The Provost, in alignment with the university strategic plan Our Compass and the Academic Affairs’ 2024-2025 Strategic Priorities Plan, has chosen to use donor funds to support student travel to present their research or creative work at conferences in 2024-2025. NMU is ranked higher than comparable peers in the area of student research with faculty; thus, this investment will support an area of special strength with potential for distinction for our university. This student funding will showcase the impact of donor support on NMU student success through storytelling and recognition efforts. The initiative will provide funding for 10 undergraduate students and 5 graduate students, each receiving up to $2,000 to cover travel expenses.
Award Information
DEADLINE: Friday, February 28, 2025
Provost Special Travel Funding Awards support students' travel to present their research or creative work. A final report must be submitted to grants@nmu.edu within one week of return.
The maximum award for each award is up to $2,000. All funding must be encumbered by June 30, 2025, with allowable spending through August 31, 2025.
Provost Special Travel Funding Awards provide funds for student travel to a conference for the purpose of presenting their research, scholarship or creative activities.
Allowable Costs:
- Conference registration and directly associated travel expenses (transportation, per diem, conference materials, lodging, etc.) during the identified conference spending time.
- Expenses allowable by university policy. All University Policies apply.
Funding Distribution:
Students must work with their department and/or advisor/mentor/faculty member to finalize travel arrangements. The grant funds will be under purview of the department:
- Approved amounts will be transferred to the appropriate departmental account upon completion of travel.
- All expenses will be initially charged to the respective university department budget.
- Upon completion of the travel, the department will initiate the reimbursement process by sending a completed Concur settlement statement for the trip to your respective dean along with the appropriate account number for reimbursement.
- Each dean will be responsible for tracking allocations and balances for each award.
Eligibility
Applicants must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in a degree program during at least one semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. Applicants must provide evidence of support from a department head to serve as an endorsement of the proposed travel by the department. This is accomplished by obtaining the identified signatures on the application form.
Per NMU policy, students who participate in the Dependent Children Tuition Program are not eligible to receive additional University-funded scholarships or grants. University-funded means any funds deposited at the University where the University makes the decision concerning the recipient. This includes the Provost Special Travel Funding for 2025. Contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs with any questions.
Application Instructions
Submission Procedure
Students applying for the Provost Special Travel Funding applications (see Application Components below) will be required to submit a PDF version of the application via email to the NMU Research Advisory Council (RAC) at grants@nmu.edu.
Application Components:
Applicants must complete all sections of the APPLICATION FORM and combine required appendices in a single PDF.
Include a copy of the conference submission materials. Confirmation of presentation acceptance must be included in the application submission as an appendix. If the applicant does not have the confirmation at the time of application, to remain eligible for funding, the confirmation of the student’s presentation acceptance is required no later than June 1, 2025.
- Required appendices.
- Curriculum vitae. The vitae or an additional statement should clearly identify the student’s qualifications for conducting the project and cannot exceed one page.
- A copy of the student’s most recent full transcript (unofficial is acceptable).
- Letter of support from the faculty sponsor or advisor.
- Copy of the conference submission materials and confirmation of presentation acceptance (see information above).
Selection and Evaluation
Selection Criteria:
Selection for the Provost Special Travel Funding will follow an evaluation of all submissions. The evaluation will be conducted by a committee of the Research Advisory Council and will be based upon the following criteria:
- The significance of the proposed travel and the impact on the student and institution
- Prestige of conference / Rationale of destination
- Presenting engagement level / Conference engagement level
- Qualifications of the student investigator.
- Adherence to format and content requirements.
Evaluation Process:
For the 2024-2025 awards, undergraduate student funding will be distributed FIRST to accepted NCUR abstracts (as of 2/7/2025 there remains funding for up to three awards). All applications will be reviewed by a committee in the Research Advisory Council in accordance with the established rubric. The review committee will meet following the application window to review applications and make recommendations for funding to the Dean of Research. The dean will then forward the recommendations to the Provost for final approval. Announcements will be made within two weeks of final selection.
Report Guidelines
Post-Award Engagement Requirement:
- Recipients must submit a final report (see below for details).
- Recipients must participate in donor recognition efforts, including writing thank-you letters and sharing stories of their work and presentation at NMU’s donor engagement initiatives. An online reporting option can be found HERE.
- Students are encouraged to participate in NMU’s Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship.
Final Report
Within one week of return, students awardees must submit a Final Report to their Department Head and to the Dean of Graduate Studies & Research in accordance with the NMU Internal Awards Reporting guidelines.
The Final Report must briefly address (1-2 pages) what was done, what were the results, what was produced, actual expenditures, what may happen next, and what other funding might you seek.