Research Grant Program

Grant Eligibility

Applicants are not required to be individual NIRSA members, however all research must be conducted at or for a NIRSA member institution. Applications from students must be supported by faculty sponsors who have agreed to oversee the proposed research. Research proposals should relate and contribute to the advancement and practice in the field of campus recreation. Proposals should focus on the priorities identified in the NIRSA Strategic Framework.

Application Procedures

Proposals must include the following with a maximum page limit of 10 pages, single spaced (see suggested page lengths for each section below), and should be emailed to nirsa.research@nirsa.org.

1. Cover page: Include the study title and name, address, phone number, email, and institution of the principal investigator (PI). If the PI is a student, include the same information for the sponsor.
2. Introduction and Problem Statement [up to 1 page]
3. Research Questions, Objectives, and Hypotheses [up to 1 page]
4. Connection to NIRSA Research Agenda/Strategic Plan [up to 1 page]
5. Literature Review [up to 2 pages]
6. Methods [up to 2 pages]: i) Participants; ii) Apparatus/Materials; iii) Procedure
   Please note if the survey methods will involve a request to use NIRSA member data, these policies must be followed.
7. Timeline [up to 1 page]
8. Research Team Qualifications [up to 1 page]: For each team member include a brief bio. The roles, responsibilities, and contributions of each team member should be included.
9. Budget [up to 1 page]: Use the worksheet linked below to prepare an itemized budget that includes a rationale for each expense. Funding is allowed for the following: direct costs of conducting the research, including purchase of instrumentation, transcription, travel to conduct the research, participation incentives, and funding for faculty and student pay (funding for faculty and student pay should not exceed one third of the total budget and not include the costs of tuition or student fees).

Proposal Review Process

1. All materials must be submitted electronically to nirsa.research@nirsa.org. To be considered for selection, proposals must be received by the submission deadline.
2. Applicants will receive a confirmation email for their submission. Complete and eligible applications will be forwarded to the Recreational Sports Journal Editorial Board for further review.
3. The committee will review the proposals and will forward their recommendations to the NIRSA Executive Director, who will select the final grant recipients.
4. Grant awards are announced at the completion of the review process. All applicants will be notified.

Funding Process

Upon being awarded, the researcher must return a signed letter of acceptance and include payment information. 70% of the grant will be awarded upon acceptance. In order to receive the remaining 30%, the following must be fulfilled by the researcher:

1. A final budget
2. The final payment will be adjusted based on the actual funds used for the project. Any unused funds previously received by the researcher must be returned.
3. A manuscript submission to the Recreational Sports Journal
4. A presentation proposal for a NIRSA-sponsored session, either in-person or virtual. Examples include a webinar or other online learning, the NIRSA Annual Conference, etc.
5. An executive summary that NIRSA can share with its members.

All research must be completed within 2 years of award date unless an alternate timeline is arranged between the researcher and NIRSA.