1. How do I get information about funding opportunities?
Information about funding opportunities can be obtained in various
ways. First, the Office of Research & Development (ORD) advises
UPEI researchers of funding opportunities through frequent mailouts on
the Research Relevant Communications (RRC) list. (Note: If you are not
receiving RRC mailouts, please contact the ORD to ensure that you are
added to the list.) A second method by which researchers can obtain
information about funding opportunities is to search the Community of
Science/ Community of Scholars (COS) website. Links to the COS, as well
as links to major funding bodies, are found on the Research &
Development website and are helpful in obtaining up-to-date information
about new and established funding opportunities.
We also encourage you to visit the ORD to discuss your research discipline to give us a better idea of funding opportunities that may be of interest to you.
2. What is the difference between a grant and a contract?
A Research Grant is financial support for an individual or group of
individuals (or a research centre or institute) to do research in a
particular subject area or field. Although the research area may be
defined, there are usually no conditions about specific directions of
the research. Usually, in a grant:
NB: Although a faculty member or members may serve as Principal Investigator(s) for the research contract, the contract is actually between the University and the Funder, so the conditions of the contract must satisfy the requirements of the University and the University must sign it.
Terms and conditions covered in a research contract may include:
3. Who must sign my grant application?
All
applications for funding must be approved by the following: the
Principal Investigator, Co-Applicants (if applicable), the Department
Chair (where applicable), the Dean, and the Vice-President, Research
& Development.
5. What documentation is required for funding applications?
A
completed Administrative Approvals Form bearing all relevant signatures
must be filed, along with a complete copy of the proposal itself, with
the Office of Research & Development before any application is
submitted for external research funding from any source. The submission
of an Administrative Approvals Form, along with internal grant
applications, will expedite account opening upon receipt of an award.
6. Does my research need human ethics approval?
The
University of Prince Edward Island follows the national standards
outlined by the Tri-Council Policy Statement on the Ethical Conduct of
Research Involving Humans (August 1998). All research that involves
human subjects or the use of human tissue from subjects, living or not,
requires review and approval by the Research Ethics Board. This
includes research that has had prior approval at another institution.
Therefore, it is recommended that you check with the appropriate
contacts within the Office of Research & Development to determine
if ethics approval is required.
7. How do I fill out an ethics proposal?
Forms and instructions on how to properly complete an ethics proposal are available.
8. Does my research require an animal care certificate?
All
animal use for research, teaching, or testing must receive prior
approval from the University. The University of Prince Edward Island
follows the national standards set by the Canadian Council on Animal
Care (CCAC). forms and instructions
9. Does my research require a biohazard certificate?
If
you use any of the following: Class 1-2 agents, unfixed animal/human
tissue, non-indigenous plant or animal materials, or notifiable
substance (e.g., GMOs), you will require a Biohazard Certificate. forms and instructions
10. What must I do to access the funds from my research grant/contract?
All
research awards are assigned a research account which must be
authorized by the Office of Research & Development. To open a
research account, the ORD must have a completed administrative
approvals form containing all required signatures, a copy of the letter
of award, as well as the budget pages from the application. If your
research requires human ethics approval, animal care review, biohazard
certification, or other necessary approvals, your account cannot be
authorized without copies of these approvals. Submitting these
approvals as soon as they are available will reduce delays in getting
your account. There may be circumstances in which an account is
necessary before ethics approval can be obtained; contact us for
details on what needs to be done to authorize your account.
11. What internal funds are available to UPEI researchers?
For a full listing of internal grants/awards that can be accessed by UPEI faculty, see the Guide to UPEI Research Funding 2007-2008. For details on internal funding available to researchers in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, contact the office of the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.
12. Other questions?
Please
do not hesitate to visit or call the Office of Research &
Development should you require further information. We are located in
Dalton Hall, Room 409, or can be reached at (902) 566-0637. For a full
listing of ORD staff, see our staff page
