Proposal Guidelines

What types of projects will be considered?

GradStarter funds are intended to support innovative projects that promote academic achievement and intellectually engage the broader Rice graduate student and postdoc community.  Project proposals should focus on a new initiative and include a comprehensive plan that creatively incorporates any of the following themes:

  • Fostering Intellectual Community among Graduate Students and Postdocs
  • Academic Progress
  • Writing and Publishing
  • Presentation Skills
  • Teaching and Mentoring
  • Professional Development, Leadership, and Management
  • Career Exploration, Job Searching, and Networking
  • Alumni Engagement
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Wellness and Life Balance
  • Community Outreach

Projects can incorporate a variety of formats, including seminars, workshops, journal clubs, poster sessions, conferences, etc. Discipline-specific, interdisciplinary, and university-wide proposals are all encouraged. Read past GradStarter projects here.

 Who can submit a proposal?

  • Individual graduate students or postdocs
  • Graduate student organizations
  • Faculty and staff
  • Graduate programs and academic departments
  • Rice University resource centers and research institutes
  • Rice Alumni

GradStarter Application Process

Proposals are due November 15th for Spring 2018 funding consideration.

To submit a GradStarter Proposal, complete the following:

1.  Complete the online submission form. Please, provide the following information:

  • Title of project
  • Brief tagline or caption describing the project (160 characters)
  • Representative Image (200×200 pixels; 300 dpi)
  • Themes addressed
  • Total budget requested
  • Primary Contact (name, email, and affiliation)
  • Information about the sponsoring group or organization (if applicable)

2.  Upload a detailed proposal (single PDF) using this template. The proposal should address the following:

  • Description and Project Details
    • Provide a description of the project.
    • Timeline: If the project will take place at a specific time and place, please give details.  Is it a one-time event or a series?
    • Audience: Who is your target audience? Discipline-specific, interdisciplinary, or university-wide? Will undergraduates, faculty, staff, or postdocs be involved? Any off campus participants?
    • Marketing Plan: How do you plan to publicize the project or event?
  • Advancement of Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholars
    • What are the goals of the project?
    • How will this project promote excellence in scholarship, training, and/or development?
    • If this is an existing project or event or a similar one exists, describe how the it is being expanded or enhanced
    • If your proposal is for a pilot project, suggest how it might develop over a three-year period.
    • Describe how you will measure the success and impact of this project. Please, provide quantitative targets, if possible.
  • Detailed budget – Please, refer to the funding allocation guidelines outlined here.
    • Total asking amount
    • Itemized budget of how funds will be spent
    • Other potential funding resources
    • Existing funding resources (if applicable)