Application Requirements

All grant applications must be submitted by the deadline via the RSF online application portal, Fluxx, by an eligible principal investigator or co-principal investigator. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. 

All applications are internally reviewed to determine fit with the RSF’s priorities and the quality of the application, including clarity in presentation, and whether the data and research methods are described in sufficient detail. Applications that pass internal review will be externally reviewed by experts from different disciplines and will receive reviewer comments on their submissions.

Application submission steps:

1. Create a Fluxx account or log in to your existing account.
   **Allow up to 2 business days for a new account to be approved**
2. Select the appropriate type of grant and start a new application.
3. Fill out the online application form and upload the required documents (See specific application requirements by grant type)
4. Submit your application

Depending on the grantmaking program, additional information and documents may need to be added to the application record at later stages in the review process or once a grant is awarded.  See Grant Terms and Conditions for grant requirements that must be met before an award is finalized and payments are released.

Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

• LOI: Maximum of 4 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding references.
  
  LOIs are expected to have well-developed conceptual frameworks and research designs. Analytical models must be specified, and research questions and hypotheses (where applicable) must be clearly stated. 

Invited Proposal

• Proposal: Maximum of 10 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding (1) references, (2) supporting tables and figures, and (3) appendices like draft survey instruments and interview protocols. 
  
  Proposals must substantively answer the following questions:
  • What is the problem under study and why is it important?
  • What does the literature (across disciplines) say about this problem and what unique contribution(s) does this study make?
  • What are the principal hypotheses or questions that will be examined?
  • What kinds of data will be used in the study and how will the data be acquired? Please include power calculations, if appropriate, and a plan for public release of the data and documentation (see Grant Terms and Conditions).
    • Data collection projects must include details on the sampling strategy, sample characteristics (including whether participants are habitual survey respondents), and participant compensation structure (see additional requirements under Budget Guidelines). This information can be provided by the survey firm if the selection of participants is not designed by the applicant.
    • If data collection will be performed by a survey firm, please obtain a quote from at least two firms. The budget narrative should include a discussion of the two quotes and justify the decision to use one of the firms—there is no requirement that the applicant engage the firm with the lowest quote if there is a good reason for choosing the higher quote.
  • How will the data be analyzed to inform the questions under study: what research methods, analytic models, or interpretive strategies will be used?
  • What is the project workplan (timeline and important milestones)?
  • What are the qualifications and responsibilities of the person(s) engaged in the research?
  • How will the results be reported (e.g., conference presentations, articles, books, policy reports, blogs, opinion pieces, summary reports)?
     
• Budget: See Budget Guidelines and Budget Template.
   
• Budget Narrative: Succinctly explain and clarify each line item, including a breakdown of the total. See Budget Guidelines for additional requirements.
   
• CV for PI and any co-PIs: 5 pages max. per CV
   
• Point-by-point response memo to previous reviewer comments

• Proposal: Maximum of 7 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding (1) references, (2) supporting tables and figures, and (3) appendices like draft survey instruments and interview protocols.
  
  Proposals should briefly outline the rationale of the research, clearly state the question(s) under study, and provide extensive details regarding the research methods, data, measures, and analytic approach to be employed. The proposal should include a brief budget description that explains what RSF funds would cover and what existing sources of support are already secured.
   
• CV for PI and any co-PIs: 5 pages max. per CV

Additional requirements for approved proposals only:

• Budget: See Budget Guidelines and Budget Template.
   
• Budget Narrative: Succinctly explain and clarify each line item, including a breakdown of the total. 

• Proposal: Maximum of 5 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding (1) references, (2) supporting tables and figures, and (3) appendices like draft survey instruments and interview protocols. 
  
  Proposals should briefly outline the rationale of the research, clearly state the question(s) under study, and provide extensive details regarding the research methods, data, measures, and analytic approach to be employed. The proposal should include a brief budget description that explains what RSF funds would cover and what existing sources of support are already secured.
  
  Priority will be given to proposals that will use RSF funds to gather new quantitative or qualitative data, including conducting interviews, field work, and archival work, carrying out experiments, paying study participant incentives, purchasing data not already available to the investigator, etc.
• CV for PI and any co-PIs: 5 pages max. per CV

Additional requirements for approved proposals only:

• Budget: See Budget Guidelines and Budget Template.
   
• Budget Narrative: Succinctly explain and clarify each line item, including a breakdown of the total. The budget narrative must also include a timeline that includes the dissertation activities for which funds will be requested and when the dissertation is expected to be completed.
   
• Letter from the dissertation supervisor: The supervisor must document that the dissertation research (a) is the same research that was described in the DRG proposal and (b) has been approved by the dissertation committee. If you are defending your prospectus in the spring after the application deadline, this letter must be received before funds can be disbursed.

• Proposal: Maximum of 10 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding (1) references, (2) supporting tables and figures, and (3) appendices like draft survey instruments and interview protocols.
  
  Proposals should briefly outline the rationale of the research, clearly state the question(s) under study and provide extensive details regarding the research methods, data, measures, and analytic approach to be employed. The proposal should include a timeline and brief budget description that explains what RSF funds would cover and what existing sources of support are already secured.
• CV for PI and any co-PIs: 5 pages max. per CV

Additional requirements for approved proposals only: 

• Budget: See Budget Guidelines and Budget Template.
   
• Budget Narrative: Succinctly explain and clarify each line item, including a breakdown of the total.

• Proposal: Maximum of 5 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding (1) up to 2 pages of references and (2) supporting tables and figures.
  
  Proposals should outline the basics of the project to be carried out while in residence, how the project is relevant to RSF's program areas, how the residency would be beneficial to the project, and the expected outcome of the work.
   
• CV: 5 pages max
   
• Working Group Applications: Each member of a working group must submit an individual application. Working group proposals must include a common statement of the joint project to be undertaken. In the case where one or more group members may not be entirely occupied by the group project, additional detail should be included in the proposal about other individual research to be pursued while in residence.

RSF does not accept supplementary application materials, such as papers and recommendations.

• Proposal: Maximum of 5 single-spaced pages (with standard 12-point font and 1-inch margins), excluding (1) up to 2 pages of references and (2) supporting tables and figures.
  
  Proposals should outline the basics of the project to be carried out while in residence, how the project is relevant to RSF's program areas, how the residency and interactions with the Foundation's Visiting Scholars and staff would be beneficial to the project, and the expected outcome of the work. The letter should also specify the time period for which the applicant would like to be in residence.
   
• CV: 5 pages max

RSF does not accept supplementary application materials, such as papers and recommendations.