Progress Reporting

Due Date:  October 1

Progress and financial reports are required of all BWF grants.  Advisory Committee and staff depend heavily upon progress and financial reports to evaluate progress.  Late reports inconvenience advisory committee reviewers and impede the Fund's evaluation of its programs.  Failure to submit progress or financial reports in a timely fashion will result in termination of funding.

BWF has provided Progress Report Guidelines to assist in the preparation and submission of Progress Reports in an acceptable manner.  Awardees must provide BWF with an annual progress report detailing scientific progress.  Institutions must provide an annual financial report.  Both reports must be submitted by the due date on forms that will be provided and according to the instructions below.  All PDF on-line forms and instructions referenced on this page can be accessed below.

No-Cost Extensions
No-cost extensions allow awardees to carry over unused funds beyond the original end date of the award through tenure review.  Progress and financial reports are required during the no-cost extension.  The same standards required during the award for progress and financial reports apply to the no-cost extension period.  BWF will request a return of all no-cost extension funds if progress report requirements and deadlines are not met.

Sections of the Progress Report

I. Cover Sheet
 

The Cover Sheet for your Progress Report (see below) may be completed on line and should contain the following information:

  1. BWF Request ID number for your grant
  2. Name of Awardee
  3. Current title
  4. Progress report period
  5. Date report submitted
  6. Project title
  7. Institution and Department
  8. Name of sponsor writing letter of evaluation
  9. The year of the award for which you are reporting
  10. Your position this year: postdoc, faculty member, or both.

II. Progress Summary
 

This section must not exceed three (3) pages, 11-point minimum font.

1.  Abstract.  Provide a brief (< 300 words) summary of your research written to be understood by a multidisciplinary audience.

2.  Specific Aims.  Provide a brief summary of the original goals of the proposal.

3.  Studies and Results (2 pages maximum).  Describe progress which has been made toward the original goals, and any changes from the proposed research plan. Point out what you have done that is important as well as your plans to publish it.

4.  Research Plan.  Provide a research plan for the upcoming year.

5.  Mentoring, Institutional Environment, and Career Development.

  • If you are a postdoctoral fellow, describe your progress toward independence as well as any obstacles you see.
  • Describe the mentoring environment, in terms of how your sponsor and institutional placement contributed to your research aims and development as a scientist.
  • If you have moved to a faculty position, briefly describe how the award has affected your placement, and identify any remaining obstacles. Describe also the population of students to whom you have access.
  • If you have been in a faculty position for more than three years, describe any issues that concern you as you approach your tenure evaluation.

6.  Other Activities and Award Administration.

A.   If you are obtaining a faculty appointment during the reporting period, or have accepted an offer, describe whether the position is tenure track and the institution's commitment to you (e.g., salary, laboratory start-up funds, laboratory/office space and equipment, and other ancillary support).

B.   List sources, terms, and amounts of other research support including institutional support.

C.   Indicate percent time allocated to research, teaching, administrative, and other activities.  Note:  Awardees must spend a minimum of 80% time engaged in research.  List course titles for any courses you are teaching, and indicate which student population you are reaching.  List any committees on which you served during the reporting year.

D.   List national or international meetings attended (do not use single letter abbreviations) at which you presented a paper, poster, or participated in another invited function.

E.   Because the Burroughs Wellcome Fund is committed to the career development of scientists early in their careers, BWF's policy is that postdoctoral fellows or trainees who are fully or partially supported by funds from your award must be given adequate salary and benefit support.  In addition, a mentoring and a career plan must be in place for each fellow or trainee supported fully or partially by BWF funds.  At minimum, benefits should include a health plan.  When graduate students are supported by this award a training and professional development plan must be in place.  Postdoctoral support must meet or exceed the National Research Service Award (NIH) scale appropriate to the trainee’s level.

List the name and degree of each postdoctoral fellow or trainee supported by funds from your BWF award and indicate their annual (12-month) salary.  By listing these individuals, you certify that an appropriate training and professional development plan is in place.

