| 1. | The RFI says that the goal of the next phase is: 1) Understanding the specific functional roles of community members (“who’s doing what”); 2) Identifying ecologically relevant functional interactions within microbial communities (“who’s interacting with whom”); 3) Identifying the mechanisms by which a changing environment affects both microbial community structure and function (“how does the environment affect them and vice versa?”). Does my idea have to address all three of these points? |
| No, but ideas that tackle at least some of the complex interactions and feedback loops that connect community structure, function, and environmental conditions are of particular interest. |
| 2. | The RFI says that suggestions of emerging technologies, methods, and new theory whose development would significantly advance the broad field of environmental microbial ecology are also welcome, but the first phase of the initiative was restricted to marine systems. Must my idea have a direct link to marine microbial ecosystems? |
| No. Ideas for technologies, theoretical advances, computational approaches, or methods that would be transformative to the study of microbial ecology can be proposed even if the model system is not marine. However, the idea summary should make clear why achieving its goals would significantly advance microbial ecology in general, including for marine systems. |
| 3. | The RFI calls for ideas that are bold but not impossible, and requires a statement as to why the idea is unlikely to be funded now through conventional government funding mechanisms. My idea has been rejected for funding—does that mean I should submit it to GBMF? |
| Not necessarily. GBMF is looking specifically for projects that are unlikely to receive funding through conventional funding mechanisms because they are interdisciplinary, remain at an early stage, have been deemed too risky, or do not fit easily into any one funding agency’s mission or program structure. Research proposals that were designed to be responsive to a federal agency request for proposals but failed to receive funding may not be competitive or aligned with GBMF goals. |
| 4. | The RFI says that the idea summary is a first step in a multi-step process, and that authors proposing synergistic ideas will be encouraged to collaborate on project development. What does that mean? |
| GMBF hopes that many of the ideas submitted will be synergistic or complementary—for example, ideas that tackle similar questions in different environments, ideas that ask different questions about the same environment, or ideas proposing technological or theoretical advances that could be applicable across many systems. When such projects are identified, GBMF will facilitate communication among authors to explore the potential for collaboration. |
| 5. | *NEW* My research idea is inter-disciplinary in nature but I have not yet identified a collaborator. Should I submit an idea summary as a single investigator or find a collaborator now? |
| While MMI defers to your judgment, there will be an opportunity to form collaborative teams for projects MMI chooses to pursue further – a process that MMI can assist with at the appropriate time next year. However, your idea summary submission may benefit now from co-authorship with colleagues from other disciplines. |
| 6. | *NEW* I’m leading a team and we have identified another team (or multiple teams) whose idea(s) synergizes with ours. Can we couple our submissions? |
| We encourage multiple teams or investigators to coordinate synergistic approaches toward addressing major questions. In each idea summary, please refer to the other coupled idea summary(ies) by indicating the lead submittor. Please keep in mind that each idea summary must still comply with all of the criteria specified in the RFI to be fully considered. Given space limitations, you do not need to go into detail on the potential synergies or discuss the other projects in your two-page submission. |
| 7. | I am working on a very interesting, but very complicated ecosystem. With GBMF support, it would be possible in five years to characterize 'who is there' and gather enough data about temporal, physical, and chemical parameters to begin to address complex questions. Is such an idea likely to be successful? |
| No. To make significant progress in the next five years toward understanding complex ecosystem function, the next phase of the initiative is likely to focus on ecosystems where there has already been significant progress toward characterizing these basic parameters. |
| 8. | The RFI says that GBMF is particularly interested in ideas focused on ecosystems in which it is possible to design and carry out laboratory and/or field experiments. That is not currently possible in the ecosystem I study. Is such an idea likely to be successful? |
| Priority will be given to ideas where a cycle of observation, modeling/hypothesis development, and experimentation can be applied to advance understanding. Where experimentation is not possible, the idea summary should address how understanding can be advanced in its absence. |
| 9. | My idea would be much more likely to be successful if a certain technology, theory, tool, or method were developed, but I do not have the expertise to develop it. Should I propose my idea anyway? |
| Yes. GBMF may be able to identify collaborators with the appropriate expertise and may be willing to fund development of the needed technology, theory, method, or tool. |
| 10. | *NEW* Does the instruction that GBMF excludes support for “infrastructure and facilities” mean that I should not submit an idea summary to build or develop a new instrument? |
| No. Idea summaries pertaining to engineering innovative technologies are encouraged. “Infrastructure and facilities” refers to the construction of new buildings or the renovation of facilities, which are projects beyond MMI’s capability to support. |
