OUR Student Research Grants

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) has a small budget to award Research Grants to EFSC Research Students for the purchase of research materials and/or travel to present original research at a conference. EFSC has a myriad of equipment that research students can use under the guidance of their Research Mentor; therefore, most Research Grants awarded for the purchase of supplies are under $100.

Review the guidelines and then use the button at the bottom to access the application form.

Minimum Requirements

OUR Research Grants will only be awarded to directed student research. Directed student research is a research project where the Research Student and/or Research Mentor conceptualize the idea. The Research Student under Research Mentor supervision constructs the Research Grant proposal, conducts the research, and analyzes and presents the findings.

To be considered for an OUR Research Grant, the Research Student must:

• Be actively enrolled in courses at EFSC, paired with an EFSC Research Mentor, complete all required paperwork, and be in good standings in all respects (academic, financial, disciplinary) at EFSC;
• Have full approval of the Research Mentor on all parts of the Research Grant application; and      
• Present the research findings at the EFSC Undergraduate Research Exhibition (URE).

Application Deadline

There is no application deadline, but Research Grant applications will only be accepted and reviewed for possible funding during Fall and Spring semesters.

Funding Review Process

After the OUR Director receives a Research Grant application (grant proposal), it is reviewed and voted on by the OUR Funding Review Board to fund or not fund in its sole and absolute discretion. Funding recommendations made by the OUR Funding Review Board are sent to the Dean of Instruction, who manages the OUR budget and determines the monetary amount awarded. The OUR Director contacts the Research Student and Research Mentor, notifying them of the OUR Funding Review Board’s decision and the amount awarded.

Note: The OUR Director and OUR Funding Review Board does not have the required extensive knowledge to approve liability, safety, or hazardous items, procedures, or practices.

Funding Outcomes

If funding is available, the possible outcomes of funding are as follows:

• If the recommendation of the OUR Funding Review Board is not to fund the research, then no funding will be awarded. However, the Research Student and Research Mentor have the option to submit an updated or new Research Grant application in the future.
• If the recommendation of the OUR Funding Review Board is to fund the research and no issues/conflicts arise (such as the student is not in good standing), then funding will be awarded following the bullets below.
  • If the Research Grant application is $100 or less per Research Student, it will be awarded in full.
  • If the Research Grant application is $101-$1000 total, the Dean of Instruction will determine the monetary amount awarded. In most cases, the maximum amount awarded for consumable supplies is $100 per Research Student, and the remaining must be for equipment and non-consumable supplies.
  • If the Research Grant application is over $1000 total, the Dean of Instruction will work with the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (or designee) to determine the monetary amount awarded.

Distribution of Funds

The OUR funds are not disbursed directly to the Research Student. The OUR Director and/or Dean of Instruction will provide purchasing details to the Research Mentor (and Lab Director/Coordinators, when applicable) to purchase the approved list of supplies and equipment. The Research Mentor will make purchase requests with the Lab Director/Coordinator a minimum of 12 business days prior to the start of actual research to accommodate for contacting vendors, backorders, and shipping. Items purchased directly by Research Students, items purchased without prior written approval, items purchased without a p-card, and taxes paid (EFSC is a tax-exempt institution) are not guaranteed for reimbursement from the OUR.

Ownership of Purchases

Equipment and supplies purchased in whole or in part using OUR funds are the property of the OUR and must be returned to the OUR upon completion of the research project.

Subsequent OUR Research Grants

Research Students may apply for more than one OUR Research Grant provided (a) each Research Grant funds a different project of the research study, (b) a maximum of one OUR Research Grant is awarded per Research Student per semester, and (c) a full Research Grant application is submitted for each request.

Self-Funding

Research Students may voluntarily self-fund research materials purchased from retail stores available to the general public (such as Publix, Aldi, Lowe's, Home Depot, Target, Walmart) that do not require authorization, permits, or institutional status to obtain or maintain the materials. After obtaining approval from their Research Mentor, the Research Students may directly purchase the research materials using their own purchasing method and transportation. If a portion of the self-funded research materials remain unused and in the same state as they were purchased (not needing special care) after the end of the study, the Research Student may choose to retain the self-funded research materials or donate the research materials to the College.

Self-funded projects may require additional documentation. At a minimum, Research Students who elect to self-fund research materials must acknowledge in writing they are self-funding the research materials voluntarily of their own free will, and their voluntary self-funding of research materials does not constitute any type of reimbursement, a lab fee, or other form of student fee by EFSC.

Conclusion of Research Grant

Research Students awarded OUR Research Grants are required to complete the proposed research and present/publish the findings at one or more conferences, including the EFSC Undergraduate Research Exhibition (URE), in a timely manner.

In the event the student fails to complete or present/publish the research, or otherwise abandons their project, they will be required to refund all OUR Research Grant monies to the OUR within 30 days of demand. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for good cause by the Dean of Instruction in its sole and absolute discretion. Good cause in this context generally means circumstances beyond the control of the Research Student.

Other Sources of Funding

Research Students and their Research Mentors may also apply for funding from outside sources with assistance from the EFSC Grants Development Office.

Safety Hazards & Release

While the OUR, Science Staff, and/or Research Mentors will make reasonable efforts to identify and address known safety hazards involved with OUR directed student research, it is impossible for the OUR and/or Research Mentors to forecast every possible outcome, including hazardous outcomes, involved with every research initiative. For this reason, Research Students conducting directed student research do so at their own risk. In addition, Research Students agree to release, hold harmless, and forever discharge the District Board of Trustees of Eastern Florida State College, Florida, including any affiliated or related entities, organizations, and offices, and individual trustees, directors, officers, employees, agents, volunteers, representatives, successors, and assigns (collectively, “the college”), from all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss, property damage, or personal injury, including death, that may be sustained to Research Students or to any property belonging to Research Students, at any time while conducting said research, whether caused by the actions or negligence of Research Students, or the actions or negligence of the college, or any third parties, or otherwise.

Submit an OUR Research Grant Application

Download, review, fill out, and sign the form, which must then be submitted to the OUR for review.

Download the Research Grant Application (PDF)

For questions about the application, contact the Office of Undergraduate Research.