Questions Submitted
The most important thing to note is that if a researcher is requesting funding for a multi-year project, their budget should lay out the amount requested/required per year until completion of the project. This makes it easy for AFREC Council Members to see the entire project as well an as the annual request. For continuation projects, it should also be clear in the narrative where the researcher is in the project (i.e. year 2 of 5). For new projects, the researcher should lay out the entire request to complete the research. Based on that, I would suggest:
Expected Project Start Date: 4/1/2026 of a multi-year project
Expected Project End Date: 3/31/2029
Amount of Grant Request: $62,360 (this could be an annual request, similar to past years, or if the researcher wants, they can include the entire amount needed to complete the work over multiple years).
Total Project Costs: $170,339 (amount needed to complete the project by 2029)
Over the past decade, the AFREC Council has awarded one-year grants, so the “Amount of the Grant Request” has reflected one year of funding. This has worked well and aligned the Council’s preference with researcher’s funding needs. Recently, the council has discussed their interest in awarding multiple year contracts; however, no action has been taken and that decisions is entirely up to the Council. I say this because a researcher could ask for a multi-year grant with funding amount to complete the project. As I stated earlier, the budget should lay out the amount requested/required per year until completion of the project- that makes it easiest for the Council to know how much they want to invest in one year or multiple years to complete the work.
Yes, it’s possible to amend a contract once awarded. In the past many years, AFREC has awarded one-year grants, it is up to the council to change this, and they could award longer grant contracts, but in the case it is one year then this wouldn’t be an issue.
Yes, write the proposal for the entire project duration.
As written in the RFP, out-of-state travel is currently an ineligible expense. We have been talking internally and will consult with the council. The hope is that we could adjust this once grants are awarded, however, at this point it would be deemed ineligible.
Yes, this is new language this year (does not apply to past awards). It may not always appear in the RFP, but it was included this year so applies. Specifically, you cannot waive tuition fees or pay the University for a student’s tuition and fees. You can, however, pay wages, stipends, and awards to undergraduate and graduate students.
There is not a limit on the amount for the proposal (unless you request more than we have available in the RFP $1.250M)- if a grant award is greater than $50,000 there is a need for additional paperwork (pre-risk assessment and project monitoring). AFREC grants are often awarded on a one-year basis. That has been the approach for the past many years however it has been discussed at recent meetings and there is some interest in funding projects for multiple years.
We ask applicants to submit a workplan for the entire project with the budget broken out by year. There is a priority for continuation of projects, and many projects receive the entire amount needed for research over multiple years.
Include all grants received from the MDA, including AFREC and others. Please list awards in which you received money directly from the MDA, and not as a sub recipient.
Over the past year there have been changes in our granting process, and additional requirements added. Some of these changes impact the AFREC application process.
Please note that when applying for AFREC funds you will need to list previous MDA grants you have received (name of the grant, years, amount). Please list grants awarded going back 5 years.
