DARE TO Research Grant

(CHED Memorandum Order No. 52, s. 2016, Call for Proposals – DARE TO Grant-in-Aid for K to 12 Research)
The DARE TO (Discovery-Applied Research and Extension for Trans/Inter-disciplinary Opportunities) Research Grant is a competitive enabler seed grant amounting to a maximum Fifteen Million Pesos (Php15M) for two (2) years per proposal. It aims to stimulate strong collaborative research and innovation ventures and sustainable partnerships for extension activities during the K to 12 transition. These research grants give faculty and staff who were either deloaded or displaced during the K to 12 Transition a chance to participate and contribute in the work of research.


Special projects and other research opportunities for the qualified HEI faculties may also be funded through the DARE TO grant.

Platforms Covered

These projects must be transdisciplinary or multidisciplinary (of at least three disciplines) that are aligned to the following research areas:

  1. Food Production and Security  
  2. Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change and Energy  
  3. Terrestrial and Marine Resources:  Economy, Biodiversity and Conservation  
  4. Smart Analytics and Engineering Innovations  
  5. Health Systems
  6. Education for STEAM

Eligibility

A. General Eligibility

  1. Open to all State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), and private HEIs who meet the following requirements:
    • Must be a CHED-recognized HEI;
    • Must not have any pending financial obligations to the Commission;
    • Must have functioning University Research Boards (URBs) and Institutional Research Councils (IRCs).
  2. Proposed by an HEI engaged in a partnership or consortium of HEIs. The Lead HEI, assigned through internal agreement, shall coordinate with the Commission throughout the whole application process and the conduct of the grant and shall be responsible for disseminating all pertinent information with the other members of the consortia.
  3. The proposed project may also be initiated by a department, office or unit within the HEI or by the faculty and non-teaching personnel themselves, provided, the research proposal is endorsed by the president of the HEI, or the equivalent.
  4. Members of the Philippine Higher Education Research Network (PHERNet) and are designated as Higher Education Regional Research Centers (HERRC), or bodies convened by the Commission for the advancement of research, are given priority in accessing funds, provided, that the research proposed:
    • Involves a partnership with a non-PHERNet/HERRC school, to allow for the transfer of best practices, and institutional capacity building; and
    • Involves faculty and/or non-teaching personnel deloaded or displaced due to the K to 12 Transition Period.
    • Has a proposal with merits deemed acceptable to the standards set for this grant.

B. Research Eligibility

  1. Must be based on one unifying theme or research area from at least three disciplines, aligned with either:
    • The institution’s choice of research niche and research agenda;
    • The six (6) multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research platforms; or
    • The various national and international research agenda as identified by National Government Agencies (i.e. National Higher Education Research Agenda, Basic Education Research Agenda, Regional Development Research Agenda).
  2. Must list the outputs that the research targets to accomplish, including, but not limited to, papers for publication, patents, trademarks, books, public engagements established, and others.
  3. Must have the prior approval and endorsement of the HEI’s University Research Board (URB) or Internal Research Committee (IRB). This endorsement must endorse the proposal for its technical merit and ethical standards.
  4. Must run for a maximum period of two (2) years. The validity of the funding will likewise be for this duration. No-cost project extensions may be requested by the HEI in writing and shall be subject to the approval of the Commission, based on the preliminary evaluation of the progress of the project. Requests for extension must be submitted at least one (1) month prior to the end of the project duration. Provided, the HEI shall not receive additional privileges and incentives, during the period of the approved project extensions.

In meritorious cases, additional funding may be requested for the continuation of the project beyond its original scope. This is treated as a new phase for the project, and thus will require a separate research proposal.

C. Research Team Eligibility

A Research Team shall be composed of a maximum of ten (10)  researchers, composed of teaching and/or non-teaching staff, inclusive of a Research Team Manager that will be appointed to lead the project.

