• Budget Issues - See Q/A Numbers 1-6
• Signature Page - See Q/A Numbers 7-8
• Proposal Process - See Q/A Numbers 9-10
• Institutes/MRUs/ORUs - See Q/A Number 11
• Collaboration Letters - See Q/A Number 12
• Training Candidates - See Q/A Number 13
• Matching Funds - See Q/A Number 14
• Project Narrative - See Q/A Number 15
• Current & Pending Support - See Q/A Number 16
• Appendix - See Q/A Number 17
• Current & Past Students - See Q/A Number 18
• Caption Font Size - See Q/A Number 19

A.   The $10,000 allowance for student-related expenses is specifically allocated for the student, not the sponsor. The faculty allowance of $12,500 is at the discretion of the faculty sponsor(s). Both categories are flexible as long as the budgeted items are clearly related to the trainee's training. In general, the trainee allowance is meant to be for the trainee's training related expenses, e.g., a laptop computer, travel to a scientific meeting related to the area of research, registration for symposium. The faculty allowance is for what the sponsor(s) deem(s) necessary for the support of the trainee. For example, there may be lab expenses associated with the co-sponsor's lab that are not included in the trainee allowance budget. Additionally, if there are tuition expenses in excess of the $27,500, these categories can be used for the difference.

A.   Yes, faculty sponsors may use their allowance for any training-related expenses. (Note: Health insurance is generally covered by fee remission.)

A.   List the total amount that you will use towards the trainee's stipend. You may explain that for one quarter the trainee will receive funds from the TA-ship in the amount of $x,xxx. If your college or campus allows stipends greater than $27,500, you may budget the entire $27,500 for the stipend in addition to the funds received from the TA-ship. Presuming that the trainee can not receive a stipend greater than $27,500 or if the stipend cap is less than $27,500 and if the trainee has a justifiable (and it must be thoroughly justified) need for funds exceeding the $10,000 in the trainee allowance category, the difference resulting from the university paid TA-ship may be budgeted in the trainee allowance category.

A.   Yes, please include the transportation costs for the GREAT trainee and at least one sponsor to attend the GREAT retreat to be held annually in late Oct. in a moderately priced, academic environment retreat facility. Lodging and meals at the retreat will be paid by the Program.

A.   No, UC BREP is funded by the Office of the President with State of California funds. Therefore, indirect costs are not applicable.

A.   The department chair must sign off on the proposal because his/her department will administer the grant if funded. The Office of Sponsored Programs* must also sign off on the proposal. In addition to verifying budgetary information, the sponsored programs office verifies that the P.I. is eligible to submit proposals, and they maintain statistics on submitted proposals and funded grants for their campus. The proposal must be signed by the Dean of the P.I.'s college or school only if it is a requirement of that college school.

* Please note that each University may be different in that the "Office of Sponsored Programs" may be located in the University's Contracts and Grants Office or with the Office of Research. In either case, a signature must be received from the office that approves training grant proposals on your specific campus.

A.   As this is a proposal submitted by the faculty member, it is processed as a grant not as a fellowship application and therefore should be processed by the Office of Sponsored Programs. It maybe helpful to take the following paragraph describing the GREAT training program in more detail to the Office of Sponsored Programs for clarification.

The Graduate Research and Education in Adaptive-Biotechnology (GREAT) awards are grants provided by UC BREP to UC researchers on the ten UC campuses and three national laboratories. They are awarded to faculty, as primary sponsors, who demonstrate that they have created an environment for cross-disciplinary research and education. The quality of the trainers, the candidate and the training environment is considered when awarding the grant to the primary sponsor. However, should the faculty or nominated student leave the UC campus and if approved by the UCBREP Executive Committee, the grant may follow them to another campus within the UC System. If the faculty leaves the UC campus and is not remaining within the UC system or is not continuing with the nominated student, then the training grant is terminated and any remaining funds revert to UCBREP. Specifically, the grant funds the training environment created by the faculty member and is not a direct fellowship to the student. There is no case where the grant would remain with the student if the faculty and student should split. Of course the student's new sponsor(s) are free to apply for GREAT funding.

