Invest in Your Idea!: Concept Papers Save Time & Grief when Deadlines Loom

Ball State’s Donna Browne led SPA’s latest colloquium on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 in the Arts and Journalism Building.

Browne's lecture focused on concept papers and the importance of creating one.

What is a Concept Paper?

Browne introduces herself to the audience.

A concept paper is not the same as a full grant proposal, but rather it is more of a condensed project pitch.

Attributes of a concept paper:

• Brief overview of project
• 2-3 pages & budget page 
• Condensed texts
• No budget narrative 
• No attachments 
• All opportunity - no risk 

Parts of a concept paper:

• Introduction/Alignment with funder's goals
• Background/Statement of need
• Project description/Goals and objectives
• Methodology 
• Personnel/Organizational information/Resources
• Evaluation plan
• Benefits/Intellectual merit/Broader impacts
• Contact information

The audience listens to Browne.

Why write a Concept Paper?

You should consider writing a concept paper if your research project is covering new ground and you need to determine the background data, a work plan, collaborators, a timeline, and the costs.

A concept paper can also help you answer important questions such as:

• How will you benefit from this project?
• Research goals
• Professional development 
• P & T requirements
• Personal satisfaction
  
  
• How will the funder benefit from this project?
• Alignment with mission, goals, and values
• Already supported similar projects
• Currently supporting similar projects 

A concept paper will not only allow you to flesh out your research goals and project plans more thoroughly, but it will also help you stand out in highly competitive grant competitions. A concept paper will put you ahead of the game when the time comes to write a full grant proposal. 

Why a Concept Paper can make a Difference

A concept paper is an investment in time now that will save you time later...when it really counts!

This paper can serve as a draft for future grant opportunities. This draft can then help speed up the application process as grant opportunities are often unpredictable and deadlines are short.

A concept paper will allow you to put time and energy into your idea at your own pace before deadlines. This paper forces you to think critically about your idea and whether you want to pursue it without wasting a lot of time and energy; it is very low risk.


For more questions reach out to us or Donna Browne! 

Browne is a grant writer for Ball State University. She works specifically with the Center for Energy Research Education and Service, but is more than willing to help those from other departments. Brown can be contacted at dbrowne@bsu.edu.

Register Now for the Second Annual Latinx Coalition Conference

Registration is now open for the second annual Latinx Coalition Conference. The conference will take place Tuesday, March 6, 2018 from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM EST.

From the Eventbrite page:

2018 THEME: VOICES OF HOPE IN TURBULENT TIMES

COME TO THE SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE LATINX COMMUNITY-UNIVERSITY RESEARCH COALITION OF INDIANA

PURPOSE OF THE COALITION

• Address equity and wellbeing across the state of Indiana through interdisciplinary collaborations for research and programmatic service aimed at improving the well-being of the Latino population in Indiana.
• Engage key stakeholders across the state of Indiana in the development and participation in research and programming involving Latino populations.
• Share knowledge that increases the capacity of researchers, scholars, community organizations, community leaders and policy leaders to develop and advocate for effective, evidence-informed interventions in Latino communities.
• Create awareness of the issues that impact Latino populations in Indiana, how they are being addressed by different stakeholders, and what unattended needs have been identified.
• Provide a platform for coordinating and strengthening the responses to the most important issues impacting Latino populations in Indiana.

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES

As we did last year, this year's Conference of the Latinx Community-University Research Coalition of Indiana will bring together university faculty and staff, policy leaders, community organizations, and community leaders interested in the well-being of Latino populations across Indiana to catalyze and advance community-engaged research, and programmatic collaborations that are respectful of the needs, cultural identity, and interests of the Latino population and help remove barriers to resources and/or services.

This year's conference will feature panels, ignite sessions, and special interest group breakout and networking sessions. The overall objective will be to continue to build community-university research partnerships. With this goal in mind, a panel of university research administrators will discuss funding opportunities for these collaborations. In response to the theme of the conference, a panel focused on immigration will explore the experiences of the Latinx community, especially in these turbulent times.

COALITION SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Special interest group networking tables will be led by researchers and community partners already working in the special interest areas of the Coalition, which this year will include: immigration/migration, education, diabetes, mental health, employment & work quality, aging/older adults OR spirituality, immigrants' response to politics, arts & communities, and business development. We expect to provide opportunities for discussions, networking, partnering and advancing future research, programming and advocacy, and the development of community-university partnerships.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Registration will begin at 9:00. The Conference will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. We will serve breakfast and lunch. You will have the opportunity to learn about community-university research partnership results/findings (or share your own), as well as network with others in your area of interest.

This year our honored guest will be Dr. Miryam Espinosa-Dulanto from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Espinosa-Dulanto holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum Theory and Educational Policies for Linguistic Minorities from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her writing as well as her academic research departs from identifying herself as a woman of color, a Borderlands Mestiza, and a non-mainstream person in the US. From that perspective, she explores the construction and transmission of knowledge. She uses narrative inquiry, photography, and poetry as tools to learn and communicate.

POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS: 4:30 - 6:30 P.M.