  1. For Research Team Members, the minimum eligibility requirements are as follows:
    • Is a Filipino citizen;
    • Is in good health;
    • Holds at least a bachelor’s degree relevant to his/her teaching discipline or work specialization, and the area of research being proposed;
    • Has at least two (2) years of experience in teaching or has already participated in and completed two (2) research projects such as but not limited  to undergraduate thesis, graduate level thesis/dissertation, or any other participation in a completed research study; and
    • Must be displaced or be fully or partially deloaded from teaching or have reduced workload due to the K to 12 Transition Program during the period of the grant. For partial deloading, must teach only a maximum of 12 units per term, or a maximum of 20 work hours per week.
  2. The  Research Team Manager must hold the following minimum eligibility requirements:
    • Is a Filipino citizen;
    • Is in good health;
    • Holds a doctorate degree relevant to his/her teaching discipline or work specialization, and the area of research being proposed;
    • Has completed at least two (2) research projects, while being designated as Program / Project Leader; and
    • Must have published a refereed research paper in a CHED-accredited or internationally indexed journal, either as a sole or co-author, within the last three (3) years.
  3. To build long-term research capacity, the research team should have a balance of Early Career, Established and Leading Researchers, as defined in the Omnibus Policy for Research and Extension.

Priority will be given to gender-diverse research teams and gender-responsive research projects.

The Commission strongly encourages all participating displaced and deloaded HEI personnel to be part of a registry of researchers co-developed by CHED. Researchers who are not yet a part of this registry may contact CHED via email at k12research@ched.gov.ph in order to apply. They must submit their CV and their Open Researcher and Contributor ID  (ORCID) numbers, if available.

  1. In the event of third-party, non-HEI partner organizations that seek to collaborate with the research as resource people, or co-researchers, a Partner Collaborator may be part of the research team who may represent the organization as a form of counterpart support. These partner collaborators must meet the same eligibility as Research Team Members. However, they will not be eligible to receive any honoraria or salaries from the grant fund.  

How to Apply

  1. Lead HEIs must submit an accomplished Research Proposal Form. The project proposal must be accomplished in English and should be typewritten. All submissions must not exceed five (5) pages, excluding the attachments. (Refer below for the Checklist of Requirements)
  2. All signed proposals with attachments must be submitted via e-mail, in .PDF file format on or before 21 October 2016. Please address all submissions to Mr. Raphael G. Doval-Santos, via k12research@ched.gov.ph.

Only accepted proposals will be contacted for further consideration and for sending three (3) hard copies. A full inception report must be submitted after awarding of the grant for the disbursement.

Checklist of Requirements

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  • Research Proposal Form
  • Required Attachments
    1. HEI Endorsement Form
    2. Curriculum vitae of all researchers, with a maximum of ten (10) members
    3. Gantt Chart of the project
    4. Any other necessary documentation in support of the research (e.g. University Research Board (URB) and/or Institutional Research Council (IRC) approval, budget, etc.)

The documents must be submitted through email at k12research@ched.gov.ph on or before 12NN on 24 October 2016, Monday.    

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Am I eligible to apply for a Grant?

The grant is open to all CHED-recognized HEIs. The grant will be disbursed to the institution, not the individual. Please refer to Section IV: Eligibility.

Will there be another round of call for proposals?

Depending on the availability of the funding for research during this K to 12 Transition Period, there may or may not be another round of call for proposals. As such, all HEIs are encouraged to take advantage of this current opportunity.

What is the duration of the grant?

The grant is intended to fund projects of up to two (2) years. Additional time may be requested to complete research projects, but there will be no additional funding with that time.

What output will be required of us for the grant?

We expect high-level research that is trans-disciplinary or inter-disciplinary in nature. Research may lead to papers, conference presentations, patents, blueprints, prototypes, and more.

In terms of funding-per-output, we expect publications of high impact journals. A good ratio would be PhP 1 million to 1 paper, though this may vary depending on the impact of the outputs, and the nature of the results being aimed at by the research team.

Will I receive my entire budget request?

The entire amount will be disbursed upon awarding of the grant and signing of the MOA. This must be liquidated sixty (60) days after the submission of the final outputs. This is disbursed directly to the lead institution.

