invitation rfp

Guidelines: One original and ten copies of all materials (including any
appendices) must be submitted by mail and postmarked by December 1, 2004.
In addition, please submit an electronic copy of the cover sheet and budget summary sheets in Microsoft Excel and all other application materials in Microsoft Word on a cd-rom or by email to: SpiritualCapital@metanexus.net. This would include the detailed research agenda, as well as all other required documents.

Content: The following is a description of submission items that will be required
for all full proposals:

1. Cover Sheet
2. Executive Summary – Statement of objectives, methods, and expected
   impact (1 page ONLY, bullet point format preferred).
3. Names and CV’s of the Principal Investigator, who will be
   responsible for the leadership of all program activities, and the co-investigators participating in the project.
4. A research agenda that builds on existing work in social capital,
   economics of religion, economic growth and development and other
   related fields. The proposal must discuss how the proposed research
   relates to the relevant scholarly literature and then makes a distinctive contribution to spiritual capital research. Please limit to no more than 25 pages.
5. Demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, including
   an explanation of the range and levels of involvement of scholars and researchers within the following disciplines: economics, sociology, anthropology, political science, theology, psychology, history, religious studies and business.
6. An educational program of seminars, lecture series, and public events designed to communicate the significance of spiritual capital to the
   university community.
7. Activities to build networks of scholarship such as sponsoring sessions
   at professional society meetings or organizing local conferences that
   will include some of the recipients of the open, RFP research grants.
8. A 30- month summarized timeline for activities (1 page).
9. Communications strategy to secure publicity and published articles in distinguished journals and magazines with broad reach such as the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New Republic, and others.
10. A detailed budget plus a budget justification narrative.
11. Supplemental materials.
12. Willingness of the principal investigator to serve as a judge in a
    subsequent round of an open invitation for $150,000 Spiritual Capital research grants.
13. Professional biography of the Principal Investigator written in the third person and suitable for publication.
14. A 200 - 400 word description of the project suitable for publication.

Page Limits: Please adhere to the page limits described above.

Cover Sheet: Please fill out the cover sheet and attach it to the top of the proposal. The cover sheet can be downloaded here. This form was created in a Microsoft Excel format and you should feel free to adjust this template by adding or deleting lines according to your organization’s needs when answering our request for information.

Budget Summary Sheet: Please copy the budget summary sheet and create a budget summary for each 12-month period and the final 6-month period by indicating the dates of the proposed funding period (i.e. 3/1/05 – 2/28/06) at the top of the sheet. The budget summary sheet can be downloaded here. This form was created in a Microsoft Excel format and you should feel free to adjust this template by adding or deleting lines according to your organization’s needs when answering our request for information.

It is also required that you create a CUMULATIVE budget summary for the 30-month period and a narrative budget justification. Please explain the costs associated with each line item from the CUMULATIVE budget summary only (you do not have to justify each 12 month period separately). There is no page limit but you are encouraged to be succinct.

The application must include a request for funds for the principal investigator or a co-investigator to attend two conferences in the Philadelphia area for project discussion. One conference will be in early 2006 and the other will be in early 2007. You should budget approximately $800 per investigator, per conference. Other members of the research team may also attend for the same cost but at least one of the group, preferably the principal investigator, must attend.

Supplemental Materials: This section is created for all other relevant information that you may wish to submit for consideration. You may include brochures from programs your organization runs, website addresses that your organization manages, supplementary material on those who will be performing this work, research articles that demonstrate your knowledge of the target audience and their interests, or any other relevant materials not detailed above.

Grant Award: Three proposals will be approved and awarded a $500,000 grant for a period of 30 months. Approval may be contingent upon minor adjustments to the proposal before the final award letter is sent out. The award letter will stipulate all terms and conditions of payment. All applicants will be notified of their status by January 18, 2005, and approved projects will commence March 1, 2005.