Frequently Asked Questions

Greetings! The 8th annual QOL Faculty Community Based Applied Research Grant competition has just completed and we are now looking forward not only to the new projects underway but to next year’s competition, as well.  We have compiled some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding the program and encourage you to contact us with any questions or requests for assistance.  You can email Dr. Marcelo Castro of the QOL Council directly at castrom@nsu.nova.edu. Good luck with your applications!

1. What is the QOL Faculty Community Based Applied Research Grant?
The QOL Faculty Community Based Applied Research Grant competition is an annual event in which faculty members submit grant proposals in order to procure funding for research projects which aim to improve the quality of life in Broward County. Each spring, QOL awards of up to $10,000 are provided to full-time faculty based on the quality of their applications. In the past seven years, 18 community based research studies have been funded, which brings the total to over $200,000 in QOL funds for faculty projects.

Through the efforts of the university president and its Trustees, funds have been targeted to support faculty scholarship in applied research to improve the Quality of Life in Broward County. The university's commitment is to expand NSU's QOL programs in community based research. The funding philosophy of the NSU Quality of Life Faculty Community Based Applied Research Grant is to view this funding as seed money to be leveraged and not the sole source of funding for QOL projects.

2. Is the PFRDG the same as the QOL grant program?
No, the President’s Faculty Research and Development Grant program was created by Nova Southeastern University President Ray Ferrero, Jr. and the Board of Trustees in 1999 to provide funding to faculty in their efforts to secure additional resources for research activities. You cannot submit the same proposal to both the PFRDG and the QOL programs in the same year.  These programs share several characteristics (application and program dates, award amounts, eligibility requirements, etc.), but the QOL program is focused on community-based applied research designed to solve the most serious problems affecting the quality of life in Broward County. Please see the PFRDG’s website and the QOL Applied Faculty Research Grant page for complete details regarding each program. 

3. Who can apply for a QOL?
All current full-time NSU faculty are eligible to apply; part-time faculty and students are also eligible to apply as the principal investigator of a project if they have faculty support.

4. How much money should I request in my application?
Only as much as you need. While the maximum award is $10,000, previous applicants have requested as little as $3,000. Since a budget justification is required with each application you should request only the money you will need to complete your project.

5. Where does the money come from?
Through the efforts of the university president and its Trustees, as well as community organizations, funds have been targeted to support faculty scholarship in applied research to improve the Quality of Life in Broward County.

6. Do I need to get my dean to commit to funding my project, if selected, before I apply?
No; proposals do not need a signed Dean’s Commitment Form (as with PFRDG awards).

7. When is my application due?
All applications must be received in the Office of Grants & Contracts by 5:00pm on Monday, March 20, 2009.

8. When will I find out if my project was funded?
Decision letters will be sent to all applicants on Friday, May 6, 2009. All deans will also be notified on May 4, 2009.

9. When is this year’s award ceremony?
The award ceremony and reception will be announced; the time and location will be posted on the QOL website and the PFRDG website as soon as they are finalized, and will also be listed in the decision letters.

10. If I win, when can I start my project?
The earliest start date for FY2010 QOL projects is June 1, 2009. However, before beginning, all winning applicants must:

• Work with Dr. Marcelo Castro of the QOL Council to respond to reviewers’ comments.
• Work with Barbara Sterry (Office of Grants & Contracts) to finalize project budget and review post-award procedures.
• Obtain Institutional Review Board approval, if the project includes any research with human subjects (including certain types of data).
• Obtain Health Professions Division Research Committee approval, if the project receives any HPD funding.

11. How do I apply?
The Grant Application Guidelines include detailed instructions for preparing and submitting an application. One complete hard copy of the entire proposal is due to the Office of Grants & Contracts by 5:00pm on Monday, March 20, 2009; electronic copies of the application face page and most other proposal components are due by the same deadline to qol10@nsu.nova.edu.

12. Can I apply for funds for my own salary or travel?
QOL awards cannot be used for any faculty salary or development travel. You can include in your budget money to pay student workers or for travel that is dedicated to collecting data for your project or disseminating the results of your research at a professional conference.

13. Who chooses the winning applications?
Each application is reviewed by a faculty review team, composed of volunteer faculty members from across the university and community members serving on the Quality of Life Council. These review teams score each de-identified application using a standard set of questions and President Ferrero makes the final selection of winners based on these scores and your performance on previous PFRDG or QOL awards (if any).

14. How do I find out if my application was selected for funding?
Decision letters will be sent to all applicants on May 6, 2009.

15. If my application is not selected, can I appeal?
No, the decision of the president is final.

16. Do I need to get IRB or HPD Research Committee approval before I can start my project?
Yes. If your project involves human subjects in any way, you will need IRB approval before you begin your research or spend grant funds. Please see the IRB website for details on their procedures. If your project is being funded in part by a HPD college, you will need HPD Research Committee approval before starting your project. Please see the HPD website for details on their requirements.

17. How do I access my award funds?
If your application is selected for funding, you will receive an email from Barbara Sterry in the Office of Grants & Contracts with further instructions after you receive the decision letter from the president. You will be able to begin spending grant funds once you have met all applicable requirements (see #9 above).

18. How long do I have to finish my project?
All FY2010 QOL awards will be made from June 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. If you are unable to complete your project in this time period, you may request an extension from Dr. Marcelo Castro (castrom@nova.edu) by April 30, 2010; one-time extensions will be granted at his discretion for up to 12 additional months.

19. What happens if I leave NSU before my project is completed?
If you find yourself in this situation, you may submit a request to your dean and Dr. Margules to appoint another willing full-time NSU faculty member, who is qualified in your project’s field of research, to take over your duties and responsibilities as principal investigator. If this is not an option, your project will be closed upon your departure, and remaining funds will be returned to their original source(s).

20. How do I communicate the successes of my project?
Upon receipt of your QOL award, you will be required to make a total of two presentations to the Quality of Life Council at two of our scheduled meetings.  The first presentation will be an overview of your project plans and the second presentation will be a detailed explanation of your research outcomes.  You will be notified in advance by the QOL Council regarding which meeting dates you will be expected to present.

21. Who can I contact with additional questions?
The easiest means of asking a question is send an email to Marcelo Castro, Ph.D., at castrom@nova.edu.  If you do not have access to email, you can call Dr. Castro at (954) 262-7708.

QOL Grant Title: Faculty Community Based Applied Research Grant