US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme Planning Grant:
Applications to NSF
PLEASE READ IN DETAIL THE
Close‐to‐final draft Tri‐Partite Proposal deadline – at least 6 weeks in advance of
NSF deadline or, if applicable, the deadline at the US University’s Research Office in
advance of the NSF submission deadline
Mandatory ‘Intention to submit’ form required at least 10 weeks in advance of the
full submission deadline at NSF
Please Planning
read in detail
the
US-Ireland
call document
applications
to NSF
in advance
of submitting
grants
must
be submitted
to SFI nofor
later
than 5 weeks
in advance
of the
deadline fora USIreland planning grant
close-to-final draft tri-partite proposal submissions to SFI, to facilitate travel to partner’s labs to develop
the proposal
Intention to submit form and Planning grant application must be submitted to SFI by the Host Institution
Research Office
Please read in detail the call document relating to Applications to the NSF under the US-Ireland R&D
Partnership programme in advance of submitting a US-Ireland R&D Partnership Planning grant
Aim: The aim of the planning grant is to provide support to researchers in Ireland to travel to the United States
in order to develop the tri-partite proposal with their US collaborators. Planning grants are not a pre-requisite
for RoI researchers who intend to submit a formal tri-partite application to the NSF; they are intended as a
vehicle to facilitate development of the tri-partite application.
1. To enable Irish-based researchers to travel to the US to meet with pre-identified collaborators for a period
of no more than 10 days.
2. To facilitate development of a joint, comprehensive and inclusive tri-partite proposal, for subsequent
submission to the NSF.
3. The output from the Planning Grant award should enable the development of world-class research
proposals in one of the following four thematic areas: Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Sensors and
Sensor Networks, Telecommunications, and Energy and Sustainability, for submission to the NSF.
Eligibility: Please review the eligibility criteria as outlined in Section 5 of the call document. US-Ireland
planning grants are available to applicants who have submitted the mandatory intention to submit form. If the
mandatory intention to submit form has not been submitted, it can be submitted in parallel with the planning
grant application.
Funding: Planning grants for RoI partners proposing to apply to the NSF are funded by SFI, and by InvestNI for
NI partners. Planning grants offer funds for travel and accommodation up to a level of €5,000 for lead
applicants in the RoI, and £3,000 for lead applicants in NI. The SFI US-Ireland R&D Partnership Planning Grant
is not subject to an overhead contribution.
Application Procedure: Please complete the planning grant application form in Appendix 1, the Intention to
Submit form (if not already completed-see Appendix 2), and provide letters of support from the host partner
in the US. This information should be combined into a single pdf document and be submitted to SFI no later
than 5 weeks in advance of travel. Completed applications, signed and stamped by the lead RoI applicant and
the responsible signatory at the research institution should be emailed directly to: [email protected]. For any
queries please contact [email protected]
Review process: Applications are accepted on a rolling call basis. Applications will be reviewed by SFI staff who
will consider the following:
-
-
That the team assembled contributes relevant expertise to execute the proposed research programme
which goes beyond what might be achieved by any one investigator working alone supported by
national funding only.
The quality of the partners’ plans for interaction.
That the budget is well-justified and represents value for money
Post-Award Reporting: Once travel has been completed, please email SFI at [email protected] within 45 days
of your return, with the following details:
-
Your planned date for submission of the draft tri-partite proposal to SFI; please note the draft tri-partite
proposal must be submitted to SFI at least 6 weeks in advance of the NSF deadline.
-
If you are not planning a submission within 9 months of your return date, please submit a short report
outlining the reason for the delay in submission, the activities undertaken with the US and Northern
Ireland collaborators, and an update on the current status of the proposed collaborators funding request.
Appendix 1: Planning Grant Application Form
NSF PROGRAMME NAME and CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS:
SFI US-Ireland R&D
Partnership
Programme Planning
Grant
TITLE OF PROPOSAL (up to 30 words)
NAME OF HOST INSTITUTION
TITLE & FULL NAME OF LEAD REPUBLIC OF
IRELAND CONTACT
REQUESTED PLANNING GRANT BUDGET
DIRECT COSTS (euro)
Intention to Submit Code (if applicable)
PLANNED TRAVEL DATES
Is NI collaborator also travelling Y/N
Signatures below confirm acceptance and agreement with SFI grants and awards Terms and
Conditions, and that the institution ensures the applicant meets eligibility requirements, and
that the project is in full agreement with all legal and regulatory matters governing research
in Ireland, and no aspect of this project is already being funded from another source and all
details provided are correct.
INSTITUTIONAL SIGNATORY AUTHORITY
LEAD Republic of Ireland CONTACT
Name (print):
Position:
Email:
Correspondence Address:
Signed:
Signed:
Date:
Date:
Section 1: Objectives and work plan of the planned visit (approx. 1/2 page)
Section 2: Planning Grant budget and justification (approx. half page)
Planning Grant Budget
Subsistence
Travel
Accommodation
Budget justification – please provide details of the requested budget
Section 3:
Letter of support from host US partner.
Appendix 2: MANDATORY INTENTION TO SUBMIT FORM
For RoI applicants to the NSF, please complete the relevant sections and submit in the form of an
Adobe pdf document to [email protected]
For Northern Ireland candidates, please complete the relevant sections and submit in the form of an
Adobe pdf document to [email protected]
This form must be submitted to the relevant funding agencies, North and South, via the Research
Body Research Offices of the RoI and NI lead applicant respectively at least 10 weeks in advance of
the full proposal deadline at NSF.
Section 1: Contact Details and eligibility1 of applicants/co-applicants
Please insert another table as required if co-applicants exist
RoI Applicant Contact Details
Title
Name
Department
Institution
Telephone
Email
(i) Contract status
(ii) Qualifying research award: awarding body, grant title,
grant #, funding period
Eligibility:
(iii) Year PhD awarded
(iv) If you currently hold a US-Ireland award, when did the
award commence?
1
Please review the eligibility criteria in Section 5 of the US-Ireland R&D Partnership programme guidance to applicants
to the NSF and provide details confirming the eligibility of the applicant and any co-applicants to apply to the US-Ireland
R&D Partnership programme. This is ONLY required for the RoI and NI applicants/co-applicants and NOT for the US
applicants.
NI Applicant Contact Details
Title
Name
Department
Institution
Telephone
Email
(i) Contract status
(ii) Year PhD awarded
Eligibility
(iii) Qualifying research award: awarding body, grant title,
grant #, funding period
(iv) If you currently hold a US-Ireland award, when did the
award commence?
US Applicant Contact Details
Title
Name
Department
Institution
Address
Telephone
Email
Eligibility
NOT REQUIRED
Submission by Research Office required to inform them about the submission and to confirm
eligibility
Section 2: NSF PROGRAMME DETAILS
NSF Programme
Submission Deadline
Section 3: APPLICATION OVERVIEW
Proposed topic, title of proposal, abstract
Proposed Topic
Title of proposal
Abstract (max 250 words)
RoI:
NI:
US:
Highlight area of speciality which
the RoI partner is contributing to
the proposal
Indicative total direct costs likely to €
be requested for RoI
Highlight area of speciality which
the NI partner is contributing to the
proposal
Indicative total budget figure likely £
to be requested for NI
Highlight area of speciality which
the US partner is contributing to the
proposal
Indicative total budget figure likely $
to be requested for US