Progress and Financial Reporting

Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (CASI)

The submission process and format for Progress Reporting have changed to an electronic method. Please read the instructions below carefully.

Annual Progress Report Guidelines

Sections of the Progress Report

Note: CASI annual progress reports covering the period ending June 30, 2008, are due by August 1.  A letter from your sponsor, or the Sponsor’s Annual Letter of Evaluation abbreviated form, is part of the progress report and is due by the same date.  Failure to submit both portions of the report by the due date will result in an interruption of your funds.  Please assure that your report is received by August 1, since late reports inconvenience advisory committee reviewers. 

The CASI annual progress report has six (6) parts:

• Cover Sheet
• Progress Summary [not to exceed three (3) pages, using a minimum of 11-point type]
• Sponsor's Letter of Evaluation
• Abbreviated Biosketch
• Publications
• Financial Report

Specific instructions for each section of the report follows:

I. Cover Sheet: The Cover Sheet may be completed on line. To begin, 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.  When you are finished, convert the document to a Portable Document Format (PDF) file and submit it with your report.

The Cover Sheet for your progress report 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 due
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.  Brief (< 300 words) summary of your research written to be understood by a multidisciplinary audience.

2.  Specific Aims.  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 for the Forthcoming 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 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.

6.  Other activities and award administration.

A.   If you moved to 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 period.

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 all 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. The current NIH scale is:

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 (excluding no cost extensions), 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's Letter of Evaluation: It is your responsibility to have your sponsor write a letter summarizing your research and career growth during the period, or use the Sponsor’s Annual Letter of Evaluation abbreviated form 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. Attach Publications:  Include copies of any publications submitted or published during the reporting period. Publications must 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 on line, using the form provided, by the institutional financial officer. The report should contain the typed name of both the awardee and the institutional officer completing the report. Original signatures are not required, only the typed names. It is important that the "Balance" amounts in both columns (Fiscal Year and Cumulative to Date) are equal. If you submitted a Financial Report last year, the information provided in that report should be used to calculate the Cumulative to Date figures.

Please read all instructions provided below. The Financial Report may be submitted under separate cover as a PDF file, to casi.progress@bwfund.org.

Instructions for completing and submitting the on-line form:

1. Determine your system software. Adobe Reader is widely used because it is free software (easily downloadable from http://www.adobe.com) which allows you to complete the form on line and print the form, convert it to PDF format and email it to BWF. Adobe Acrobat is purchased software required to manage 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.
2. 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.
3. With "Acrobat" software, 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 and must print the form and follow step 2 above. If you email this form without Acrobat software, it will email a blank form and you will lose your data.
4. To complete the on-line Financial Report form click on the 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. Subtotal fields in both columns will automatically calculate as you enter the relevant numerical data. Remember the "Balance" in both columns should be equal.

Report Format

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

Submit your entire Progress Report in PDF via email to casi.progress@bwfund.org by August 1. If you have questions, please contact Debi Vought at 919/991-5116, or dvought@bwfund.org.

Alternatively, you may send your Progress Report via CD for receipt by August 1 to:

For delivery by express courier service:
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Career Awards at the Scientific Interface
21 T. W. Alexander Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709
Telephone: 919/991-5100

For delivery by U.S. Postal Service:
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Career Awards at the Scientific Interface
Post Office Box 13901
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709-3901