| 11. | Can a project combine empirical, theoretical, and methodological or technology development approaches (i.e. integrate theory and data)? |
| Yes, integrative approaches and collaborations are encouraged. |
| 12. | Is there a specific format for the application? |
| The RFI details the requirements that need to be addressed in the two-page maximum idea summary. The biographical sketch should use the format shown here. |
| 13. | Can new investigators and junior faculty submit a response to this RFI? |
| Yes, as long as they meet the criteria listed in the response to the question below. To be competitive they must have demonstrated the successful launch of an independent research program and have published in top-tier journals. |
| 14. | What are the qualifications for individuals submitting idea summaries? |
| Submitters of ideas must be working at an institution that has a record of external research funding and the individual must have an appointment that permits them to submit proposals. Individuals may be employed by academic, private, or government entities. |
| 15. | Can I submit more than one idea summary? |
| Individuals can participate in a maximum of two idea summaries. They can be the lead on only ONE idea summary (single investigator or collaborative team), but can also participate in a second idea summary as a co-lead for a collaborative team proposal. An individual can also participate in a maximum of TWO collaborative idea summaries as a co-lead. All lead and/or co-lead submitters must meet the criteria outlined in the RFI and in the response to the question above. |
| 16. | How many co-leads can there be on a team submitting an idea summary? |
| There is no limit to the number of co-leads that can participate on a team submission, assuming they meet the criteria outlined in the RFI (also see response to aforementioned question), and their roles are clearly defined. |
| 17. | Am I eligible to submit an idea summary if I work for the private or government sector? |
| Yes, assuming that the criteria outlined in the RFI and for individuals submitting ideas are met. |
| 18. | Will applications be accepted from researchers in any country? |
| Yes. GBMF aims to fund the best ideas, wherever they originate, and encourages non-US scientists to submit idea summaries. |
| 19. | Can graduate students or postdoctoral fellows submit a response to this RFI? |
| No. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows do not typically have appointments at institutions that enable them to submit proposals, and therefore they cannot serve as leads or co-leads on a submission. |
| 20. | How do I edit a previously submitted idea summary? |
| Once the idea summary is submitted, it cannot be edited. Please ensure all of the criteria spelled out in the RFI are addressed prior to submission. |
| 21. | I submitted my idea summary, but did not receive a confirmation. How do I find out if my idea was received? |
| You should receive an email confirmation that your idea summary has been received by GBMF within three working days. If you do not receive this confirmation, please contact mmi.rfi@moore.org. |
| 22. | What is the anticipated schedule for the review process? |
| Please see the RFI for the timeline. GBMF expects to notify all submitters by February 2011 whether or not their idea has been selected for further exploration. |
| 23. | Will my ideas be treated in strict confidence? |
| Yes. GBMF staff and external advisers have signed confidentiality agreements and the intellectual property of the proposer will be protected. |
| 24. | Will there be a public announcement of the idea summaries selected? |
| No, the idea summaries are confidential. Each submitter will be contacted by email to let them know whether or not their idea summary was chosen for further exploration. |
| 25. | Will I be funded following submission of a response to the RFI? |
| Not necessarily. The RFI is the first step in a multi-step process. As outlined in the RFI, GBMF, with advice from external reviewers, will select a subset of the ideas for further exploration. Authors of ideas selected for further exploration may or may not be asked to submit a formal proposal. Submission of a formal proposal also does not guarantee funding, as a review process will be carried out prior to development of grants that will then require GBMF Board of Trustees approval. |
| 26. | What are GBMF’s policies and procedures for making grants (e.g. allowable budget items, indirect cost rate, payment schedules, etc.)? |
| The idea summaries are not proposals, and therefore details of GBMF’s policies and procedures are not needed to develop them. If an author’s idea is chosen for further exploration, these types of questions will be addressed at that time. For the purpose of scaling the costs of an idea, consider that GBMF typically supports salaries, operations, equipment, travel, etc. typical of most governmental funding agencies. |
| 27. | What is the process once an idea summary has been selected for further exploration? |
| GBMF utilizes a variety of grant making approaches (support of team-based research projects, single investigator awards, community resources, convening activities) and anticipates developing projects based on the selected idea summaries using a similar toolkit. GBMF will work with selected authors further to ascertain alignment with the Foundation’s goals and pursue development of proposals using one or more of the following potential mechanisms: Foster development of collaborative pre-proposals from teams with synergistic ideas; and/or Initiate a competitive pre-proposal process (if there are a large number of strong competing ideas); and/or Solicit proposals based on specific idea summaries (e.g. unique ideas aligned with GBMF goals).
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| 28. | Whom can I contact with further questions? |
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