page maximum, excluding references) describing the proposed research in a narrative style with headings for clarity.  The following points must be addressed:
  • Background, significance and impact of the project relevant to the University Strategic Plan,
  • Statement of justification indicating the need for the work proposed,
  • Project goals and an indication of how the goals will be achieved,
  • Plan for transitioning to external research funding (as appropriate),
  • Proposed timeline, and
  • References, where appropriate, to similar or related work. Indicate if the field is largely untouched.
• Budget and budget justification (2 pages) explaining why IRDF funds are critical to the success of the project.
• Other funding for this project (1 page, if applicable) - proposed projects  must not overlap with current project funding.  As applicable, provide information regarding other granting agencies or sources from which you have received, requested or plan to request funding for this research.  Include the name of the granting agency, the status of the request, and the amount requested or awarded.
• Team details (1 page) outlining the role(s) of each team member. Provide sufficient detail on how the collaboration will operate and why it is important to realize the project's objectives.  In addition, include a biosketch or brief CV (4 page maximum) for each team member.
• Letters of support from the Principal Investigator's Department/Area Chair and Dean.
• Referees - shortlisted proposals may be subject to external review.  Provide the name and complete contact information for three external referees who may be qualified to provide an unbiased review. Please note,
  • Collaborators, co-authors, Master's and Doctoral thesis advisors may not be recommended as referees.  Reviewers will be selected from the list provided as well as from individuals with broad experience in research excellence.
  • Provide the referee names and contact information on a separate page and attach this page to the last page of your application.

Please note, if a similar proposal has been reviewed and declined by an external funding agency, the reviews MUST be included as an Appendix in the proposal package.  No other appendices are permitted and will not be reviewed. 

Ensure all attachments are presented according to the following specifications:

• single-spaced, body text in Times New Roman font (minimum 12 point font),
• All margins set to a minimum of 3/4 inch, and
• Your name appears at the top right corner of every page.

Application Process

• Please submit your application online through the bridge using the Research Proposal Form and attach all required proposal components. 
• DO NOT use the Internal Grant Application Form.  
• A hard copy of the IRDF coversheet, bearing your signature; your letters of support; and any external peer reviews (if applicable) may be sent to the attention of Connie Chaplin via campus mail.
• Applications are due by 4:00 p.m., June 15, 2012. Late submissions will not be accepted and incomplete applications will be deemed ineligible. Competition results will be announced prior to the start of the upcoming academic year.

Adjudication and Administration

• Proposals will be reviewed by the GFC Research Committee, Chaired by the Associate VPR.  The Research Committee will review the assessments and make recommendations on funding.  Final approval of the funding level will be vested in the VPR.
• Where the research will involve work with animal or human subjects and/or involves biological, chemical or radiological safety, the successful applicants must apply for certificates of approval by the appropriate review committee prior to the commencement of the project.

Further Information

For further information on this funding opportunity, contact Lesley Brown, Associate Vice-President Research at l.brown@uleth.ca or 403-329-2249.

Related Documents

• IRDF Coversheet