This page serves as a valuable resource for NCIT researchers and individuals keen on exploring the funding opportunities offered by NCIT. It provides essential information and resources to assist you in managing your grant award or preparing for the application process for any of NCIT’s grants.
General Information and Requirements
To be eligible for one of NCIT’s funding opportunities, Principal Investigators (PIs) must be affiliated with our consortium, which comprises Arizona State University, Blinn College District, Michigan State University, Prairie View A&M University, Rutgers University, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and Texas A&M University. Explore the range of grants offered by NCIT.
In the event of receiving funding, PIs are required by NCIT to adhere to all grant stipulations. This ensures the project’s integrity throughout the grant cycle and facilitates NCIT in meeting reporting requirements, particularly those of its funders such as the USDOT. The successful fulfillment of grant obligations and a track record of meeting budget, schedule, and project requirements will serve as evaluation criteria for future proposals submitted by PIs.
Match / Cost Share Funding
While matching funds are not required for each project, it may strengthen your proposal. Matching funds may be obtained from non-Federal sources (e.g., private industry, universities, local government, or other sources approved by your director) or some USDOT approved federal sources including state DOT SPR funds and Local/Tribal Technical Assistance Programs.
Technology Transfer and Outreach Expectations
All projects funded by NCIT will be required to contain a T2C plan for the proposed research from the initial problem statement through project delivery. Each project PI will be required to complete the below T2 initiatives.
- Technology Transfer and Collaboration (T2C) plays a crucial role in the UTC grants, and the National Center for Innovation and Technology (NCIT) recognizes its significance by offering specialized training to Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-PIs. This training is a mandatory component explicitly outlined in the proposals related to Technology Transfer and Collaboration (T2C). NCIT’s commitment to providing this training underscores the importance of fostering effective collaboration and knowledge dissemination between academic research and practical applications. By equipping researchers with T2C skills, the aim is to facilitate seamless technology transfer, ensuring that advancements in research lead to tangible benefits in real-world scenarios. This emphasis on collaboration aligns with the broader goal of promoting innovation and translating scientific discoveries into impactful solutions for society.
- In order to sustain a continuous peer review process, Principal Investigators (PIs) will designate a Project Monitor (PM). This PM should be a transportation professional from either the public or private sector, possessing expertise and/or experience relevant to the technical aspects of the research topic. The chosen PM’s practical knowledge is essential for ensuring effective research implementation and fostering synergies with stakeholders.
Reporting Requirements
NCIT operates on a performance-driven model, utilizing data from project progress reports as key metrics to document both project and program advancements. These metrics are instrumental in fulfilling the semi-annual reporting obligations of NCIT to its federal sponsor, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Principal Investigators (PIs) have the responsibility of submitting biannual progress reports for federally funded projects. To review the progress reporting form and questions, please click here. PIs will receive email notifications indicating the due dates for progress reports.
- Biannual progress reports must be submitted by April 15 and October 15, contingent upon the project’s active status.
- Annual performance indicators are collected in three stages throughout the year using the performance indicator tool.
A project is complete upon the approval of the final report by NCIT.
In addition to the final report, PIs are required to submit brief follow-up reports every six months until activities such as presentations, publications, indications of use, and evidence of impact from the research conclude. PIs are expected to provide follow-up reports throughout the duration of their paper production or presentation-related activities associated with the NCIT-funded project. NCIT staff will reach out to PIs of completed projects biannually to collect information on relevant publications and engagement/outreach activities.
No Cost Time Extensions
The standard duration for NCIT projects is generally set at 12-24 months. Should circumstances arise preventing the completion of a project within the approved timeline, a formal request for a no-cost time extension must be submitted for approval no later than 30 days prior to the expiration of the grant term.
PIs are required to present a compelling, transparent, and justified explanation for the necessity of an extension. Requests solely for the purpose of utilizing the awarded funds will not be considered acceptable.
Re-budget Requests
Those who receive funds from NCIT are required to seek written approval from the NCIT Director before implementing any substantial alterations to the scope or objectives outlined in their funding application for this grant. Additionally, prior written consent from the NCIT Director is necessary for any transfers of funds among direct-cost budget categories, provided that the cumulative amount of such transfers surpasses 10 percent of the overall project budget, encompassing both Federal and matching shares.
ORCID (Open Research and Contribution ID)
Every NCIT researcher is required to possess a distinct ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identification. ORCID.org offers a registry of enduring unique identifiers for researchers and scholars, streamlining connections to research artifacts like publications, grants, and patents. The registration process is complimentary and can be completed in under 5 minutes. In the event that additional researchers are incorporated into a project post-initiation, they too must acquire an ORCID.
Final Reports
Upon accepting funding from the NCIT, all Principal Investigators (PIs) must commit to delivering a final project outcome that aligns with the established project scope and deliverables. This outcome should encapsulate the research findings, educational activities/products or technology transfer activities. Additionally, PIs are obligated to make the data utilized for the final deliverable publicly accessible in accordance with the guidelines specified in the USDOT Public Access Plan. Further details and guidance on data management and archiving can be found here.
For most research projects, the ultimate deliverable will take the form of a comprehensive report or an equivalent product. The final report is expected to comprehensively document the entire research process, encompassing a thorough description of the problem, objectives, approach, methodology, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and more. It should also provide a detailed account of all collected data, analyses conducted, and results obtained.
When generating the report, it is essential to use the NCIT report template, accessible through the provided button. This template serves as a guide for content, formatting, and style, incorporating specifications for cover pages, data archiving documentation, and other crucial details. The inclusion of visuals such as photographs, graphs, and charts is strongly encouraged to enhance the overall quality of the reports and associated deliverables.
A preliminary version of the final report must be submitted to NCIT Deputy Director, Melissa Tooley, for review and feedback at least 30 days prior to the official project end date. The subsequent processing of the draft report involves several steps:
1. Peer Review: NCIT staff will distribute the draft report to up to three external peer reviewers, who may be academics for research reports or policymakers/practitioners for white papers.
2. Copy-Editing: A copyeditor will review the report for adherence to standard formatting requirements and make edits for clarity, consistency, and accuracy. Copy-editing may occur immediately following peer review if feedback is minimal, or after the PI addresses extensive peer reviewer feedback.
3. Revisions by PI: PIs are expected to submit the finalized report within 30 days of receiving the copy-edited version.
4. Final Formatting by NCIT Staff: The NCIT staff will conduct a final polish of the report before publication. This includes assigning a DOI and other metadata to the report.
5. Publication of report: Upon completion of these steps, the report will be published, and NCIT staff will support dissemination and promotion through online platforms.
6. Dissemination and marketing: Additionally, the NCIT Communications Director is available to assist with outreach methods and activities tailored to the specific project. The publication URL will be submitted to the TRB TRID database and the USDOT’s online National Transportation Library.
Resources
- Logos
- Letterhead
- PowerPoint Template
- NCIT Proposal Template
- NCIT Poster Template
- USDOT Format Budget