Q: What does Research Council expect in a successful grant proposal for Visiting Scholar?
A: A fundable proposal should be written in a language easily understood by an interdisciplinary audience. The proposal should be complete with such detailed information as description of the program, program schedule/itinerary, description of the visiting scholar, scholar’s resume, and itemized budget.
Q: What should be included in the program description?
A: The description should include, besides general information on the program, the extent to which the scholar’s visit will aid scholarship and enhance research at UNL. The targeted audience will be inter-departmental or university-wide. It is important that the program emphasizes research, rather than teaching.
Q: Are there any specific requirements for the program schedule?
A: The proposal needs to indicate how the scholar’s time will be utilized at UNL with specific title, dates, times of the lecture(s)/performance(s). The scholar will have opportunity to have direct contacts with undergraduate students and/or graduate students. There must be at least one advertised and free to public lecture/performance.
Q: What is expected from the scholar’s description?
A: The primary gatekeeper is the quality of the scholar. The description is to provide information of scholar’s scholarly/creative achievements, along with their quality, significance and impact. The scholar’s curriculum vitae is required to be abbreviated to no more than three pages.
Q: What are the requirements for the budget?
A: Budget should be itemized in detail, accurate and well-justified. Since the maximum amount the Research Council can award is $800, the proposal should include how the remaining sum of the program funds will be sought or secured to guarantee the success of the program. Normally, a Visiting Scholar Grant covers transportation, 2-day stay ($130 daily), but no honorarium, and the maximum is $800. Research Council can award up to 4 Visiting Scholar grants to one department.
