Anti-Racism Grant Frequently Asked Questions
Updated January 22, 2021
FUNDING AMOUNT
How much is the 2021 Anti-Racism Grant award pool?
A total of $50,000 is available to be awarded to one or more top proposals.
Will this be the only opportunity to be awarded an Anti-Racism Grant?
We are pursuing additional funding for this initiative, and so we may seek project proposals in the future if additional funding opportunities become available, whether through the SIOP Foundation or other sources to which we have access.
Is there a budget proposal range for the projects?
Currently, $50,000 is available for this round of Anti-Racism Grants, and SIOP intends to fully fund as many top-rated proposals as possible. There is no suggested budget total for grant proposals. Grant proposal budgets can be submitted for up to the maximum currently available ($50,000). If the winning proposal requested $50,000, then the full amount would be awarded to that project team. If the winners requested less than that amount, then the Anti-Racism Grant Subcommittee will determine how best to divide the remaining funds amongst the remaining finalists while also fully funding each winner’s proposal. In addition, the subcommittee may recommend additional funding sources. It is acceptable to note that you are open to partial funding (specifying the minimum amount that is needed), but the intent is to provide full funding to the SIOP portion of selected project(s).
PROJECT & PROJECT TEAM COMPOSITION
Is there a suggested timeline for completion of the project work that will be funded by the Anti-Racism Grant?
The SIOP funded portion of the entire project should be completable with the total Anti-Racism Grant funding received within one year’s time, preferably less.
Is it permissible to apply for a grant for a project on which the research has already begun but no expenses have been incurred?
Yes, this is acceptable.
Can the project comprise multiple studies?
Yes, there are many ways to approach the project(s) that may be funded by Anti-Racism Grants. The topics and type of projects are discussed more in depth in the Call for Project Proposals, and both qualitative and quantitative work is welcome.
Is a multi-phase proposal (with potential for further funding for future phases) acceptable?
Yes. In your proposal we recommend clearly defining the content of the SIOP-funded portion of the overall project.
Could a proposal for conducting a purely qualitative study be submitted or should all research-based submissions include at least some quantitative methodology?
We urge you to present what you believe to be the most persuasive case for your project. As stated in the call for proposals, both qualitative and quantitative projects are encouraged. Thus, a well-designed qualitative study could be a great candidate for this grant. We recommend that you propose methods that best align with the purposes of your project.
Do all team members of a grant application have to be SIOP members?
The director of the project must be a SIOP Fellow, Member, or Associate. Proposals submitted by a Student Affiliate or any other person as the project director must include an endorsement from a SIOP Fellow or Member, preferably the student's academic advisor or Milton Hakel, SIOP Foundation President or any Foundation Trustee, indicating support for the person’s preparedness, ability to lead and conduct the proposed work, etc.
The focus of the grant program is on race issues in the United States. Does this also mean the Project Director must be based in the US? Or are international applicants also allowed to apply if the project is of relevance to the US?
As is the case for all SIOP awards, there is no requirement that the Project Director be based in the US. International applicants are allowed to apply if the project is of relevance to the US.
Junior investigator status - the 2021 Call for Project Proposals announces that $10,000 is reserved for junior investigators, that is, project directors or other staff members who are new PhDs or graduate students. How is this status to be documented?
This provision is intended to encourage submissions by persons who are less that five years beyond the terminal degree – note this status if relevant in the key staff bio.
APPLICATION PREPARATION
My IRB is not very active right now. Do I need formal approval from them before applying for the Anti-Racism Grant?
Per the Call for Project Proposals, “all project directors who receive a grant must certify, by signature or other means (e.g., institutional review board or signed statement), that the project will be carried out in compliance with accepted professional and ethical standards concerning the treatment of human participants.” It is expected that although IRB approval may not be able to be acquired in short order prior to submitting the application, the project(s) winning grant funding will need to ensure the participant team members all have approval to proceed.
How in-depth should the project plan be?
