2004 NICHD|Mellon-PSC, PARC, BOETTNER CENTER PILOT PROJECT Competition

The NICHD|Mellon Population Studies Center (NICHD|Mellon-PSC), The NIA Population Aging Research Center (PARC) &
The Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Security
University of Pennsylvania

Proposals due February 25, 2004

Funds for pilot projects are awarded annually by three Centers that promote high quality and innovative research in demography, economics, and related social and behavioral sciences. Proposals for clinical research are not appropriate. The NICHD Population Studies Center (PSC-NICHD|Mellon) is a major research center on all aspects of population that has been funded since 1978 by the National Institutes of Child Health and Development (NICHD) and since 1990 by the Mellon Foundation. The Population Aging Research Center (PARC) is one of ten centers funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to advance research on the demography and economics of health and aging . The Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Security is an endowed Center at the Wharton School established to conduct research on global aging, successful retirement, and public and private pensions. The three Centers also support research in the social and behavioral sciences with seminars, conferences, and on-line working papers.

The Centers collaborate to administer a competition for Pilot Project support. Individual projects of up to $30,000 may be funded, though it is anticipated that funding for many of the projects will be significantly less than that amount. No indirect costs will be paid. Support is limited to one year: July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005. Projects will be chosen through competitive peer review.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:

Pilot Project Funds are intended to provide seed money for innovative, exploratory projects that have the potential to yield significant publications and competitive applications for future support from public sources, such as the NIH or NSF, or private foundations. Applications cannot be submitted directly to any one Center, but applicants should familiarize themselves with the interests of each of the participating Centers. Priority will be given to projects that develop new research initiatives in the areas of interest to more than one Center. Interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged.

This year additional pilot funds also are available to support demographic-related research with a focus on Latin America.

ELIGIBILITY:

All faculty and research professors in the University of Pennsylvania community are eligible to apply for support under this competition. Colleagues at other Universities may be named on an application, as long as a member of the Penn research community is the Principal Investigator on the pilot project. Graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania may apply for grants of up to $10,000 for demographic-related research with a focus on Latin America.

REQUIREMENTS:

Size of Award: Total cost maximum of $30,000.for applications for which the P.I. is a University of Pennsylvania faculty member or research professor. Total cost maximum of $10,000 for applications for which the P.I.is a University of Pennsylvania graduate students and the application is for demographic-related research on Latin America

A five-page (double-spaced) proposal narrative should include:

1. Specific aims of the proposed project and its relevance for the behavioral and social sciences;
   

2. Potential scientific significance;
   

3. Data and methods, including research design, time line for successful completion of the proposed research, and anticipated date of progress reports and final project report;
   

4. Explanation of how the pilot project will strengthen applications for external support and further research on the proposed topic.

   In addition attach:

• NIH-style abstract;
  

• NIH-style budget, including budget estimates and justification (NOTE: support for faculty salaries is limited to one month. Support for graduate research assistance is a legitimate budgetary item); and,

• NIH-style biosketch for key project personnel.
  

  All necessary NIH forms are available at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html#forms . In addition if you have previously received a PARC, Boettner or PSC-Mellon research award, please include a brief progress report on your earlier research, listing publications, and identifying the NIH/NIA, NSF and other grant applications you developed based on this earlier support.

DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION:

February 25, 2004
Submit all proposal materials (NIH abstract, NIH budget, proposal narrative, and NIH-biosketch) as an e-mail attachment to: Anna Nagy.

PROPOSAL REVIEW:

Proposals will be reviewed by the Executive Committees of PSC-NICHD|Mellon and PARC and the Advisory Board of the Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Security.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS:

Awards will be announced March 4, 2004.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PILOT PROJECT AWARDS 2004-05 Competition:

Recipients of a Pilot Project award will be expected to meet the following conditions:

1. Acknowledge PSC-NICHD|Mellon/PARC/Boettner Center support on all papers and presentations stemming from research conducted with Pilot Project financing;

2. Comply with all IRB and human subject requirements at the University of Pennsylvania;

3. Submit a Mid-year and Final Report in a timely manner. The Final Report should include a description of the scope of work undertaken, a summary of key findings, and a copy of related papers and presentations.

4. Submit to the PSC-NICHD|Mellon/PARC/Boettner a minimum of one working paper in electronic form, suitable for posting to the PSC-NICHD|Mellon /PARC/Boettner web sites;

5. Present project results at a seminar or colloquium for PSC-NICHD|Mellon/PARC/Boettner participants; and,

6. Submit an electronic copy of all NIH, NSF or other funding applications flowing from the Pilot Support and updates on funding success.