>My university is getting ready to implement two new support programs
>for faculty and I would appreciate seeing your guidelines if you
>have similar programs in place.
>1. The first program is a travel fund specifically for faculty who
>would like to visit with a program officer to pursue funding. (My
>concern is that faculty will find ways to use this fund to help
>support travel to a professional meeting, which while needed is
>not the intent of this program.)

I've done this routinely at two or three different schools.  I don't use
guidelines (there's a surprise), but I ask for real evidence of interaction
with the sponsor-- a resubmission, some idea of how the sponsor is
indicating a proposal should be modified, etc.  I don't fund "cold calls"
nor will I fund part of another trip so that they can "drop in" on a
sponsor while in the neighborhood.  Finally, I'm real tight about it-- if
they are going to DC,they have to fly into Baltimore if it's cheaper and I
ask for comparative prices, if their trip estimate looks like too much fun.

>2. The second program will support one or two months summer salary
>for faculty to write their "first" external proposal. Funds are
>limited, so this second program would most likely have to be competitive.

I had one of these in Cape Retardo-- the Provost's idea-- and it was a
collossal failure.  Acadmics love the idea of release time/pay to write
proposals, but I've found that release and cash incentives are what they
want, not the project beign oproposed.  This is a lot like release time for
developing classes-- it's part of their jobs.

The proposals I've seen were generally just enough to satisfy the minium
requirments for the on-campus awards.  I know some people have luck with
this type of program, but I'm very, very skeptical.  Your researchers who
are really good proposers don't need the incentive and for sure the weaker
ones will be the applicants.  To me, these have been a salvage attempt
that's never produced any treasure.  Of course,maybe I wasn't paying
enough, too.  Two months of salary is a lot.  I'm curious about what others
have found.

Spanky

Mike (Spanky) McCallister, Ph. D.
Director, Research and Sponsored programs
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
2801 S. University Drive
Little Rock, AR 72204-1099
501-569-8657 (v)
501-569-3039 (f)