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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Purpose
Eligibility
Letters of
Intent
Proposal Submission
Priority Areas
Budget/Salary
Letters of
Support
No-Cost Extension
Purpose
Q. What is the purpose of the
Collaborative Research Grant Program?
A. The program has
two main objectives:
1. Support the completion of a 12-month
inter-institutional project, and
2. Support the development
and submission of proposals for external funding of research from competitive
granting agencies both domestic and international (e.g., NSF, NIH, DOE, World
Bank, NATO, UNESCO, etc.) and industry. Upon completion of the 12-month project,
the principal investigators must present evidence that they are seeking
continued funding from another source. If the PIs have a funded project and plan
to apply for additional funding, they will be required to provide an interim
progress report as part of the application process.
Eligibility
Q: I am a researcher
for a Texas A&M University System agency. Am I eligible to apply for
CONACYT?
A: You must be a tenured or tenured-track faculty
member at Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University at Galveston, or
Texas A&M University at Qatar to be eligible. If you are a faculty member at
an A&M System university or agency, you must have a dual appointment at
Texas A&M.
Letters of Intent
Q: Do both
PIs (A&M and Mexican) have to submit a letter of
intent?
A: No, only one letter of intent is
required.
Q: Do both PIs (A&M and Mexican) have to sign the letter
of intent?
A: No, only one letter of intent is required.
Electronic submissions without signatures are acceptable.
Q: If our letter of intent is approved, do both PIs have to
complete the application?
A : No, only one electronic
application is required using the online application system at igps.tamu.edu.
Both PIs can work on the proposal online and submit.
Q:
Will letters of intent submitted after the deadline be
allowed?
A: No, the stated deadline is firm for letters of
intent.
Q. Does the letter of intent have to specify the industry
partner/end user?
A. Yes.
Q. What is SNI?
A. Sistema
Nacional de Investigadores (SNI) of Mexico.
Q. Who should be the industry partner/end
user?
A. Almost any entity other than another institution of
higher education. This can include private industry, non-profit agencies,
government agencies, etc.
Letters of Support
Q. Who should write the
Texas A&M letter of support?
A. Someone such as a
department head, college dean or others who are familiar with the PI, his/her
work, and the proposed project.
Q. Is a letter of support from Texas A&M University
required?
A. Letters of support from Texas A&M are not
required, only optional. The proposal is electronically routed and 'signed' at
the department and college level so there is a built-in approval process on the
Texas A&M side. A separate support letter from Texas A&M would add value
to your proposal package if it were specifically committing matching funds or
in-kind support for your research project, or some other unique aspect that was
not covered in your proposal or other support letters.
Q. If we received letters of support in Spanish, can we
provide an English translation rather than requesting another
letter?
A. Yes.
Proposal Submission
Q. How do I complete
the proposal since I am going out of town for a month?
A.
Proposals are submitted and routed electronically using the online application
system at igps.tamu.edu. If you will be traveling, take a laptop with Internet
connection, use a computer at your destination, or have your co-PI complete the
application.
Q. Does my proposal need to be submitted by the deadline, or
does it have to be completed and routed for signatures by the deadline?
A. The full proposal must be submitted, routed
electronically for appropriate signatures, and received by the proposal
deadline.
Q. How long does the electronic routing
take?
A. The electronic routing is very fast if the signers
and/or alternate signers are available and have access to a computer with
Internet access. It can be done within minutes. It is recommended that the Texas
A&M PI contact the department and college to let them know that the proposal
will be coming. Once the proposal is submitted, the designated signer at the
department will receive an automated email from the online application system
letting them know that they have a proposal to review/approve. Once approved at
the department level, the same thing happens at the college level.
Priority Areas
Q: Are the priority areas the only
ones funded?
A: No, sometimes other relevant topics are
funded.
Q. Which category does my research fit?
A. Discuss the research and tie to one or more of the seven
priority areas.
Budget/Salary
Q. Who does
"budget contact" refer to at Texas A&M?
A. "Budget
contact" is the center or department bookkeeper. If awarded the grant, funds
will be transferred to the PI's home department to manage for the duration of
the grant.
Q. Does the budget have to be evenly split between Texas
A&M and Mexico?
A. No, but it should reflect a true
collaboration between the partners.
Q. Are the funds provided for this grant considered state or
local funds at Texas A&M University?
A. Local funds.
Q: How much salary can I include?
A: No
salary is allowed for the PIs, undergraduate students or postdoctoral students.
Funding is allowed, however, for graduate students.
Q. Can I request a no-cost extension on my grant?
A. Yes, the form to request a no-cost extension is located here. The form should be completed, signed and returned to the Division of Research and Graduate Studies (see form for instructions).