How will my institution receive the budget request?

The lead HEI will be asked to create a Landbank account, or provide details of its existing account, where the grant will be disbursed. If the bank is not a Landbank account, it will still be acceptable, though some bank transfer delays may occur.

Can overheads be charged?

We will not allow budget for attendance to conferences or foreign travel. However, travel directly relevant to the award, such as to a research training project, is acceptable. Everything should be outlined in the budget and in the Financial Plan when the full proposal is submitted.

Can the research fund the salaries of deloaded and displaced personnel who work in the grant?

Yes, the intent of the grant is to mobilize these faculty and support them as they work, provided this is compliant with the rules stipulated in CHED Order 2, 2011. These need to be justified in the work and financial plan submitted.

My research project will run for more than 24 months?

The research proposed must run for a maximum period of two (2) years. The validity of the funding will likewise be for this duration. No-cost project extensions may be requested by the HEI in writing and shall be subject to the approval of the Commission, based on the preliminary evaluation of the progress of the project. Requests for extension must be submitted at least one (1) month prior to the end of the project duration. Provided, the HEI shall not receive additional privileges and incentives, during the period of the approved project extensions. In meritorious cases; however, additional funding may be requested for the continuation of the project beyond its original scope. This is treated as a new phase for the project, and thus will require a separate research proposal. The awarding of the grant will still be subject to the availability of funds for the said period.

What reports am I required to submit?

The HEI must submit the final paper and other outputs as indicated in the approved proposal.

Do I need University Research Board (URB) and/or Institutional Research Council (IRC) approval before I apply for a grant or later, when I receive a grant?

As a requirement for the disbursement of the grant, the HEI must submit the URB and/or IRC approval and other documentation that can provide a declaration that the research does not involve undue risks to human subjects, or create damaging impact on the environment.

How do you describe deloaded or displaced?

From CMO No. 51, s. 2016, entitled “Guidelines of Eligibility of Displaced HEI Personnel To Grants Under the K to 12 Transition Program”, Article III, Section C: “Displaced HEI personnel refers to a former higher education personnel, whether teaching or non-teaching, who is separated from employment with the HEI due to the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program, regardless of manner of displacement (i.e., retrenchment, redundancy, non-renewal of contract, or other analogous circumstances of displacement).” From the same CMO, Article III, Section B: “Deloaded HEI personnel refers to a higher education personnel, whether teaching or non-teaching, who is retained as an employee in the HEI but received reduced or no workload due to the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program.”

Can we hire people to do research for us?

The grant-in-aid is meant to help mobilize schools with the talents of displaced and/or deloaded faculty affected by K to 12. We wish for HEIs submitting proposals to prioritize these faculty to conduct research. They must constitute as the core team of authors and proponents of the project. If additional staff or research assistants are required, then additional project technical staff may be brought on board, with sufficient justification in the work and financial plan.

If I feel that my application was turned down unreasonably, is there an Appeals Procedure?

The decision of the Commission is final.

Can the private industry or non-profit handle the Grant?

No, the grant is awarded to the HEI only, and the funding will be disbursed to the lead HEI of the program. Other entities will need to work closely with an HEI and have their research targets align with the HEI’s own proposal.

What qualities should my idea possess to be chosen for the Grant?

Proposals are requested for transdisciplinary research, development, extension, and innovation projects focusing on any of the areas outlined in the Omnibus Policy for Research and Extension or CHED Memorandum Order No. 52, s. 2016, also entitled “Pathways to Equity, Relevance, and Advancement in Research, Innovation, and Extension in Philippine Higher Education”. Please refer to IV. Eligibility.

What criteria should we demonstrate in our proposals?

Proposals submitted, including all CV’s and attachment documents, should demonstrate 3 core principles:
– Relevance and impact of the research to the Philippines
– Technical merit of the proposal vis-a-vis current advances in global research
– Capacity of the research team and the proposing HEI to deliver, given adherence to the goals of the K to 12 research grant’s goals.

Can I patent my invention as a result of the Grant?

