2012 NURSING EDUCATION RESEARCH GRANTS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

EDUCATIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES – PRIORITIES AND DATES

Question: Do you have any information about future grant opportunities?

The NLN supports several grant programs focused on different aspects of educational research. Each program has different due dates. Information about each of these programs can be found at http://www.nln.org/researchgrants/index.htm.

Question: We have implemented a new model for clinical education for undergraduate students in our BSN program and want to evaluate how it is working. Would this topic fall under the priorities for this grant? We believe it is evaluation research of an implementation strategy designed to improve student’s clinical experience.

For 2012, NERAC has decided that equal emphasis will be placed on all three priorities located at www.nln.org/researchgrants/priorities.htm. The final decision on how well a proposal reflects the priorities is made by the NERAC after reading the total proposal.

Question: What are the key dates related to the NLN Education Research Grants Program

The NLN Educational Research Grants are awarded annually. The grant application information is posted on the NLN web site in October. The grant applications are due on February 23, 2012 by 4:00 PM EST. Letters of notification are sent to grant applicants in July. The recipients of the Nursing Education Research Grants are announced at the NLN Education Summit.

Question: Is there any way we can see a sample of a well written grant from previous years?

Currently we do not have examples of funded grants on the website. We do not have permission from awardees to put this information on the website. However, the web page does list all previously funded grants.

ELIGIBILTIY TO APPLY FOR A GRANT

Question: I am an NLN member. I will be working and living in Canada in the coming year. Can I still submit a grant application?

Yes. All members of the NLN who do not have a conflict of interest are eligible to apply for a grant. You are not required to live or work in the United States to apply for a grant.

Question: My colleague and I plan to submit a proposal for the nursing education grant program. We propose a multi-site study and need to know if both sites must be members of NLN. The PI is a current NLN member.

The PI must be a NLN member, but there is no requirement that other members of the research team be NLN members.

Question: What is are the eligibility requirements for applying for an NLN research grant? I am uncertain whether our proposed project would be considered eligible because it will take place in the practice setting and focuses on how new graduates adjust to the role of staff nurse.

This research would be supported if the research question(s) focus on the students’ preparation for the role of graduate nurse. It would not be supported if the focus is on the development of new staff.

Question: I am a member of the NLN but I am not an RN. Am I edible to submit a grant NLN educational research grant proposal?

All NLN members are eligible to apply for an NLN Nursing Education Research Grant. There is no requirement that applicants licensed as a registered nurse.

Question: I am interested in applying for a NLN grant as partial funding of my doctoral dissertation. Can I apply for this grant if my research proposal is for a doctoral dissertation?

Yes, but you are must have your proposal approved by your committee before applying.

Question: If I submit a proposal that is research for my dissertation, does my dissertation chair need to be identified as PI or Co-PI?

No, you would serve as the PI of your research.

Question: Can I contact NERAC members for consultation, advice and/or direction on a grant I am planning to submit to the NLN?

All questions related to grants should be directed to research@nln.org. However, neither the NLN nor NERAC provide technical assistance for PIs who are preparing grants.

Question: I have a grant proposal ready in both formats: comprehensive and blinded. However the files are too large to send unless we zip them. Are you able to accept zipped Word files?

Yes.

Question: Since all files are submitted electronically, it is possible for a file to become corrupted or damaged in some way. How will the NLN handle such an application?

If an electronic file is corrupted and has been submitted on or before the due date, the applicant will be notified and asked to resubmit the file.

Question: In the case of a technical problem with the NLN’s application system or a natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, does the NLN grant application extensions?

If the NLN experiences a technical problem that prevented applicants from submitting applications by the announced due date or if there has been a documented natural disaster in a given region of the country an extension would be granted to all affected applicants? No extensions will be granted for individual circumstances.

Question: Once I have submitted a grant, who will read or review my grant? How are decisions made to fund a grant application?

All grant applicants first receive independent reviews using a blind review process. In other words, these reviewers receive no identifying information. Each of the reviewers is qualified in terms of their area of expertise, their experience with nursing research and as a reviewer. A review form listing each criterion along with proposal review rubric is provided to these reviewers. A copy of the Nursing Education Research Grant Proposal Review Rubric is posted at www.nln.org/Researchgrants/2012grant/rubric.docx.

The results of the blind review along with the full proposal with identifying information are then evaluated by the members of NERAC for final funding decisions. After reviewing all grant applications submitted that year this Committee will make the final funding recommendation.

Question: I sent my grant application to the required address (research@nln.org) but it bounced because it was too large. What should I do?

Please call the NLN at 800-669-1656 (x145) to request an alternative email address.

Question: Your guidelines state that you do not allow salary for the PI or co-investigator. We would like to include in our budget a $2500 stipend for the PI. However, the only way we can pay the PI this stipend (due to the way our financial system is set up) is as salary. Is this allowed?

The stipend is not to be used as a replacement for any part of the PI’s salary at the institution. It can be processed in your financial system as salary but the researcher must receive the full stipend in addition to their full university salary. In addition, many university financial systems require that fringe benefits be paid on ALL compensation. If that is the case, the fringe benefits incurred as a result of the stipend must be paid from the stipend. On your budget submitted to the NLN. $2500 should be listed as a stipend and the amount paid as fringe benefits should be noted and subtracted from the stipend.

Question: Is the PI stipend of $2500 per year or per project? In other words, can the PI stipend be $5000 in the proposed budget for a two-year grant?

No, the total stipend in the grant budget can be no more than $2500.

Question: Is it permissible to have a paid consultant from your own institution to assist with a specific part of the grant?

Yes, it is permissible.

Question: Would a PDA (personal digital assistant) be considered to be durable equipment?

Yes, a PDA falls under the definition of durable equipment.

Question: Can I include software for a PDA in the grant application?

While PDA software is not considered durable equipment, it may be included in the event that it is specific to your research and is not general office or research software.

Question: I plan to submit an application for the NLN Research in NLN Nursing Education Research Grant and would like to check whether qualitative software QSR NVivo that I used to analyze the qualitative data in the proposed study can be included in the budget.

QSR NVivo is software used to analyze qualitative research data and would be considered general research software.

Question: After I submitted my grant application, I learned that my co-investigator accepted a position at another university and will not be participating in my study. Do I need to notify the NLN of this change?

Yes. Additionally, if the PI is moving to another setting, the NLN should be notified for approval. If for some reason the PI will not be able to conduct the research and a new PI is being considered, the NLN should be notified for approval. All personnel changes must submitted on the Research Modification Form and submitted to the NLN for approval.

Question: Can a grant be modified after a grant has been funded.

There are some circumstances when modifications have been permitted. However, the NLN only funds costs specified in the original grant budget directed toward the originally proposed research. If you would like to request a grant modification, please request an NLN Grant Modification Form to submit your request for NLN approval.

Question: If my grant would not be funded this year may I revise and resubmit next year?

A proposal may be resubmitted; however it will be processed as a new application and not a revision of a previously submitted proposal.

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2012 Grants Program Previously Supported Grants