Who Can Apply?
All full-time or part-time undergraduate students may apply for SURF funding to support independent research or creative projects. Although a faculty advisor is required, projects do not have to relate to specific courses or to major or minor studies. We encourage innovative and interdisciplinary research proposals that cross traditional academic boundaries.
Grant Writing Workshop
All students who intend to apply for SURF funding are strongly encouraged to attend the SURF Grant Writing Workshop.
The workshop introduces students to the grant application process that they will use throughout their professional careers to seek funding for research, non-profit activities, and for creative commissions. The grant writing process is a simplified composite of the applications, reviews, and reporting standards used by many funding organizations, including most major foundations as well as state and U.S. government agencies (including all of the federally funded endowments).
The SURF Workshop first presents an overview of the grant application process, the terminologies, and the best practices used in grant writing; then discusses a successful grant application and concludes with questions and answers relating to ideas for project proposals. In addition to preparing applicants for the SURF proposal, this workshop introduces the procedures for conducting research, budgeting grant funds, and presenting a final report.
Currently is not a SURF Grant Writing Workshop planned for the spring 2013 semester. However, if you would be interested in the Undergraduate Research Program planning a Grant Writing Workshop for the spring 2013 semester, please contact SURF Coordinator, John Hood,
jh67@txstate.edu.
Students who have not attended a Grant Workshop should refer to information posted here.
Awards
The maximum award is $1,000. Develop your budget proposal carefully; our review panels look for the effective use of funds for the largest number of projects. “Padded” budgets and “guesstimates” can result in a rejected proposal. We welcome cost-sharing proposals that can bring matching funding from other sources.
What Will SURF Fund?
SURF funding may only be used for equipment, tools, supplies or services required to conduct a project. SURF funding may be used for travel to conduct research, but not to present a paper at an external conference. If you are searching for funding to present your research at a conference, contact Honors@txstate.edu.
Deadlines
Applications will be reviewed and funded during each regular long-term semester. There will be 3 opportunities each semester to apply for funding. Proposals submitted by workshop attendees at least two weeks before the application deadline will be given a preliminary review. Comments during this initial review are not part of the formal review process and have no bearing on the final outcome of the proposal, but applicants might find this preliminary review helpful in revising and strengthening their applications before the final submission deadline.
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