Academic Enrichment Fund
Financial support is available to provide faculty with resources and experiences that enhance opportunities for scholarship and career growth leading to promotion.
Guidelines
Eligibility
Faculty members with 0.5 FTE or greater and primary appointments in the Clinical Science Department may apply for Academic Enrichment Fund. Applicants who have received awards two years in a row totaling $6,000 are ineligible to receive funding until one year has elapsed since the last award.
Project Categories
The Academic Enrichment Fund provides financial support for individual or multiple faculty members for academic work, with strong preference to work related to projects in the two project categories listed below. The expenses covered may include research supplies, purchase of equipment, software, stipends for students or research assistants, travel expenses, conference or course fees, production costs, and other such expenses if required for implementation of the proposal. Priority will be given to projects that are completed during the academic year in which funding was awarded and that have the potential to further the applicant’s career development and/or lead to further external funding.
- Teaching Activities
This category covers projects directed to enriching a faculty member's teaching. It covers funding for educational projects that are not already supported by time included in the applicant’s AoR or other College resources. Projects should lead to the publication or presentation of scholarly peer-reviewed materials and/or the acquisition of program development funding. Examples of funding possibilities under this category include but are not limited to: 1) development of teaching methods; 2) inclusion of teaching materials in a peer-reviewed venue; 3) presentation of teaching materials at conferences and workshops; 4) travel expenses for consultation and study with leaders of pedagogical and disciplinary trends at other institutions; and 5) production of texts or educational software. - Research Activities
This category covers projects directed to enriching a faculty member's research program leading to the publication or presentation of scholarly peer-reviewed articles and/or the acquisition of external funding. Research may be basic, translational, clinical/health services, quality improvement, or educational. Examples of possible projects in this category include but are not limited to: 1) development of research projects through collection of pilot data; 2) "bridge funding" for funded projects that are expiring that have promising results; 3) publication of research findings in a peer-reviewed venue; ) presentation of research findings at scientific meetings, conferences, and other institutions; 5) consultation with outside experts; and 6) travel to research centers for consultation with other professionals and/or training in research methods if required for implementation of the proposal.
Funding
The amount of funding during the initial year will not exceed $3,000 per proposal in order to offer Academic Enrichment Fund support to at least six faculty members.
Deadlines
Applications for funding are accepted twice a year, with the Spring Cycle requiring submissions by December 10 of the preceding year and the Fall Cycle by July 10 of the same year.
Whenever a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, it will be extended to the next successive working day at 5:00 p.m. All proposals should be submitted electronically to the Office of Faculty Affairs through the Academic Enrichment Funds Application Form.
Funds will be distributed after each cycle, based on the review and ranking of proposals by the Academic Enrichment Fund Committee, until all available funds are allocated. Committee members who are applicants will not participate in ranking their own applications. The Committee will formally meet twice a year to review proposals and recommend funding.
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions within five weeks of the application deadline.
Proposal Format
Material in applications is restricted to the application form and a proposed budget justification. Failure to provide any of the required information will render the application incomplete, and it will be returned to the applicant for completion prior to review.
The narrative and budget must be limited to three single-spaced or double-spaced pages and address the importance, need, and feasibility of the project. The budget section must include a reasonably detailed explanation of how the requested funds will be spent.
- A brief description of previous teaching experiences and/or research relevant to the project
- Describe in what significant ways will the proposed activity enhance your academic development
- Describe the specific outcomes including when and where will your scholarly work be presented or published
Evaluation Criteria
In recommending proposals for funding, the Academic Enrichment Fund Committee will utilize the following general criteria:
- Quality and scope of the proposed project
- Potential to further the applicant’s career development
- Potential to lead to further external funding
- Relevance of the proposed project to College/Department missions
- Strength and clarity of goals, activities and outcomes of the proposal
- Intellectual and professional impact of the proposed project
- Likelihood that proposal achieves its stated aims
- Academic enrichment for students
- Justification of the proposed budget
- Project previously not funded at FAU
Proposals from junior and senior faculty are equally welcome, and will receive full consideration. Special consideration may also be given to first-time applicants who have not received Academic Enrichment Fund in the previous year.
Reporting Requirements
Successful applicants must provide the Academic Enrichment Fund Committee with a brief final report within eight weeks of completion of the project. Those who do not file a final report are ineligible to receive future Academic Enrichment Fund support and may be required to return some of the dispersed funds received.