Sesquicentennial Grant

Institution: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

A grant program open to Vanderbilt faculty, staff, students, and alumni to support scholarly and creative projects.

Eligibility

• Proposal Lead: Must be a Vanderbilt University-employed faculty or staff member
• Eligible Applicants: Vanderbilt faculty, staff, students, and alumni
• Students: Welcome and encouraged to apply; must identify a Vanderbilt University-employed faculty or staff member to sponsor and serve as lead applicant
• Alumni: Welcome and encouraged to apply; must identify a Vanderbilt University-employed faculty or staff member to sponsor and serve as lead applicant
• Research Faculty: All full-time VU-faculty (including non-tenure-track research faculty) are eligible
• VUMC Faculty: Yes, eligible to apply but must have a Vanderbilt University-employed faculty or staff member on their team to manage funds; all funding must be expensed through Vanderbilt University's ERP system (Oracle Cloud)

Funding Uses - Allowed

• Part-time staff hiring
• Technical staff hiring
• Student staff hiring (undergraduate, professional, or graduate)
• Graduate student payments, including stipends and fees (tuition and financial aid not covered)
• Project-related expenses per detailed budget
• Temporary staff (VUMC faculty with VU co-applicant, via Vanderbilt University VTS process)

Funding Uses - Not Allowed (Restrictions)

• Tuition or financial aid support for students
• Faculty salaries
• Course buyout
• Graduate student recruiting
• Graduate students' professional development costs or programs
• Direct VUMC staff salary support
• Temporary staff hired directly by VUMC (without VU co-applicant)

Project Requirements

• IRB Approval: Not required prior to application
• Fund Usage Timeline: All funds must be used within 24 months after award
• Reporting: Grantees required to submit annual reports to the Office of the Chancellor
• Reapplication: Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent rounds and will receive feedback from review committee

Review Process

• Proposals reviewed by committee including Vanderbilt University-employed faculty and staff
• Reviewer names posted on website by August 26th
• All applicants receive feedback from review committee whether or not they receive funding

Application Process

1. Prepare Budget
   • Use the budget template available in InfoReady
   • Show amount requested and itemized estimated expenses
   • Template tracks actual expenses throughout grant cycle
   • Consult FUM, HCM specialist, department administrator, or Dean's office regarding student compensation amounts
2. Submit Proposal
   • Submit through InfoReady portal
   • Include detailed description of how funds will be used
   • Lead applicant must be Vanderbilt University-employed faculty or staff member
3. Award Notification
   • Fall 2022 cycle: awards announced October 24, 2022
   • Spring 2023 cycle: awards announced March 20, 2023
   • Subsequent cycle dates not specified

Required Materials

• Proposal narrative
• Budget (using InfoReady template)
• Itemized estimated expenses
• Detailed description of fund usage
• If applicant is student or alumnus: faculty/staff sponsor information

Notes

• No IRB approval needed prior to application
• Students and alumni must have Vanderbilt-employed faculty/staff lead applicant
• Department administrators and HCM specialists should be engaged during hiring process