Illinois Eye-Bank - Researchers - Submitting a Research Proposal

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Submitting a Research Proposal • Research Grant Award Schedule • Research Grant Awards • Featured Research • Research Review Committee

Submitting a Research Proposal: General Information

NEW! Midwest Eye-Banks Scientific Research Award 2008 Guidelines
Apply Now! Deadline- April 11, 2008
Research Safeguard/Human Use Form
Research Safeguard/Animal Use Form

Midwest Eye-Banks is pleased to invite research proposals to the 2008/2009 Eye & Vision Research Award Program.

General information on the submission of proposals is provided below. The application may not be submitted electronically.

The Application for Midwest Eye-Banks Scientific Research Award must be filed if you wish to be considered for a grant award by the Midwest Eye-Banks, as part of its Eye & Vision Research Program. Midwest Eye-Banks is the corporate entity representing the Michigan Eye-Bank, the Illinois Eye-Bank, the Watson Gailey Eye-Bank, and the Lions Eye Bank of New Jersey. Applications must be submitted by the close of business on the submission deadline date. Deadlines will be published on the Research Grant Calendar. The Midwest Eye-Banks Research Grant Program accepts applications from scientists in Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey only.

Please circulate applications broadly so that interested members of your faculty will be advised of the opportunity to submit proposals with sufficient notice. Please note that the Research Program is intended for faculty only. We are interested in receiving proposals from young faculty who are establishing their research career, and also from established faculty who are pursuing new areas of inquiry. Funding for grants normally does not exceed $15,000.00 and the number of grants awarded is subject to availability of discretionary funds.

The Midwest Eye-Banks Research Program also awards student stipends of $2,500 each. Awards are based on letters of recommendation from chairpersons of clinical and basic science departments recommending a resident or post-graduate student who will be working on a project under the supervision of a senior faculty member. The letter should briefly outline the project on which the student will be working, the student's background, and the faculty member who will be supervising his or her work. The Research Grant application should not be used for the Student Research program.

Should a Chairperson recommend several students, or if several Chairpersons from the same institution are sending in recommendations for multiple students, we ask that the students be ranked. If the students are from several departments, the prioritized listing from the institution should be agreed upon by all the recommending Chairpersons. The deadline for student stipend recommendation letters is the same as the one published for Grant Proposals, close of business on Friday April 11, 2008.

The Midwest Eye-Banks, as a non-profit corporation, has as part of its mission the support of eye and vision research. In awarding each grant, the Eye-Bank requests that, if the work of the project is commercially successful, that the grant recipient/organization seriously consider making a contribution equal to or greater than the amount awarded to them through this Research Program.

For your information, the members of the Midwest Eye-Banks Research Review Committee are listed elsewhere on this site. If there are any questions about the application for the Midwest Eye-Banks Eye and Vision Research Program or the Student Research Program, please contact us at (800) 247-7250.

For principal and co-principal investigators, NIH Biographical Sketch Format is preferred when submitting biographical information.

Request for Research Grant Proposals
From the Midwest Eye-Banks

Deadline for Submission of Proposals: Friday, April 11, 2008
Midwest Eye Banks, a non profit corporation, carries out its mission throughout Michigan, Illinois and New Jersey via the Michigan Eye-Bank, the Illinois Eye Bank and the Lions Eye Bank of New Jersey. Midwest Eye-Banks is again pleased to invite research proposals related to the eye and vision.

Funding is envisioned primarily as seed money to develop ideas, collect data or carry out preliminary laboratory work that facilitates application for more extensive support by larger private or governmental agencies.

The research topics may involve basic or applied science including theoretical, experimental or clinical techniques. We seek proposals of high technical merit which advance the understanding of the eye and vision, and the causes and treatment of eye disorders, especially those relating to the cornea, lens, retina and glaucoma.

I. RESTRICTIONS

A. Grants normally will not exceed $15,000. These grants are intended to fund the work of young investigators or new research directions for more established researchers, but are not meant to augment support for research that is already funded.
B. Funding will be for a period of one year but, in certain cases, grants may be renewed for a second year. This requires the competitive submission of a renewal proposal. A summary of project progress must be included in such a proposal.
C. No overhead or training costs will be funded.
D. No more than 10 percent of the total grant may be allocated to fund salary costs for principal investigators.
E. If funding for acquisition of equipment is requested, its application to the research objective must be clearly explained.
F. If human use or animal use is part of the research, documentation of appropriate institutional review and approval must be included.
G. Acknowledgment of Midwest Eye-Banks support must be included in all publications and presentations of research results.

II. APPLICATION

A. Proposals should be as brief as practical but no longer than 4 pages exclusive of references, budget and photos and items mentioned in IIC, G, and H, below. Proposals in excess of 4 pages will be returned and will not be sent to the committee for evaluation.
B. The proposal should consist of the following sections: (1) objectives, (2) description, (3) investigator(s), (4) CV's or NIH biographical sketch (5) budget, and should include a completed Midwest Eye-Banks title page (See page 1 of the Application).
One original and ten (10) copies of the proposal must be submitted.
C. Identify any current or pending support for the proposed research. If you do have funding that has relevance to or overlaps with this program, please explain why you believe grant support is justified. This explanation must not exceed one (1) page.
Applications should state if the project has been submitted to NIH, NEI or other agencies for funding. If so, include the decision arrived at by these agencies.
D. In preparing the budget, please be sure to allow $100 for each eye/corneal tissue required for research purposes.
E. Mail or deliver proposals to the Midwest Eye-Banks corporate offices, addressed as follows: Midwest Eye-Banks, ATTN: Research Review Committee, 4889 Venture Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108.
F. Proposals received after the deadline of 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, 2008, will be returned unopened.
G. A brief paragraph, in layman's terms, must accompany the application so that press releases, suitable for the general public, can be issued as soon as funding decisions are made.
H. If the Principal Investigator has received funding from Midwest Eye-Banks in the last two years, a progress report on that grant should be included in the appendix. This is required whether or not the previous grant was related to the current proposal.
The progress report should not exceed 2 pages.
Application for Scientific Research Award

III. PROPOSAL REVIEW

Proposals satisfying the restrictions will be reviewed and technically evaluated by the independent Research Review Committee of the Midwest Eye-Banks. The Committee will advise the Midwest Eye-Banks' Board of Directors of those proposals whose technical merit warrants funding, and the Committee will rank the proposals. The Board will fund proposals to the extent permitted by available funds of the Midwest Eye-Banks.

IV. REVIEW CRITERIA

A. The significance and scientific or clinical merit of the proposed project, and its characterization as an innovative and/or pilot project that provides a basis for more extended support.
B. The methodology, including choice of experimental material.
C. The investigator's background and training related to the subject of the project.
D. The adequacy of necessary facilities.
E. The adequacy of justifications presented for the budget request.
F. Appropriate approvals for human or animal use.

V. ANNOUNCEMENT OF DECISIONS

Funding decisions will be announced by the end of June, 2008. Funding will be provided in two equal installments during Midwest’s fiscal year. Disbursement dates for funding will be August 29, 2008 and May 29, 2008. Midwest Eye-Banks will return a postcard acknowledging receipt of proposals. If you do not receive a postcard within seven (7) working days from the date of your mailing, please contact our office immediately.

VI. MIDWEST EYE-BANKS CONTACT PERSON

Questions regarding any aspect of this project may be directed to:

Midwest Eye-Banks
ATTN:Kevin Ross
President and Chief Executive Officer
4889 Venture Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(800) 247-7250