Greater Good - The Science of a Meaningful Life

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Request for Proposals (RFP) for our Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude research initiative. If you have a question not answered here, please review the full RFP for more details, or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) it to us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Q: Can researchers not based in the United States apply for a gratitude research grant?

A: Principal investigators (PIs) on research proposals must be based at institutions in the United States. Researchers based outside the U.S. can still apply, but only as project collaborators; the PI on their project must be in the U.S.

Q: Can graduate student researchers apply for a gratitude research grant?

A: Graduate students cannot serve as principal investigators on research proposals, though they can be listed as collaborators. PIs must have a doctoral degree or an equivalent advanced degree (e.g., MD). We will be hosting a separate research grant competition later this year for graduate student research.

Q: We have co-PIs on our project, but the submission form and cover sheet only provide space for a single PI. What should we do?

A: List one of the PIs as the PI for the project and list the other as a collaborator. Then in the text of the LOI, please indicate that these researchers will in fact serve as co-PIs.

Q: Is there a maximum amount that the project budgets should not exceed?

A: We will be awarding a maximum of 10 grants to research proposals that are no more than $200,000 (including indirect costs) and a maximum of three grants to research proposals that are no more than $500,000 (including indirect costs), with the total amount of the awards not to exceed $3 million.

Q: What percentage of the total budget can be allocated for indirect costs?

A: Up to 15 percent of a project budget can cover indirect costs (and for the purposes of this competition, “indirect costs” refers to overhead). These indirect costs must be included within the total budget figure. So if you are trying to keep your total project budget under $200,000, your budget must not exceed that figure even after adding indirect costs.

Q: Can the research grants be used to pay graduate students working on our project?

A:  Yes, definitely.

Q: Must the project budget be included within the three-page Letter of Intent (LOI), or can it go on an additional page?

A:  The entire LOI must be limited to three pages, including the budget. That said, for the purposes of the LOI, the budget can be very brief, covering general expense categories in a few broad strokes rather than detailing line items.

Q: Should the LOI include references, and can they be listed on an additional page, beyond the three-page limit?

A: References are optional and need not be extensive for the purposes of the LOI. If you do list references, they must be included within the three-page LOI limit; they should not extend onto an additional page.