Resources

The University is committed to assisting its Faculty and Staff in obtaining external funding. Because of this commitment, we have four avenues of assistance available to investigators to further their research, educational, or service goals that will be externally funded:

Summer Graduate Assistant Fund

The ORA and Graduate College will make funds available for faculty to hire graduate assistants to help with research project for the duration of the summer semester. The funds will cover the standard GA stipends and the fee waiver scholarship during this period. This graduate assistant must work on a project(s) with the faculty member that will lead to at least one external funding application or lead to a scholarly work or publication that will increase a faculty member’s ability to receive external funding. The graduate assistant must fulfill all the eligibility requirements stipulated by the Graduate College.

The faculty must complete the SGAF Form and submit it via email attachment to the ORA (researchadministration@MissouriState.edu).

Applications will open annually on December 1 and are due January 31. Applicants will be notified of decisions by March 1. By accepting the support, faculty awardees agree to provide a short final summary of what was accomplished by the graduate student during the summer semester and their plan to pursue external funding as a result.

Expectation for Applications:

  • Applications must provide a justification of how a graduate assistant will aid in the submission of one or more external funding applications and/or increase a faculty member’s ability to receive external funding.
  • Additional sheets for information may be used if needed.
  • Please state the name of the grant(s) you plan to apply for after this assistance, if known. 

Travel Fund

The Office of Research Administration will assist departments in funding travel that is related to obtaining external funding. We will reimburse up to $1,500 of travel expenses for a potential PI to travel to visit the program managers of various funding agencies, or to attend proposal development conferences related to future proposal submissions. Funding is limited for this program, so it is necessary to gain authorization for the funding, prior to departure, with the Travel Fund Request Form. Your Department is responsible for covering the travel expenses up-front, the ORA will reimburse the Department once a proposal has been submitted.

Course Reassignment Fund

The ORA will assist colleges in funding up to two course reassignments per year to give release time to potential PI's to develop, write and submit their proposals. The ORA will reimburse up to $3,000 (plus fringe benefits) to cover the cost of a per-course faculty member. Funding is limited for this program, so it is necessary to gain authorization for the funding, prior to the course release, with the Course Reassignment Request Form. Your Department is responsible for covering the cost of hiring the per-course faculty member up-front, the ORA will reimburse the Department once a proposal has been submitted.

Equipment Match Fund

Funds are available to use as match for externally funded, proposed, equipment purchases. The request is coordinated through the ORA, and funding is limited, therefore it is necessary to request the funds prior to proposal submission using the Equipment Matching Funds Request Form. If the request is granted, funding will be given at the time of proposal award.