1. Why did you change the application process?

2. How long should our letters of intent be?

3. How long should our proposal be?

4. How long and detailed should our budget be?

5. Are emeriti faculty eligible to submit a proposal or be a co-principal investigator in a proposal?

6. Are MCL faculty eligible to apply?

7. How can we specify faculty salary information, that we would like to remain confidential, even (or especially) between the faculty involved in the project?

8. Will PFIIS support conference-related travel?

9. We are collaborating with an organization located outside the U.S. Will our project qualify as "international"?

10. Must we collaborate with outside international research organizations?

11. Will our grant be cancelled if we need to change methodologies in mid-stream?

12. If one of the investigators moves during the period of the grant, but the rest of the research team remains at Stanford, would the team still be able to use the balance for the proposed project?

13. Can we include a small consultant fee from outside of Stanford?

14. What if we need to check facts with or include information from staff who are not available until a few days after the deadline?

Why did you change the application process?

Our goal is maximize the number of proposals that we receive by reducing the barriers to entry. We recognize that writing complete proposals and budgets is a time-consuming process. By limiting the initial request to a two-page document, we hope that more faculty teams will be encouraged to participate. Only those teams that advance will be asked to take the time to develop a full proposal.

How long should our letter of intent be?

No more than two pages. The description should be clear, especially to readers outside of your discipline.

How long should our proposal be?

In terms of length, brevity and conciseness are preferred; a 5-10 page proposal should be sufficient. Provide a discussion of the project's goals, and how it addresses one or more of the International Initiative's three themes (or if not, why not). Describe the scope and purpose of the research, evidence of interdisciplinarity in theory and/or method, significance of the proposed work, and its likely impact. The description should be clear, especially to readers outside of your disciplines.

How long and detailed should our budget be?

One to two pages should be sufficient as long as it notes all anticipated expenses and other sources of income. Include Stanford fringe and infrastructure fees.

Are emeriti faculty eligible to submit a proposal or be a co-principal investigator in a proposal?

Professors Emeriti must be recalled to active duty during the period of any research grant or contract for which they are Principal Investigator. This is done by the academic department, which submits a Short-Form Appointment Request through the Dean's and the Provost's Offices. Permission to submit a proposal is contingent upon this appointment, and no formal acceptance of the grant or contract may be made until the appointment is in hand. A signature of departmental approval on the proposal routing sheet signifies the department's willingness to recall the faculty member. Annual renewals would also remain the responsibility of the faculty members academic department.

Are MCL faculty eligible to apply?

MCL faculty are eligible to apply. While MCL faculty are not technically members of the university Academic Council, they are authorized by the university to serve as principal investigators on research grants funded from intramural and extramural sources.

How can we specify faculty salary information, that we would like to remain confidential, even (or especially) between the faculty involved in the project?

On salary information, each faculty member can simply note that they are requesting a summer ninth (or other amount); we can get the actual salary figure, with your permission, from your department administrator. We will ensure that the information remains confidential throughout the process. Be sure to provide the contact information for your department administrator, and a signed statement to allow divulgence of your salary information. Faculty administrative supplements and honoraria payments will not be funded and are considered unallowable expenses.

Will PFIIS support conference-related travel?

No, unless the proposed conference is a direct outgrowth convened under the auspices of project. For example, if your project is sponsoring a workshop in Washington, DC, travel for a faculty member would be allowed.

We are collaborating with an organization located outside the U.S. Will our project qualify as "international"?

Working with a non-U.S. organization may or may not make the proposed project eligible for support. "International" should be interpreted as "global" in the sense that the problem or issue that you are addressing has far-reaching implications, impacting numerous countries, regions and/or populations of the world.

Must we collaborate with outside international research organizations?

No. The PFIIS is particularly interested in intra-Stanford collaborations. Collaborations with outside organizations are allowed, but neither required nor preferred.

Will our grant be cancelled if we need to change methodologies in mid-stream?

No.

If one of the investigators moves during the period of the grant, but the rest of the research team remains at Stanford, would the team still be able to use the balance for the proposed project?

Yes.

Can we include a small consultant fee from outside of Stanford?

Consultant fees are allowed, but the emphasis should be on "small."

What if we need to check facts with or include information from staff who are not available until a few days after the deadline?

Proposals submitted after the close of business on the deadline date, cannot be considered.