ISS Small Grant Program
Frequently Asked Questions
What constitutes a strong budget justification?
At the time of submission of the proposal, does the proposed project have to have human subjects approval already or can approval be pending?
How do I know if my discipline is considered social science at Cornell?
Do all the research project's team members have to be at Cornell?
Can the research project include co-PI's that are not faculty?
If awarded an ISS small grant, when could I expect to receive the funding?
Is there a time frame during which the funds must be spent?
How are the proposals evaluated?
What constitutes a strong budget justification?
A detailed budget justification gives the review committee a clear idea of what you specifically plan on using the funds for and what the sources for your cost estimates are. (See sample budget.) For example, what model of equipment or software would you purchase and how much does it currently cost from a particular vendor, like Buy.com? How much does Expedia or the CU Travel Office's online site estimate as the cost of car rental or air travel for the estimated time periods you will be in the field or collaborating with colleagues? How many hours at what rate per hour do you plan to hire a research assistant, based on what precedent?
(Back to top)
At the time of submission of the proposal, does the proposed experiment already have to have human subjects approval or can approval be pending?
Approval can be pending. If awarded a small grant, the PI must provide IRB approval before funds are transferred. ISS small grant awards must be transferred by the end of the fiscal year in which the award is made, so spring round PIs should plan accordingly.
(Back to top)
How do I know if my discipline is considered social science at Cornell?
The ISS seeks to support ground-breaking social science research. The ISS does not require PIs to be affiliated with particular departments.
(Back to top)
Do all the research project's team members have to be at Cornell?
The PI, or one of the co-PIs, must be a Cornell faculty member, but the entire research team does not have to be. Requests for funds to support Cornell faculty and students will be given priority.
(Back to top)
Can the research project include co-PI's that are not faculty?
One of the co-PIs must be a Cornell faculty member, but all of them do not need to be.
(Back to top)
If awarded an ISS small grant, when could I expect to receive the funding?
ISS small grant funds are transferred to the PI's departmental account after a complete Form 10 is submitted and any IRB requirements are satisfied. Once appropriate paperwork is received, funds are typically transferred within a week. ISS small grant awards must be transferred by the end of the fiscal year in which the award is made.
(Back to top)
Is there a time frame during which the funds must be spent?
Fall awards must be spent by Dec. 31 of the following year, and spring awards must be spent by June 30 of the following year. At the end of this time frame, the PI will file a 1-page report to the ISS director regarding the research progress and disposition of the small grant funds.
How are the proposals evaluated?
We strive to review each proposal by 2 of your peer scholars who are asked to use the following criteria in their evaluations: quality of social science scholarship (including theory and methodology), originality and importance of the core ideas, compelling nature of the arguments presented, and potential significance of the theoretical contribution. We also evaluate each proposal in terms of how well it fits the mission of the Institute for the Social Sciences and the goals of the small grant program, including: the interdisciplinary nature of the research or conference, whether it includes junior scholars, and whether the project is likely to obtain external funding or be expanded into an ISS theme project proposal.
(Back to top)
