General
Recommendation Letters
Research Plan

Are the BWF application deadlines firm?

Yes, both the preproposal and the full application deadlines are firm.

Do I need to submit a preproposal application prior to submitting a full application?

Yes. All applicants to the program must submit a preproposal application first. Everyone who submits a preproposal will not necessarily be submitting a full application. Preproposals will be reviewed by the Regulatory Science Advisory Committee and selected candidates will be invited to submit a full application.

Can I submit a full application without having submitted a preproposal application?

No.

Can I submit a paper application?

No. BWF requires that all applications for this program be submitted electronically. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Can I submit more than one application?

No.

Do I need to be nominated by my institution to submit a full application?

You do not need to be nominated, but you do need to obtain approval from your institution. All full applications must be approved by an official responsible for sponsored programs at the institution where the work will be performed (generally from the institution’s grants and contracts office, office of research, or sponsored programs office). Institutional approval is indicated by including a completed, signed Institutional Certification Form (ICF) as part of the combined PDF file attached to your application.

I have changed institutions since submitting my preproposal application. Can I change the institution on the full application to my new institution?

No. The institution submitted in the preproposal and in the full application must be the same. Invitations to submit a full application are based on the information submitted in the preproposal. If you moved to a new institution after submitting the preproposal application, you cannot submit a full application, even if you've been invited to do so.  Please contact BWF immediately.

When will I be notified as to whether I have been selected to submit a full application?

Applicants who submitted preproposals will be notified via email by February 28, 2013, as to whether they have been selected to submit a full application.

When will I be notified as to whether I have been selected for an interview?

Applicants who are selected for an interview will be notified by May 31, 2013. Interviews will be conducted June 25 or 26, 2013.

No.  Invitations to submit a full application are based on the information submitted in the preproposal.  The investigators are an important part of this consideration, thus cannot be changed for the full application.

Can letters of collaboration be included in the full application?

No, letters of collaboration are not part of the full application. If extra materials such as collaboration letters are included, your application will be rejected out of fairness to other applicants.

What is an e-signature?

BWF considers an electronic signature (or e-signature) to be either an image of a person’s actual signature (a scanned signature) or an official digital signature. Typing a person’s name or initials into a form is not acceptable.

I am a permanent resident. What documentation is required to verify my residency status?

To whom should my recommendation letters be addressed?

Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the Regulatory Science Advisory Committee and must be uploaded to your application by the letter writer prior to submission by the deadline. Faxed, emailed, or hard copy letters will not be accepted.

A signature block is found at the end of a letter and includes the letter writer’s name, title(s), departments(s), and institution. It is usually found just after the closing of the letter (e.g., just after the word ‘Sincerely,’ or ‘Yours truly,’) and just under the letter writer’s signature. Here’s an example of a signature block:

Jane Smith, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Physics
ABC University

Two confidential recommendation letters are required and must be submitted with your full application.  Since the letters must remain confidential, the recommender must upload his/her own letter, as a PDF file, directly into your application before the application deadline. For detailed instructions on how to request a confidential letter from a recommender, see Applicant Instructions for Requesting a Confidential Letter.

Can letters of recommendation be sent separately?

No. Letters of recommendation must be converted to PDF files and uploaded by the letter writer prior to submission of the application. An application can only be submitted when it is complete; therefore, it is highly recommended that all recommendation letters be uploaded to the application a week before the deadline. Faxed, emailed, or hard copy letters will not be accepted.

For detailed instructions on how to request a confidential letter, see Applicant Instructions for Requesting a Confidential Letter. For help with troubleshooting problems with this process, see Troubleshooting the Confidential Letters Process. If you’re still experiencing difficulties after reviewing these two documents, contact Debi Vought, Senior Program Associate, by email or phone at 919-991-5116.

My recommender is having trouble uploading his/her confidential letter to my application. What should I do?

For detailed instructions on how to upload a confidential letter, see Recommender Instructions for Uploading a Confidential Letter. For help with troubleshooting problems with this process, see Troubleshooting the Confidential Letters Process. If your recommender is still experiencing difficulties after reviewing these two documents, ask him/her to contact Debi Vought, Senior Program Associate, by email or phone at 919-991-5116.

Is there a form provided for the research plan?

No.

Are previously submitted research plans available as samples?

No. BWF considers all submitted applications to be the property of the applicant and therefore cannot make them available as samples.

Are there font or margin requirements for the research plan?

Yes. Use standard 11- or 12-point font for the text, and no smaller than 9- to 10-point font for figures, legends, and tables. Text must be single-spaced, with one-inch or larger margins on all sides.

If I want to include a bibliography with my research plan, does it count toward the six-page maximum?

No. (See Proposal Sections).

What about figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, pictures, images, etc., included in my research plan? Are they included in the six-page limit or can they be included separately?

All figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, pictures, images, etc., included in your research plan count toward the six-page limit for the plan.

Does a glossary count toward the six-page maximum of the research plan?

Glossaries do not count toward the page limit. Abbreviations should be limited in the text. However, glossaries of technical abbreviations and terms are acceptable and encouraged if they clarify the proposal to the general reader.

How serious are you about the page limit on the research plan?

You must stay within the set six-page limit or the application will be rejected.