ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

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The Board of Regents Support Fund
Proposal Development and Submission
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ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
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ENHANCEMENT SUBPROGRAMS INCLUDE

• Traditional Academic departments or units from
  all campuses are eligible.
• Undergraduate Participation is limited to
  campuses which offer two or fewer doctoral
  programs the department applying cannot offer a
  doctoral degree.
• Note
• Education Enhancement is under the
  Traditional Enhancement Guidelines but has some
  additional requirements and special forms
  contained in separate Guidelines.

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DEFINITION

• A competitive grants program to improve the
  quality of academic departments or units, thus
  enhancing the infrastructure of higher education.
• Emphasis traditionally has been on the purchase
  of instructional and/or research equipment,
  although other types of enhancements are allowed.
  Applicants are limited only by their
  imaginations and ability to write a persuasive
  argument explaining the proposed enhancement.

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Disallowed Budgetary Items

• Ongoing operating costs
• Legislative monies shall not displace, replace,
  or supplant other appropriated funding for higher
  education
• Maintenance of equipment

• Construction of facilities, routine renovation,
  or purchasing of ordinary office furniture or
  equipment
• Shortfalls/deficits in budgets, scholarships or
  tuition, or augmentation of salaries

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MONETARY AND TIME LIMITATIONS

• Applicants may request from 5,000 to 1 million.
  In FY 2002-03 the average award for a
  traditional enhancement project was 66,292
  (ranging from 7,485 to 192,990) and for an
  undergraduate enhancement award was 25, 800
  (ranging from 2,925 to 89,750).
• No project may request more than two years of
  support, and no project may request more than
  50,000 in the second year.
• Some cost-sharing is required.

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DISCIPLINE
ELIGIBILITY ROTATION (ONE YEAR IN EVERY THREE)

GROUP
I-Eligible Award Year 2000, 2003, 2006 Computer
and Information Sciences Biological
Sciences Engineering B (Industrial, Materials,
Mechanical, etc.) Social Sciences
Humanities GROUP II-Eligible in Award Year
2001, 2004 Earth/Environmental
Sciences Agricultural Sciences Health and
Medical Sciences Engineering A (Chemical, Civil,
Electrical, etc.) Arts GROUP III-Eligible in
Award Year 2002, 2005 Chemistry Physics/Astronom
y Mathematics Business Education, including
Literacy K
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Deadlines

• Last day to ask BOR questions Oct. 1
• Trad. Proposals due Oct. 24
• Educ. Proposals due Nov. 21
• (an original seven copies are required for
  both types)
• Note Proposals should be submitted to Graduate
  Studies and Research at least one week before
  deadline

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ENHANCEMENT PEER REVIEW PROCESS

• Request for proposals is issued.
• Full proposals are submitted.
• Peer review panels of out-of-state experts are
  formed.
• Traditional Enhancement Program Panels are
  created for each eligible discipline. In most
  years 6 panels are thus established.
• Undergraduate Enhancement Program typically
  requires one panel.
• Panel members independently evaluate the
  proposals using the criteria established.
• Panel convenes in Baton Rouge to discuss a final
  rank order of meritorious proposals.
• A written report containing the rankings and
  funding stipulations is forwarded to the
  Sponsored Programs Committee and the full Board
  of Regents.
• The Board of Regents makes final award decisions.

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RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
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R D SUBPROGRAMS INCLUDE

• Research Competitiveness Subprogram (RCS)
• Industrial Ties Research Subprogram (ITRS)

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GOALS OF THE RCS

• To strengthen the fundamental research base and
  competitiveness of Louisiana universities
• RCS is directed only toward those researchers on
  the verge of becoming competitive in the federal
  RD marketplace

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RCS PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE

• Basic research that seeks to generate new
  knowledge and test hypotheses (purely descriptive
  or data gathering proposals will not be
  recommended for funding)
• An assessment of the barriers faced by the
  investigator in his/her efforts to become
  nationally competitive for federal RD dollars
• A plan to overcome said barriers and attain
  national competitiveness for federal RD funds by
  the expected termination date of the proposed RCS
  project

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RCS ITRS DISCIPLINE
ELIGIBILITY ROTATION
(TWO YEARS ON, TWO
YEARS OFF) GROUP
I-Eligible Every Year Computer and Information
Sciences Biological Sciences Earth/Environmental
Sciences GROUP II-Eligible in Award Year 2000,
2003, 2004 Physics/Astronomy Mathematics Agricu
ltural Sciences Engineering A (Chemical, Civil,
Electrical, etc.) Social Sciences GROUP
III-Eligible in Award Year 2001, 2002, 2005,
2006 Chemistry Health and Medical
Sciences Engineering B(Industrial, Materials,
Mechanical, etc.) K
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MONETARY AND TIME LIMITATIONS

• Although applicants may request up to a total of
  200,000 over a three-year period, the average
  award for an RCS project is less than half that
  amount over three years, with first-year awards
  averaging approximately 40,000.
• No project may request more than three years of
  support.

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RD PEER REVIEW PROCESS

• Request for proposals is issued.
• Notices of Intent are submitted.
• Full proposals are submitted.
• Mail Reviews from experts with knowledge in the
  specific field of application (1 to 3 per
  proposal) assess scientific and technical merit.
• Subject-area panels (2 to 4 experts in each) are
  formed to prioritize all proposals in a given
  subject area--each panelist individually
  evaluates proposals and subject-area rank order
  is developed via conference call(s).
• Final Review Panel (has ranged from 3 to 10
  members) of out-of-state experts is formed.
• Panel convenes in Baton Rouge to develop a final
  rank order of merit for proposals.
• A written report containing the rankings and
  funding stipulations is forwarded to the
  Sponsored Programs Committee and the full Board
  of Regents.
• The Board of Regents makes final award decisions.

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Deadlines

• Notices of Intent due Sept. 11
• Last day to ask BOR questions Oct. 1
• ITRS Proposals due Oct. 31
• RCS Proposals due Nov. 7
• (an original twelve copies are required for
  both types)

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MISTAKES MADE AND LESSONS TO BE
LEARNED (Across All Programs)
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COMMON MISTAKES(All Programs)
1. Proposal does not fit program criteria 2.
Proposal does not contain a clear plan of attack
with a mechanism for measuring progress 3.
Proposal does not clearly address each item
required in the RFP 4. Proposal is too long
and essential items are difficult to find or are
missing 5. Proposal is poorly edited with
numerous grammatical and spelling errors 6.
Letters of support documenting external
commitments of personnel, money, equipment,
expertise, etc., are unconvincing or absent
altogether 7. Institutional commitments of
personnel, equipment, and/or money are poorly
documented 8. Budget is excessive and/or
represents a wish list, rather than needs
applicable to clearly focused goals 9.
Budget is poorly explained and/or justified 10.
Proposal is poorly assembled e.g., pages are
missing and/or out-of-order
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General Proposal Guidelines 1. Write what is
necessary to fully describe your current
situation and needs. 2. Ask for enough money to
accomplish your goals. 3. Begin early and
carefully edit your proposal.