Selected Wording from the UC BREP GREAT Guidelines:
Direct transfer of funds from one graduate student to another is not permitted. Should the nominated GREAT graduate student fail to accept the award, leave the university, change research direction, conduct research not approved by the Faculty Sponsor or the GREAT Program's Executive Committee, then the unexpended funds will be returned to the University of California Biotechnology Research and Education Program Office, which administers the GREAT Program. If the Faculty Sponsor(s) are able to identify another candidate, they will have the opportunity to reapply to the GREAT Program's executive committee for reconsideration of a new nominee. Any substantive changes in the project, such as changes in budget allocations, location, Faculty Sponsor(s), project period, major project scope etc., require pre-approval of the GREAT Program's executive committee. The University of California Biotechnology Research and Education Program Office must be notified of any potential changes as soon as possible.

If your Office of Sponsored Programs needs more information, please have them contact us at (530) 752-8237.

A.   The Primary Faculty Sponsor submits the proposal.

A.   We do not need a printed copy of the proposal. We do need a printed copy of the signature page and if applicable, the collaborator letters.

A.   Institutes, Multicampus Research Units (MRUs) or Organized Research Units (ORUs) that are affiliated with and administered through a UC campus may be recipients of the GREAT award through the Primary Sponsor. The affiliated institute, MRU or ORU must use UC Office of the President (OP) accounts and funds. We must be able to process an interlocation transfer of funds directly to the department, UC institute, UC MRU, or UC ORU. If the entity does not use OP accounts and funds, the training grant award funds must go to the primary sponsor's academic home department at a UC campus. Post award arrangements with the affiliated institute may be pursued through the affiliated UC campus

A.   Collaborators' letters should address the central points of the RFP, e.g, cutting-edge theoretical and experimental research at the interface between the life sciences and the chemical, computational, engineering, material, mathematical or physical sciences; interdisciplinary research training environment; brightest young graduate student within UC system; rigor of training that prepares students for careers in evolving interdisciplinary fields in industry, academia and government; potential positive impact of the project on the California biotechnology economy; potential for securing industry or alternate funding.

A.   Yes. A UC faculty sponsor may nominate you if you are a graduate student at the time of the award commencement, academic year 2006-07.

A.   The comment about "demonstrate the intent to seek matching funds" is to let the sponsor know that the reviewers look favorably on any matching funds that maybe available to augment the training grant. Matching is not required; it is looked favorably by the reviewers. Any matching, whether it is campus or Biotech companies, is encouraged. In addition, we want the students/and or professors to be willing to accompany UC BREP personnel on visits to private sector companies who may be willing to fund some trainees. Sponsors do not have to secure matching funds but must be willing to help UC BREP find funds.

A.   Reviewers are looking for information that would help determine your capability to provide this training. We do not need to know the room numbers and/or building where equipment is housed but as similar to NSF and NIH, please detail and/or list the equipment and facilities appropriate to this training project.

A.   The research support section is not included in the 8-page narrative limit. It should be included as part C in the faculty sponsor(s) and mentor(s) biographical sketches. In the research support section, please include the person's role on the project, funding agency, project title, dates, and a brief summary (one or two sentences) of the overall goals of the project.

A.   Yes, it is correct that figures, graphics and photos may be appended and do not count towards the eight-page narrative limit. References are not included in the eight-page limit. Where possible, appendices should be added at the end of the narrative in order to be uploaded via the online submission system. If this is not possible, as in the case of original letters of support, the original and six copies should be mailed along with the signature page.

A.   Reviewers are looking for information that would help determine the Sponsor's capability to provide the training. Knowledge of current and past students is helpful in this endeavor. If you do not have all of the specific information concerning each student then write "unknown" in the appropriate field.

A.   The required font size is 11 point. However, the text needs to be legible - the reason that 11 point arial is chosen is that it is considered the smallest acceptable level for clarity for most readers. Remember if you use smaller font for captions and make it difficult for reviewers to read you may hurt rather than help your prospects! You may use a different font but just keep in mind the reader has your fate in his/her hands!