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[previous article] [next article]Marian Delp
On that first really cold day in early November, I walked over to Hovde Hall and sat in on a meeting with Sandra Durain, of the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP), and two faculty members (one from Agricultural Economics and the other from Electrical Engineering). In a 25-minute time span she called attention to a multitude of material concerning various funding agencies. The DSP library (open from 8AM-5PM in Hovde 319) has shelves and shelves of material about program sponsors looking for quality research, corporations seeking people to examine problems with which they need assistance, foundations wishing to support forward-looking problem solvers, and governmental agencies willing to provide funding in a broad spectrum of research.
Ms. Durain, DSP's expert on sponsor information, invited us to return at our convenience and thumb through her vast collection of information on "where to find research money." Additionally, she pointed out booklets giving advice on how to write a variety of successful proposals (copies are free for the asking), as well as 15 or 20 successful sample proposals written by Purdue PIs (principal investigators) that have received funding. Applications and guidelines for federal and nonfederal grant and contract programs are there for immediate use.
Both researchers in the room became increasingly interested as Sandra began to expand on what she could do to provide information regarding funding for research in their areas of expertise. She has two complementary methods for personalizing the gathering of potential funding sponsor information.
One method provides ongoing updates (you hear about it as soon as the DSP gets the information). The other method provides an in- depth printout of currently available funding in your areas of interest. Both products are helpful and it is recommended that Purdue faculty take advantage of both.
Faculty Interest Database is a method making it possible for Purdue researchers to receive information regarding new solicitations for proposals in their research areas within days of release. The next article explains more about this program.
IRIS--Illinois Researcher Information System is an electronic database created to match researchers seeking support with sponsors offering funding. An exhaustive search of this database with more than 6500 proposal opportunities provides Purdue researchers with pages and pages of relevant program announcements. The article on page 8 explains more about IRIS.
Upon examination of the funding information, assuming a researcher sees some interesting funding possibilities, the DSP has more assistance to offer. Grantsmanship is a highly evolved skill and if a researcher is new at proposal writing or has never submitted a proposal to a particular sponsor, it might be advantageous to meet with one of the DSP's directors.
For more information, contact Ms. Sandra Durain in the Division of Sponsored Programs on the second floor of Hovde Hall. Her phone number is 49-46706.
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