We recommend being as thorough as possible (within the 10-page limitation) to describe the project to reviewers, as well as to demonstrate prior successes within this area of research or activity.
Is the "Anticipated Project Outcomes" section supposed to discuss implications of study findings, or outcomes such as "journal publication"?
Yes, as appropriate to the overall purpose of the project and the intended audience of users and organizations. This section should also explain how the project could contribute to the elimination or reduction of racial discrimination in the workplace.
Is the 10 page limit inclusive of the abstract, biographies, timeline, and/or budget?
The abstract is included in the 10-page limit. Tables, references, and appendices are not included in the 10-page limit. Biographies can be placed in an appendix. Depending on the nature of your proposed project, aspects of the timeline and budget could appear in a table or possibly in an appendix.
Can I send you my proposal and/or receive advice about its viability before submission?
SIOP volunteers and staff cannot comment on the viability of proposals prior to submission. You are encouraged to review the Call for Project Proposals carefully to determine if your idea is a match for this program.
How do I submit a project proposal for the Anti-Racism Grant?
Please log in to submit your proposal HERE. You may wish to also view the Quick Reference Guide found HERE to assist as you complete the application process in our awards software.
REVIEW PROCESS
How will the grant winner(s) be selected?
A subcommittee of reviewers will receive the proposals and rate them on the Criteria for Evaluation of Project Proposals as outlined in the Call for Project Proposals. Reviewers will provide numerical ratings and then convene to discuss the outcome of the ratings and make the grant selection from the top-rated applications.
How is the Anti-Racism Grant awards subcommittee selected?
The subcommittee chair invites potential subcommittee members. The subcommittee will consist of a mix of academic and practitioners and the majority of subcommittee members should have expertise in diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism research and practice. Diversity of all types is encouraged, including non-U.S. based members. Additionally, once the submission period has ended, a list of nominees/team members for all of the proposals will be sent to the subcommittee members. The subcommittee members will be asked to indicate if they have any conflicts of interest and may have to recuse themselves from the panel in accordance with the Conflict-of-Interest Policy for SIOP Awards.
GRANT NOTIFICIATON AND FOLLOW UP
Will feedback be provided to submitted non-winning grant applications?
Given the speed at which this grant program is moving and the expected high volume of applications, we do not anticipate being able to provide developmental feedback to applicants.
If a grant is received, is there a grant application process that the researcher will need to complete, will we need to report findings at some point, etc. If so, when will these deliverables be due?
There are no additional SIOP-required applications that winners of the Anti-Racism Grant would need to complete. At the end of the project, a completed report and financial statement will need to be provided to the SIOP Foundation to share and summarize results and document how the funds were spent.
I have applied for a SIOP Small Grant but am also interested in the Anti-Racism Grant. Is this grant under the same constrictions that one person cannot receive two SIOP grants in the same cycle? If I received an Anti-Racism Grant, would it automatically disqualify me from the SIOP Small Grant I applied for?
SIOP guidelines state that a person cannot be involved in multiple proposals for the same grant program in the same cycle. You may, however, apply for more than one type of grant. Therefore, a proposal for the Anti-Racism Grant will not impact your eligibility for a SIOP Small Grant.
This question is in regard to the statement: In addition, grant recipients must acknowledge that intellectual property resulting from the project will be owned by the SIOP Foundation and be available through a Creative Commons ShareAlike 4.0 license.
That sentence has been updated and given more context in the following paragraph: In addition, grant recipients must acknowledge that intellectual property resulting from the project is to be available to the public as widely and generally as possible, consistent with the evolving standards for open science. If the project requires measures that are the intellectual property of others, the project director should indicate that rights to use the measures have been obtained. If the project is funded from additional sources, then the proposal must specify expectations for final disposition and rights of any resulting intellectual property, or agree that the intellectual property will be owned by the SIOP Foundation and be available through a Creative Commons ShareAlike 4.0 license.
Questions about the SIOP Foundation Anti-Racism Grants and the initial grant competition should be emailed to siopfoundation@siop.org. Answers will be posted here.