F. List names, degrees, and titles of any other students or fellows you have mentored during the past year, regardless of whether they received BWF support.

G. If you wish, comment on the Fund's award management and give any suggestions to improve the award structure.

7.  Final year essay.  If this is the progress report for the final year of your award, write a brief, informal paragraph describing your highest accomplishment, or the one you are most proud of, during your tenure as a career awardee.

III. Sponsor/Chairperson's Letter of Evaluation
 

 It is your responsibility to have your sponsor/chairperson write a letter summarizing your research and career growth during the period, or use the Sponsor’s Annual Letter of Evaluation  abbreviated form (see below) in place of the letter.  If you are a postdoctoral fellow, the sponsor is your mentor. If you are a faculty member, the sponsor is your department chair. The letter is due by the same date as the Progress Report. Convert the letter to a PDF file and submit it with your report.

IV. Abbreviated Biosketch
 

Include a brief, updated NIH-style biographical sketch. Indicate which papers were published during the term of the award with an "*" and indicate which papers are new for this reporting period with a "**."

V. Publications
 

Include copies of any publications, submitted or published, during the period. Publications should be submitted, by the due date, as individual PDF files.  The committee will expect to see BWF support acknowledged on all publications during the award period.

VI. Financial Report
 

The Financial Report must be completed by the institutional financial officer using the on-line form provided. The report should contain the typed name of both the awardee and the institutional officer completing the report. Original signatures are not required, only typed names. 

  • If you submitted a Financial Report last year, information provided in that report should be used to calculate the Cumulative to Date figures. 
  • The subtotal fields in both columns will automatically calculate as you enter the relevant numerical data.
  • The "Balance" in both the Fiscal Year and Cumulative to Date columns should be equal.  

The Financial Report may be submitted under separate cover, as a PDF file to casi.progress@bwfund.org.

Instructions for Completing the On-Line Forms:

  1. Determine your system software. Adobe Reader is widely used because it is free software (easily downloadable from (http://www.adobe.com) which will allow you to complete the form on line, print the form, convert it to PDF format, and email it to BWF. Adobe Acrobat is purchased software required to save PDF files. “Acrobat” allows you to complete the form on line, save the form and data to your system, and immediately email the PDF form to BWF.
    • With "Reader" software, print the form you just completed (do not use the Email button on the form). Convert the paper form to a PDF file by some electronic means and submit the PDF file to BWF via email to casi.progress@bwfund.org.
      • With "Acrobat" software, after completing the form, click the Email button and you will be prompted to save your file to your system. If you are not prompted, it is likely that you do not have the required software, must print the form and follow bullet one above. If you email this form without Acrobat software, it will email a blank form and you will lose your data.
  2. To complete the on-line forms, click on the first blank line and begin typing. To advance to the next line, press the keyboard "Tab" key until the form is completely filled out. Be sure to press the return key after the last entry to complete the process.   The subtotal fields will automatically calculate as you enter the relevant numerical data. 

Report Format

Number each subsection separately and use a minimum 11-point font size with one inch margins on all sides. Combine all subsections, including the cover sheet, into one PDF file. Submit publications, by the due date, as separate PDF files.  The Financial Report may also be submitted as a separate PDF file. 

Report Submission
 

Submit your entire Progress and Financial Report in PDF via email to casi.progress@bwfund.org by October 1. If you have questions, please contact Ruth Reynolds by email or phone 919-991-5129 or Rusty Kelley by email or phone 919/991-5120.

Alternately, you may send your Progress Report  and Financial Report via flashdrive or CD for receipt by October 1 to:

For delivery by express courier service:
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
CASI Progress/Financial Report
21 T. W. Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709
Telephone: 919/991-5100

For delivery by U.S. Postal Service:
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
CASI Progress/Financial Report
Post Office Box 13901
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709-3901

Forms and Instructions
Progress Report Cover Page
Annual Financial Report
CASI Sponsor Letter