Application Info

Application Instructions:

Download the application here (Adobe PDF).

Applications are now being accepted and will be reviewed as they arrive. Please submit completed applications to:

Danielle Thompson
Administrator, UM Center for Ethics in Public Life
3219 Weill Hall, 3091
Fax: (734) 763-9181
Email: ethics@umich.edu

Review Procedures, Award Terms, And Other Information

Required Signatures:

Proposals require the signatures of the department or unit heads and the dean or director of the units. In schools and colleges with research associate deans, they may sign in this space. Please route the proposal application to the appropriate office for signatures well in advance of any deadlines. Research associate deans and deans are responsible for any internal process that may exist when applying to the Research Program in Ethics in Public Life. Contact those offices for clarification. Applications will not be processed unless all appropriate signatures are obtained.

Matching or Sharing Funds:

Securing matching funds or cost sharing from the department or unit, school and college, or outside sources is viewed as an important sign of commitment to and support of the application. In general, we expect approximately one-third of projected costs to be supported by other sources. Please specify any matching or sharing funds on application form (page 2) and describe the sources of these funds in the budget justification section of the application. Also indicate if other funding is pending or confirmed.

Budget:

A budget should be included for the total cost of the project, not just the amount being requested from the Research Program in Ethics in Public Life. Provide detail for the basis of cost estimates. Unallowable expenses (below) are also considered unallowable for cost sharing support. Applications will not be processed unless the budget information is complete.

Reviews:

Applications will be reviewed by peer faculty and representatives from the Ethics in Public Life Steering Committee.

Key review factors include:

Peer judgment of scholarly merit
Research potential of project and likelihood of establishing an ongoing research program or collaboration
Likely impact of this work on the field of ethics in public life and projects with potential to enhance the scholarly distinction of the University
Appropriateness of the budget to the project proposed
Extent of unit support as indicated by partial funding of project
Preference will be given to junior investigators, as well as senior investigators who are moving into a new area of investigation

Administration of Awards:

Regular university policies and procedures are applicable to the expenditure of funds, and the recipient is responsible for working with the appropriate staff in the academic unit to arrange for good stewardship of the funds. Award amounts are final. Overruns and disallowances are the responsibility of the individual recipient and academic unit. Each award stipulates an expiration date, after which any balance remaining is returned. Investigators may not retain the award if they leave the University of Michigan. A short report will be required within three months of the end of the project.

Any changes in budget items or project period must first be approved by the Center for Ethics in Public Life.

Contact the Center for Ethics in Public Life (ethics@umich.edu) for assistance.

Funding Restrictions:

Funding is not provided for:

Travel to present at conferences
Regular salary of investigator or summer salary
Computer/hardware/software for routine use
Office equipment—telephone installations, photocopy machines
Equipment maintenance costs
UM Tuition support (tuition to attend an external workshop may be possible and will be reviewed on an ad hoc basis)
Requests for small amounts more appropriately handled at the unit level
Projects that are primarily instructional
Funds covering reduced external awards
Retroactive funding, costs overruns or disallowances
Faculty recruitment and start-up packages