This year we are offering workshops right after the conference, as requested by last year's attendees. Led by professionals from across the state, workshops will focus on:

• How to: Community Engage Research & Community Based Participatory Research
• Role of Arts and Humanities in Community Wellbeing
• How to: Translating research into practice

If you are interested in these workshops, plan to stay after the end of the conference. No need for additional registration or payment.

The Latinx Coalition Conference is sponsored by:

IUPUI Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

IUPUI Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute Community Health Partnerships

IUPUI Office of Community Engagement

Marion County Health Department

FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Latinx Community-University Research Coalition or the conference please email sbigatti@iu.edu or call 317-274-6754

Become a member of the Coalition by joining us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinxco/. Not on Facebook? Contact Silvia Bigatti to be included in an e-mail listserve at sbigatti@iu.edu.

Join the 2018 Student Symposium!

Updated Events Calendar for Spring 2018

Events Calendar Spring 2018

Sponsored Projects Administration

For more information: Stan Geidel (sgeidel@bsu – 285-2022)
or Jessie Roark (jaroark@bsu.edu – 285-5003)

SPA Colloquia: Faculty learning opportunities in a variety of formats on topics of interest pertaining to sponsored projects. Features faculty peers, Sponsored Projects Administration personnel, and other special guest panelists.

Focus on the Search: Workshops covering the funding search databases and techniques used at Ball State. Workshops are open to faculty, staff, and students. Registration through the minicourse system required. 

Special Events: Research Week; Researcher of the Year and Creative Endeavor of the Year Lectures; Student Symposium.

Updates: Be sure to check our blog at researchnewsletter.blogspot.com for the latest schedule changes and updates.

January

---

17           SPA Colloquia: Invest in Your Idea!: Concept Papers Save Time and Grief When Deadlines
               Loom. Presenter: Donna Browne (Noon, Art & Journalism Bldg, Atrium Dining Room)
18           Focus on the Search: Part 1 (2:00pm, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
24           Focus on the Search: Part 2 (2:00pm, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
26           SPA Colloquia: Shining a Light on the Mysterious World of Contracts and Grants.
               Presenter: Ted Kolodka (3:00 pm, Bracken Library 104)

February

---

1             Registration opens for the 2018 Student Symposium
2             Researcher of the Year Lecture with Dr. Scott Trappe. (3:00 pm, Ball Brothers Foundation
               Hospitality Suite, 2nd Floor, Emens Auditorium.)
7             Focus on the Search: Part 1 (11:00am, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
9             SPA Colloquia: Proposal Resubmissions: Addressing Reviewer Comments.
               Presenter: Justin Miller (3:00 pm, Bracken Library 104)
14           SPA Colloquia: Research and Scholarship in the Fisher Institute of Wellness.
               Presenter: Youfa Wang (Noon, Bracken Library 104)
15           Focus on the Search: Part 2 (11:00am, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
22           SPA Colloquia: Research and Scholarship in the Fisher Institute of Wellness.
               Presenter: Youfa Wang  Rescheduled for February 14th. 

March

---

2             Registration closes for the 2018 Student Symposium
14           SPA Colloquia: Voyage into the Real World: Working with Community Partners and Local
               Funders. Presenter: Donna Browne (Noon, Art & Journalism Bldg, Atrium Dining Room)
21           Focus on the Search: Part 1 (5:00pm, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
27           Focus on the Search: Part 2 (5:00pm, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
30           SPA Colloquia: Preparing an Effective NIH AREA Grant Application.
               Presenters: Jackie Davis & Maria Bumbalough (3:00 pm, Bracken Library 104)

April

---

6             SPA Colloquia: The Fulbright Experience. Presenter: Justin Miller
               (3:00 pm, Bracken Library 104)
11           SPA Colloquia: NEH Summer Stipends – Preparing an Effective Application.

               Presenter: Augusta Isley (Noon, Art & Journalism Bldg, Atrium Dining Room)
17           Student Symposium: Look for registration information in early January

19           Focus on the Search: Part 1 (2:00pm, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required
23           Focus on the Search: Part 2 (2:00pm, SPA Conference Room) Registration Required

2018 Student Symposium Update

The 2018 Studnet Symposium at Ball State University will be held on Tuesday, April 17.

Registration for the event will be open February 1 - March 2.

Updated guidelines will be available on Friday, January 19 at 5pm.

Researcher of the Year Lecture: Exercise Biology in the 21st Century

Sponsored Projects Administration is pleased to announce the following special event:

Scott Trappe

Researcher of the Year Lecture: Exercise Biology in the 21st Century

Dr. Scott Trappe, John and Janice Fisher Professor Of Exercise Science and Director of the Human Performance Laboratory

Dr. Trappe will briefly discuss Astronaut health for a mission to Mars, the benefits of exercise across the lifespan, and discovering molecules that regulate health.

• February 2nd at 3:00 pm
• Ball Brothers Foundation Hospitality Suite, 2nd Floor, Emens Auditorium
• Lecture-Presentation by Dr. Trappe (3:00 pm)
• Reception to follow

Please plan to join us for this special event!

Kindly RSVP to Brenda Ayers, bsayers@bsu.edu
For questions about this event, please contact Stanley Geidel at sgeidel@bsu.edu

We hope to see you there!