Graduate Research and Presentation Grant (RAP)

Guidelines

RAP Grants are awarded twice during each academic year.

Spring 2024 Submissions:

• The Graduate Research and Presentation Grant (RAP) Committee will be accepting applications from now until Friday, February 15th, 2024 at 4:30 p.m.

1. Research grants, up to $750, are available to help support graduate research endeavors related to developing and conducting research, with a faculty supervisor, and the presentation of research/scholarly pursuits at meetings. Students should not request funding in excess of the grant awards. See Application Procedures below.
2. In any given semester, a student should make only one application for funding. A student may be funded only twice in their academic career.
3. Students must be enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program.
4. Proposals involving live animals or human subjects may be submitted at any time but all grant awards will be considered pending until project is approved by the University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or Committee on Human Research Institutional Review Board (IRB). A copy of your approval letter from the appropriate compliance committee must be submitted in order to accept your award and use any RAP grant award dollars. Please note the new Project Investigator Eligibility policy. If you or your Faculty Mentor have any concerns or questions regarding your project and whether compliance review is necessary, it is your responsibility to contact the appropriate committee.
5. Grants may be requested for the following expenses:
   • Travel to present research or academic projects at professional meetings.
   • Support for research and scholarly activity including equipment, supplies, photocopying, preparation of materials, etc.
6. Awards are made on the merits of the proposal. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
7. All monies must be spent by the last week of the following semester. For spring allocations, all monies must be spent by the last week of the fall semester. For fall allocations, money must be spent by the last week of the spring semester. Unspent money by the grant's ending date will revert to the University.
8. A final report of research activities and a completed expense statement must be submitted to the Graduate School by the end of the project period as determined in number (7).

Final Report Submission Procedures

A final report detailing the activities carried out with the assistance of the grant along with a complete list of itemized expenses is required. Instructions for compiling the final report are listed below.

The final report shall include:

1. A typed, formal description of all research activities. For travel funds, describe the conference attended along with an account of your presentation. For equipment funds, describe the research you conducted along with what you gained from it.
2. A completed State of Maryland Expense Account (Excel) form.
3. All receipts related to research and travel expenses.

Submit the final report (formal description of research/travel, Itemized Expenditures form, and receipts) to the Graduate School, c/o Jessica Scott, Holloway Hall 267 by the end of the fiscal term in which the grant was awarded. For example: For spring allocations, all monies must be spent by the last week of the fall semester. Fall fall allocations, money must be spent by the last week of the spring semester.

IMPORTANT: If the final report and expense statement is not submitted, with receipts attached, Financial Services will be notified. This will mean that student grades will not be posted, you will be precluded from registration/graduation and you will be required to reimburse the money before the Financial Services flag is removed.