Frequently Asked Questions
How often is the competition held?
The Battelle Endowment is an annual competition with the submission deadline in early November.
How many grant applications are received each year?
The number of applications varies greatly from year to year- recent years have had as many as 40 and as few as 17.
How many grants are awarded each year?
This depends on the funds available, usually 5 - 7 grant applications are funded each year.
When will the grants be awarded?
Announcements of the winning awards are usually made by mid-March.
Can adjunct or part-time faculty apply?
Only full-time Assistant, Associate, and Full Professors can apply for Battelle Endowment funding. A full time faculty member has at minimum a 75% appointment for either a nine month or twelve month period. Adjunct, part-time faculty, or permanent staff can be part of the investigator team, with the appropriate faculty member serving as the Principal Investigator.
Is there a specific format to be used for the budget?
Yes. A pre-formatted budget template is available in an Excel and in a Microsoft Word format. Grant proposals submitted with other budget forms will not be accepted.
Do I need to submit an electronic copy of all the information?
We need an electronic copy of the cover page, project narrative, budget, and budget narrative. This must be sent as an email attachment to betha@admin.ohio-state.edu. Please do not submit pdf files, floppy disks or cds. Also please title the document with your last name.
How long should the biographical information be for each of the investigators?
No more than one page.
Can the project description be more than 5 pages/1500 words?
No, you are limited to this restriction. If you choose to include references/figures/footnotes, they must fit within the 5 page maximum. However, if there is a great deal of supporting information that you feel essential, you can post it on a website and include the URL within your 5 pages. If the committee is interested in the additional information, they will visit the site.
Should I send the support letters separately?
No, please include the original letters of support with one of the ten packets and include copies with the other nine.
Who should write the letters of support?
Please request letters from your department chair and dean. If you are a department or unit chair, please request a letter from your dean. If your project involves any collaborators, please include letters from them stating their committment to the project. Regardless of your position, you are not eligible to write your own letter of support.
If I have received a Battelle Endowment grant in the past, can I apply for a new grant?
Yes. However, you must submit your final report for the first project before you submit an application for a new grant.
Can I apply for a multiple-year grant?
Usually Battelle Endowment grants are for no more than 2 years. If there are special circumstances for your project, please clearly explain these in the 5 page narrative and the committee will take it into consideration.
Who is on the Battelle Endowment committee?
The committee members are current OSU professors from a variety of disciplines. Many are past Battelle Endowment grant recipients. The committee chair is selected from within the committee. Each committee member serves for 3 years. Dr. Michael Sherman, Vice Provost of Academic Administration is the Committee Liaison.
What happens to the materials and equipment purchased through a Battelle Endowment grant?
All materials and equipment purchased are the property of OSU and will be handled by the college or department to which the faculty member belongs according to university, college, and department local policy. At the end of the grant period, all equipment and un-used materials and supplies (regardless of the cost) will be handled by the college or department to which the faculty member belongs according to the local policy of that college or department. Please note that the policies may be slightly different than OSURF.
What if my research involves human or animal subjects?
Research involving human or animal subjects must be approved by The Ohio State Univeristy's Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Lab Animal Care and Use Committee (ILACUC). For more information, contact the Office of Responsible Research Practices at 688-8457 or refer to their web site at www.orrp.ohio-state.edu.
What is the usual amount of Battelle Endowment grants?
Grants range from $10,000 to $60,000.
If I plan to hire a grad student, do I need to include a tuition waiver?
Yes, you need to include the costs for a full tuition waiver and fringe benefits if the grad student(s) will be hired for 50% time. If they will be hired for 25% time and they have another 25% position, then you will need to cover half of their tuition waiver and fringe benefits. If they will be hired for a 25% position and they do not have another position, then you will need to cover their entire tuition waiver and fringe benefits.
How much is a tuition waiver?
This depends somewhat on the department you are in. Many departments have additional fees. Check with the accounting personnel in your department to determine the exact amount necessary for your field. Please refer to the registrar's website for the most current information regarding tuition and fees. www.ureg.ohio-state.edu/courses/mstext.html
Do I have to pay fringe benefits for all employees hired through this grant?
This depends on your department. The university subsidizes a portion of the health insurance costs for graduate students. If you are hiring a grad student, you need to check with your department's accounting person to determine the exact amount for fringe benefits.
What if I have money left over after completing the Battelle Endowment project?
Any funds remaining after the Battelle Endowment project is complete will be returned and used to fund future faculty projects.
What if I overspend my grant funds?
If a Battelle Endowment account is overspent, per university custom, it is the responsibility of the department to repay Battelle Endowment .
Are there any tips you can offer to help improve my chances of being awarded a grant?
Check your math on the budget form. More than 50% of the grants in 2004-2005 competition had errors in the budgets. Read the Battelle Endowment mission statement carefully and make sure your application clearly explains how your project fits the Battelle Endowment mission. Make sure you request your letters of support from your department head and dean well in advance of the deadline. Grant proposals that do not have these letters will not be accepted.
What if I still have questions?
Please contact the Battelle Endowment Coordinator - Battelle Endowment Coordinator at betha@admin.ohio-state.edu
