Career Guidance for Trainees

Application Files

Please see the Request for Proposals for complete eligibility requirements.
Application Instructions

Progress Reporting

Due Date: As stated in the contract

Progress and financial reports are required for all BWF grants. These reports let us know how your pilot project worked and help us understand how we might make our programs better. Our advisory committees, Board of Directors, and staff count on timely reports. Late reports set back our annual work cycle and are a considerable inconvenience. Please get yours in on time. The program officer is happy to talk with you if you have concerns about the process, or if you would like insight into how to write about elements of your project that may have gone differently than planned. She can be reached at vmcgovern@bwfund.org or 919-991-5112.

BWF has provided Progress Report Guidelines to assist in the preparation and submission of Progress Reports. Institutions must provide a 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. Failure to submit progress or financial reports in a timely fashion will result in deferment of payments and/or termination of funding.

General

Is the BWF application deadline firm?
Yes.

Do I need to submit a Letter of Intent/Pre-proposal prior to beginning an application?
No. BWF does not require a letter of intent or pre-proposal prior to beginning an application for this program.

Can I change my application once submitted?
No. Once your application is submitted, it cannot be changed.

Can Letters of Support be sent separately?
No. Letters of Support must be converted to PDF files and uploaded to the application for electronic submission by the deadline date. An application can only be submitted when it is complete. This means when all attachments are uploaded, including the Letters of Support, and data entry is complete.

Are there examples of the type of project/proposal that BWF has supported?
A list of CGT funded proposals is available at www.bwfund.org. Because we receive many more good applications than we can support, this list should not be taken as representing “what BWF is looking for”.

If I have questions about a particular program guideline or trouble with the electronic application, whom do I contact for help?
Questions regarding whether the proposal falls within the scope of the program may be directed to the senior program officer, Victoria McGovern, Ph.D., 919-991-5112. For questions regarding electronic application issues, contact the program associate, Muno Sekhon by email.

Is the CGT award for individual investigators doing biomedical research projects?
No. The CGT award is an institutional award supporting demonstration projects that will model affordable approaches to improving trainees’ readiness for stable, fulfilling careers.

May previous awardees apply again?
Yes, individuals and institutions associated with successful proposals from the first round of CGT may be involved in proposals submitted in this round, but continuations or extensions of earlier-funded proposals will not be considered.

Will continuations or extensions of earlier-funded CGT programs be considered in this round of funding?
No. Continuations or extensions of earlier-funded proposals will not be considered in this round of CGT funding.

Eligibility

Potential applicants are always encouraged to contact the program officer, Victoria McGovern, directly at 919-991-5112 or vmcgovern@bwfund.org to talk more specifically about proposals.

Is there an eligibility quiz that I must take?
No, please refer to eligibility information on this website.

What type of Institution/Organization can apply to this program?
Single-institution partnerships should be discussed with the program officer Victoria McGovern, Ph.D., by email or by phone 919-991-5112. At typical institutions, partnerships between, for example, departments of biochemistry and cell biology would not be allowed, but partnerships between departments of immunology and rhetoric, or cell biology and finance, would.

How many proposals may a degree-granting institution or other science-focused non-profit in the U.S. or Canada submit?
A degree-granting institution or other science-focused non-profit in the U.S. or Canada may submit multiple proposals. An individual may only be involved as a director or co-director on one application.

If I have a question about my eligibility for this program, whom can I contact for help?
For answers to eligibility issues not covered in the FAQs, please contact Victoria McGovern, Ph.D., by email or by phone 919-991-5112.

Accessing the Application

Do I need to complete my application in one session?
No, you can start an application and return at a later time to complete the application. When beginning a new application, you are required to establish a log-in and password. At any time during the application process, you may click the "save and finish later" button, exit the application, and return at a later time.

Logistics

I forgot my user id and/or password. What should I do?
For a forgotten password or user ID, visit the BWF grant application system and click the forgotten password link.

How are attachments submitted?
All attachments must be submitted as one PDF file and uploaded to the online application in the following order:

1. Proposal (five page limit)
2. CV of Applicant
3. CV of Co-Director(s)
4. Letters of Support
5. Timeline and Plan for the Proposed Project (two page limit)

If I’m having trouble with the electronic application, whom can I contact for help?
For questions with the electronic application, please contact Muno Sekhon via email.

Terms of Award

Can any portion of the award be used for salary or fringe benefits?
Yes. This must be explained and justified in the justification section of the budget.

Are indirect costs allowed?
No. Indirect costs may not be charged against the grant.

When will I be notified as to whether I have been selected to receive an award?
Awardees will be notified by the last week of May. Before the grant is made, successful applicant partner organizations will develop and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with one another to formalize their understanding and agreement about how their partnerships will work.