Research Development Office F.A.Q.
Questions
- Will ISERP fund my research?
- How do I start working with the Research Development Office on a project?
- I'm applying for a National Science Foundation grant. What should I do?
- I'm applying for a non-NSF grant. What should I do?
- What do I need to include in my budget?
- My grant proposal was accepted. Now what?
- Do I need Institutional Review Board approval of my grant?
- What is Rascal?
- What if my question isn't answered here?
Other F.A.Q.s
Will ISERP fund my research?
Faculty and research scholars or scientists at Columbia University and its affiliated schools are eligible to apply for an ISERP seed grant. Our seed grant program supports proposal development, pilot research, and other activities that advance research projects to the point where they can attract external funding.
While ISERP does not fund full-scale research, Columbia faculty, scholars, and scientists are also welcome to take advantage of the services and resources of the Research Development Office, which not only administers the grants of our affiliates, but also facilitates the development of research and proposals to assist investigators in the search for external funding. The Research Development Office is the liaison between Columbia University Research Administration and the social sciences.
How do I start working with the Research Development Office on a project?
Columbia faculty, scholars, and scientists interested in working with the Research Development Office should write to Kristin Murphy. In a paragraph or two, briefly describe the project, as well as any prior attempts to fund the research, if applicable. We will arrange a meeting with you to further discuss the research and funding opportunities.
I'm applying for a National Science Foundation grant. What should I do?
Have a look our checklist and guidelines for NSF grant applications and contact Kristin Murphy to set up a meeting to discuss your proposal.
I'm applying for a non-NSF grant. What should I do?
For non-NSF grants, forward the request for proposals and any other available information about the funding opportunity to Kristin Murphy, and set up a meeting to discuss your proposal.
What do I need to include in my budget?
The Research Development Office will work with you to develop and finalize the budget for your grant proposal. To help you get started, have a look at our budget guide and sample budget, which cover expenditure categories, administrative costs, computing fees, and more.
My grant proposal was accepted. Now what?
Congratulations! For investigators who have been awarded external funding, the Research Development Office establishes grant accounts, reviews and issues monthly fiscal statements, handles hiring, payroll, and reimbursements, provides computing services, and works with investigators to address budgetary, human subjects, and other certification and compliance issues pertaining to their grants. We also assist with NSF reports, final reports, and grant closeout.
Let us know that the grant has been awarded and schedule a meeting with Kristin Murphy and Betsy Arias to discuss the procedures for administrating your grant. First off, we'll work with ColumbiaÂ's Research Administration to set up your grant account, which generally happens within a week or two, but may take longer in certain circumstances.
Do I need Institutional Review Board approval of my grant?
Yes. Every research project and grant at Columbia must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), regardless of whether or not it deals directly with human subjects. Your grant award will not be released until IRB approval or exemption has been confirmed. For help navigating the IRB review process, have a look at our IRB helpful hints.
What is Rascal?
Rascal is Columbia's Research Administration System. All grant proposals, funded grants, conflicts of interest, human subjects compliance, and other research administration matters are managed through Rascal.
What if my question isn't answered here?
If you still have an unanswered question, please have a look at our downloads and links for further information or contact the Research Development Office directly and we will answer as best as we can.
