Graduate Students
Best Practices
Applicants should review the requirements of the specific grant that they are applying to, as well as the post-award requirements. Successful proposals meet and exceed base requirements by following the basic best practices outlined below. In general, the most successful applications are both detailed and feasible. Reviewers are reading many proposals at once: use the outline of the project description below to guide your writing and craft clear section titles.
Project Proposal
Title Page (1 page)
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Project’s title
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Applicant’s name
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Non-technical, 100-word abstract
Project Description (no more than 5 pages)
For most applications, students are expected to tailor their application to either a research focus or a creative focus. Each proposal needs to include:
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Introduction: Include the questions you will explore, the motivation for your project, and a clear, simple description of your overall project and goals.
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Brief overview of previous work: Contextualize your work in the context of the broader scholarly literature on your topic and/or the creative focus of your project. When applicable, include information on previous research or creative projects you have conducted that have directly led to this project.
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Research proposals should include a brief literature review and/or a description of previous research done on this topic that your grant proposal builds on.
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Creative proposals should include an explanation of the artistic influences and contexts of your proposed project.
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Description of methods: Be as specific as possible while keeping your vocabulary accessible to non-technical audiences.
- Research projects should have a clear methodology consitent with their discipline.
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Creative proposals should include specifics on artistic techniques and methods.
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Schedule for project completion: Your schedule speaks to your project's feasibility. It should show that you've thought about the necessary steps to complete your project in a timely manner.
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Description of Skills and Collaboration: Describe the skills and knowledge you bring to the proposed project and what experience you have that makes your project feasible. In addition, if applicable, describe any collaborations you might have that are necessary to the project.
- Research proposals should explain what permissions they have from any groups, institutions, or other areas of restricted access needed to complete their project.
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Creative proposals should include some demonstration of technical mastery for the skills required by your project.
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Discussion of broader impacts: Explain the importance of your project as well as limitations, future directions, and/or a plan for disseminating your work (publications, conferences, exhibitions, performances etc.).
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Endnotes and a bibliography: Use the style that is most common to your field. Endnotes and bibliography are not included in the page count, but must be included when necessary.
Proposal Preparation and Submission
Research and creative proposals should be five pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font. Include page numbers (bottom center) and embed any figures or images within the project description with captions. Footnotes, endnotes, in-text citations, and the bibliography should use a discipline-appropriate citation style. The bibliography is not included in the page limit. Proposals that do not conform to the page limits and formatting requirements will be rejected without review.
Budget (separate document)
Use the Franco Institute Student Budget Template to prepare your budget document. Itemize your expenses (see each grant webpage for eligible costs). Justify the need for each expense. Include links to sites where cost information was obtained. Do not guess or estimate costs; provide clear sources and detailed reasoning for all expenses. Applicants are expected to reduce costs and include cost-saving strategies.
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Audio-visual or computer equipment, room and board during quarantine periods, professional development activities, or software/books already provided through University site licenses are NOT permitted unless stated otherwise on the grant page.
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If an item is denominated in a foreign currency, please provide the USD equivalent, including the exchange rate.
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The Franco Institute follows the General Services Administration's per diem recommendations for daily lodging rates and for meals and incidental expenses rates.
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If you are driving your own vehicle, please use the standard IRS Mileage Rates to calculate your mileage. Do not separately list mileage and fuel costs.
Additional Documents and Requirements
Sample of Previous Work- Creative Projects
Creative project proposals will also be asked to upload a sample of previous work that demonstrates the skills needed to complete the proposed project. This could be pictures of previous work, audio files, or videos. This is not needed for research proposals.
Special Requirements for Human Subjects Research
If your research involves interaction with people (e.g., interviews, surveys, or observing non-public behavior), you must apply for Internal Review Board (IRB) approval. Please use Notre Dame Research's online application form for Human Subjects (IRB) Approval.
If IRB approval is required, grant funding will not be disbursed until Notre Dame Research approves your IRB application. IRB approval must be specifically given to you, the student. If you are working on a project for which your professor has IRB approval, please ask the professor to have your name added to the IRB protocol. Questions regarding IRB approval may be sent to compliance@nd.edu. Notre Dame requires all personnel listed on the IRB protocol to complete the online Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) module. Please refer to the Citi Training Selection Guide for directions.
Travel Requirements
Projects involving domestic travel require a completed Domestic Travel Waiver Form. (Form may be signed by hand or electronically.)
If your project involves international travel, we MUST receive your application materials AT LEAST 6 weeks prior to your planned departure date. All students are required to register University-related international travel with the Notre Dame International Travel Registry. Proof of registration must be emailed to Therese Blacketor (tblacket@nd.edu), the Franco Institute Student Grants Coordinator. Failure to register may cause the loss of your grant. The Franco Institute does not reimburse funds for travel after the trip. Travel must be registered and all paperwork returned to the Franco offices prior to travel or grant funds will not be distributed.
All high risk University-related international travel is subject to review. For University requirements and processes for student and employee high risk travel, please visit the High Risk Travel page.