CRADLE: CREATIVE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
DEVELOPMENT AND ENRICHMENT

The Office of the Provost and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs coordinate the Creative Research Activities Development and Enrichment (CRADLE) initiative. Up to 10 fellows may participate for two years. Preference is given to applicants entering years 2-5 of a tenure-track appointment.

Purpose
CRADLE aims to develop competitive external proposals to support multiyear research projects and creative activities. Fellows will receive assistance from both internal and external consultants to improve their grantsmanship and to plan and to develop superior research programs and creative activities. They will articulate a 5-year career development plan that incorporates proven strategies for developing and funding their projects.

The Award
Fellows will receive a $5K summer stipend to focus on this program, half to be paid the summer between the first and second years and the other half at the end of the second year. They will also receive a $1K travel supplement. Fellows will receive group and individual training with grants consultant David Bauer over the two-year period as well as assistance from the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

The Program
Fellows contract with the Office of the Provost and ORSP to participate fully in the Initiative as follows:

September/October, Year 1

• Attend intensive two-part grants seminar
• Participate in an individual interview with an outside grants consultant to clarify their proposal agenda and professional development plan (PDP)

December, Year 1

• Participate in an hour-long individual interview with the grants consultant to review progress on the PDP
• Develop a project outline for approval as potentially fundable by the grants consultant
• Identify three top scholars in the field who might be approached for proposal review

April/May, Year 1

• Participate in an hour-long individual interview with the grants consultant to review and adapt strategies on the PDP
• Establish phone or email contact with at least one scholar who will serve as a proposal mentor
• Refine white paper into 5-10 page scope-of-work
• Identify potential funding sources and develop letters of inquiry, making site visits to top scholars and funding sources as necessary

Summer/Early Fall, Year 2

• Develop a full proposal for submission to a funding source
• Have the proposal reviewed by the proposal mentor
• Have the proposal reviewed and approved by the grants consultant
• Make site visits to top scholars and sponsors as necessary

September/October, Year 2

• Participate in an hour-long individual interview with the grants consultant
• Participate in a half-day seminar on Forming Productive Groups and Teams and a half-day seminar on Quality Circles*
• Refine and submit proposals not submitted in the summer

*participants will be expected to put their proposals through a quality circle improvement exercise and to assist other CRADLE Fellows by acting as participant reviewers or as a quality circle leader

December, Year 2

• Participate in an hour-long individual interview with the grants consultant
• Discuss proposal reviews/feedback as received
• Refine and resubmit proposals for funding

April/May, Year 2

• Participate in an hour-long individual interview with the grants consultant
• Discuss proposal reviews/feedback as received
• Refine and resubmit proposals for funding

September/October, Year 3

• Participate in hour-long individual interview with the grants consultant
• Discuss proposal reviews/feedback as received
• Refine and submit proposals for funding