PRF Grant Proposals to Be Accepted Online

The process for filing a grant proposal to the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (PRF) is about to get a little easier. Under a new system to be demonstrated at workshops during the Washington, D.C., national meeting, grant seekers will be able to file their applications online, saving time and expense.

Grant seekers using the new online tool, called Internet Submission Grant Applicant Manager, will submit their entire proposal electronically. First, they will fill out the required application information and then create an Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF (personal document file). Then they will upload the file and send it directly to PRF.

The review process is also designed to be much more efficient, according to Robert H. Rich, PRF program officer. Using Reviewer Connect software, PRF will be able to communicate with prospective reviewers by e-mail. PRF can request reviews by e-mail and then ask the prospective reviewers to go to a website where they can review the proposal and all the associated information. They can then enter their reviews directly online.

The new online tools will replace a cumbersome process under which applicants were required to mail in 18 copies of their grant proposal to PRF. These were mailed out to reviewers along with a letter and an evaluation form. The back-and-forth shipping process added as much as two weeks to the reviewing cycle. And for applicants--especially those applying from overseas--the mailing expenses could be significant.

"These electronic tools should help a lot in having an efficient review process," Rich says. "Ultimately, we are trying to serve people better and more quickly, with less hassle and less expense on their part."

He added that most other funding agencies that chemists apply to have or are planning to have a similar electronic submission process. PRF grants support research and scientific education related to the petroleum field. In 2004, PRF received more than 1,600 grant proposals and disbursed almost $21 million in grants. Beginning in 2006, proposals must be submitted using the electronic tools. Applicants wishing to use the electronic tools before then should attend one of the workshops or contact PRF officials directly.

To help familiarize applicants with the new submission process, PRF has scheduled three workshops during the fall ACS national meeting: Tuesday, Aug. 30, at the C&EN Chemjobs Center: 8:30-9:30 AM, noon-12:50 PM, and 4:30-5:30 PM. The workshops are cosponsored by the Division of Professional Relations. Refreshments will be served.