Forge Your Own Path - Personalized Education Grants for Faculty and Staff

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ELIGIBILITY

Who is eligible to serve as a Principal Investigator on a project?
Any Pitt faculty or staff is eligible to serve as a Principal Investigator, including part-time staff and part-time faculty. Faculty and staff may only serve as a Principal Investigator while employed at the university. Please consider whether or not this could impact your project. 

Can an individual serve as a Principal Investigator on more than one project?
No. An individual cannot serve as a Principal Investigator on more than one project; however, an individual may serve as a team member on multiple applications. 

Can students be included as team members?
Absolutely! Engaging students is highly encouraged.

Can an application include more than one Principal Investigator?
No. Only one Principal Investigator is allowed for each project. 



INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Will the program offer information sessions for applicants prior to the deadline?
Yes.

Thursday, October 24, 2019
12:00-1:00 PM
Cathedral of Learning, 817
RSVP

Wednesday, November 6, 2019
3:00-4:00 PM
Cathedral of Learning, 817
RSVP

Are the sessions available for remote participation? 
Yes. Please email yourpitt@pitt.edu to arrange a Skype dial-in option. 

Will there be resources available from the University to support program management?
While our office is available to provide guidance for all grantees, unfortunately, we are unable to provide resources for program management. We encourage you to include the resources necessary to support your program management needs within your project budget.



NOTIFICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

When will applicants be notified of decisions?
Applicants will be notified in February 2020. Funding for all projects will be available in March, pending completion of an orientation session.

What time period is covered during the cycle of funding?
You may budget funding for up to two years. You will be asked to submit a report in the following intervals: 

  • First quarter report 
  • Mid-funding period report
  • End of first year report 
  • Annual report for projects that last longer than one year 


When would all funds need to be spent?
Funds will need to be spent by June 30 of the academic year your project runs through.



PROJECT SCOPE

What kinds of projects have been funded in the past?
You can see the projects that were funded in 2018 and 2019. 

Can individual research projects be funded? 
This depends on numerous factors. Each project will be assessed relative to the review criteria. 

Can funds be used to fund other projects already in process?
This would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.



APPLICATION CONTENT

What is the length of the proposal?
Proposals must be completed in the application portal. Word counts are indicated in the portal. The total application content is approximately five pages. 

How detailed should the project description of the application be?
Within the allocated word count, your project description should include the following: project goals and expected outcomes, alignment of Forge Your Own Path core components and how your project supports them, project members and their roles, projected timeline and milestones, assessment plan, and any anticipated privacy issues.

Can I submit a budget using a different template? 
Applicants must use the provided budget template. You may include additional information in the justification column.

Are there assessment standards to determine the effectiveness of the program?
The Principal Investigator is expected to define in the application how effectiveness and/or impact of their proposed project will be evaluated.



FUNDING

How can funding be spent?  
Funds can be used to offset Pitt faculty and staff members’ time, temporary workers, travel, capital purchases, consulting, software, and other expenses needed to successfully implement the project. Because of the limited duration, funds cannot be used to hire new Pitt faculty or staff. Award funds must be expended in accordance with University policies. Supplemental, overtime and temporary wages are subject to tax reporting and withholding, but are not eligible for defined contribution deductions or matching.

Can funds be used for administrative support (e.g., project coordinator salary support) for the proposed project?
Yes, the funds can be used to support an existing position, temporary worker, or consultant. No new staff members should be hired with these funds. Supplemental, overtime and temporary wages are subject to tax reporting and withholding, but are not eligible for defined contribution deductions or matching.

Is there any preference, from the selection committee's viewpoint, as to how the money is used?
No. The focus is on the outcome of the project and how it supports the Forge Your Own Path core components, not on the type of resources used.

“Total Amount Requested” does not accurately reflect my actual project costs. What if I need to provide additional clarification to inform the budget?
You may indicate your project’s total budget in the resource section; however, you must identify the exact level of funding that you are requesting from the Personalized Education grant.

If we were to form a partnership, would the University commit ongoing budgetary support, such as paying the salary for a key staff person?
No. All projects that extend beyond the funding timeframe must be self-sustaining.

What cost center/unit will the funding be allocated to for the project?
The specifics of budget logistics will be discussed with awardees during the mandatory orientation session.

Who has the access to the funds? Is access limited to the Principal Investigator?
Access is limited to the Principal Investigator and unit business manager. Level reports must be reviewed and reconciled each month in accordance with University policy.

May this money be used for tuition?
No.

Do we get a purchase card or are expenses reimbursed?
All spending of the grant funding must comply with existing University policies. More details on funds will be provided at the orientation session. 

Will be there be a funding renewal option?
To receive additional funds for an established project, you would need to compete again to receive funding as part of a future application call.

What, if any, expectations exist for in-kind contributions? 
There is no set percentage or dollar amount for unit level support/matching funds. However, it will be considered a positive attribute if units are willing to commit some type of support for a proposed project.



If you have specific questions that were not answered above, please email yourpitt@pitt.edu.