What is considered “general purpose” equipment?
Can an FRG be used to support a graduate/research assistant?
I am collaborating with someone outside of Lehigh. May I use FRG funds to fund my collaborator's costs for work on the project?
Can FRG funds be used to pay for outside services essential to the proposed project?
Can I apply for an FRG every semester?
Is there a limit on the number of FRGs I can receive?
What rate should I use for graduate student compensation?
Can I apply for a FRG and other internal funding such as FIG or a Humanities Center grant at the same time?
What if my proposed project involves animal or human subjects?
Where can I locate information about applying for IRB/IACUC approval?
What if there is an existing protocol in place?
When are grant recipients notified of an award?
How do I request a budget modification or extension of my FRG award?
What is considered “general purpose” equipment?
Examples of “general purpose” equipment include laptop computers, software, fax machines, copiers, cameras, etc. The review panel will consider a compelling case should the faculty member indicate why the proposed research project would not be feasible without the requested equipment. However, if the panel considers the proposal fundable, the equipment will be removed from the budget and the recipient will be offered of a partial award.
Can an FRG be used to support a graduate/research assistant?
If the assistance provided is to further the faculty member’s research project, the budget can include student support but student research projects are not eligible. The extent and justification for student support should be included in the project narrative.
I am collaborating with someone outside of Lehigh. May I use FRG funds to fund my collaborator's costs for work on the project?
No. While your budget can include purchased services, academic collaborators at other institutions must separately fund their portions of the project.
Can FRG funds be used to pay for outside services essential to the proposed project?
Generally speaking, reviewers would like to see FRG funds be used to support Lehigh faculty and if necessary graduate student support for a faculty research project. However, FRG funds have been used to cover outside services essential to the research project such as editorial services, translations, manuscript preparation, studio fees etc.
Can I apply for an FRG every semester?
Faculty are eligible to apply for a FRG every semester but may only hold one award per academic year.
Is there a limit on the number of FRGs I can receive?
There is no limit on the number of FRGs a faculty member can receive. However, faculty who have received three awards within the last five-year period are not eligible to apply.
What rate should I use for graduate student compensation?
There is no set rate for graduate student compensation under a FRG award however faculty should adhere to the rate currently used by their college and the rate should be appropriate to the type of work being performed.
Can I apply for a FRG and other internal funding such as FIG or a Humanities Center grant at the same time?
Yes, but the proposed research activities while related to the same project must be different and the budget should be distinct reflecting only those costs related to the FRG activities.
What if my proposed project involves animal or human subjects?
As the approval process may take awhile, faculty are encouraged to begin the process for IRB or IACUC approval as soon as they decide to apply for FRG support. Research activities using animal or human subjects cannot begin before receiving IRB or IACUC approval, which may impact your ability to complete the project within the 12 month award period.
Where can I locate information about applying for IRB/IACUC approval?
University policies regarding animal and human subjects can be located on the ORSP Research Integrity webpage. There you can select the appropriate information for animal and human subjects.
What if there is an existing protocol in place?
Simply note that an existing protocol is already in place along with the date approval was given in the narrative section of your proposal.
When are grant recipients notified of an award?
Anyone submitting a proposal will be notified by email after the University review panel has finished reviewing all proposal. Award letters are usually processed within a week and grant funds are usually available within a month of award notification.
How do I request a budget modification or extension of my FRG award?
To request a budget modification or extension of an FRG award, the recipient should email the request to VPresearch@lehigh.edu. Please include in your request the reason a budget modification or extension is needed, and whether you anticipate that the modification/extension will affect the nature/scope of the proposed project. When requesting an extension, also please indicate how long of an extension is needed (e.g. month, semester). In most cases, there will be a response to your request within a week.