Yes. The Commission encourages researchers to submit new patents from their work with this grant.

How much time is permitted for me to submit a FULL PROPOSAL after the announcement of the Grantees?

The HEI is asked to submit an Inception Report, at most a month (30 days) after signing, as a requirement for disbursement.

How many awards will be funded for this year?

For the year 2016, a maximum of sixty (60) funded projects is budgeted to be supported by the grant, but this will also depend on the availability of funds used.

Will my HEI need to sign a contract?

All lead HEIs will sign a contract with CHED, as requirement to disburse funding. This must be completed as soon as possible after notification of their acceptance.

Can my HEI submit more than one proposal?

Typically, one HEI will receive funding for one project taking place. This ensures a focus to the work that the HEI will take the lead in, and to ensure a focus in the efforts expended by the PhP 15 million peso maximum. However, other HEIs may also be lead, with your HEI’s faculty members as part of their research teams. The difference is that they will be the lead of that project, and a new grant fund amount will be allocated to them, provided that the proposals are all of good quality.

Do I submit to CHED Regional my proposal?

Please submit them digitally to k12research@ched.gov.ph, which directs to the Central Office.

May I use the old Grant-in-Aid proposal format of CHED?

We typically discourage it. You may submit, but we will insist on prioritizing other submissions using our system. We may transpose the information to the current system, but these can cause delays. Thanks for understanding.

What makes this different from the K to 12 Institutional Development & Innovation Grants (IDIG)? I’m from a for-stock, for-profit private HEI and couldn’t apply to IDIG. Can I apply now to DARE TO?

The IDIG program is intended to do programs that will upgrade the institution. Government rules prohibit public funds to be used in the upgrading of profit, private institutions.

The DARE TO is different. It is a grant-in-aid made for the conduct of research and extension work. Instead of going into the improvement of the institution, the funding is intended to enable research and extension work to take place.

DARE TO is also a competitive grant that will be given to HEIs based on the merit of their proposal. In this, a private for-profit school can submit their proposals, though there is no assurance that they will receive funding.

Our school did not pass the IDIG program. Can we submit to DARE TO instead?

Some proposals for IDIG can be deemed as appropriate for the DARE TO grant, and may be considered. However, they are not considered a priority for funding, as these submissions must still be approved by the vetting panel.

What is the system for vetting like?

Vetting is done with blind screening. We have tapped a panel of international and local scientists and technical experts to help go through proposals. Also, the system uses a version of the Delphi method, which is meant to look for consensus for key decisions. All proposals will be received, scored by panelists, and these responses aggregated before being shown again for final review.

If our HEI submits a proposal and we do not make it, are there other chances we can apply for?

We cannot at this time indicate whether or not we will open another call, as it is dependent on the availability of funds for 2017. If your institution still seeks funding, other avenues within CHED include the general grant-in-aid call for 2017 of OPRKM, which has its own guidelines stipulated in CMO no. 52, s. 2016..

Can we submit a grant proposal that we previously submitted to CHED, or to DOST? What if the grant hasn’t been funded yet? What if it has?

Ideally, the grants for DARE TO are intended for new research ideas. That said, there are cases wherein funding can be used for particular items of a budget, or can be used to fund additional next phases of research. These will depend largely on the merit of a given project to contribute to knowledge-generation.

In these cases, the HEI is permitted to request, provided that the HEI must disclose all other funding sources that they are enjoying, or are currently seeking. This disclosure should also indicate where the funding will go towards, what may have already been spent for, and what other gaps in funding that the DARE TO Grant may cover.

Can the Grant be used for international travel, especially for dissemination of paper findings in international conferences?

No. There already exists support for conference papers, in CMO 12, s. 2009. This may be found HERE.

My HEI is a State University or College (SUC), and our de-loaded faculty will receive their salaries in full. What may I provide to them from the grant?

They may receive honoraria, as per the limits indicated in CO 2, s. 2011.

I am a displaced faculty. How may I take part in this grant?

You may first go to http://www.chedk12.wordpress.com/interagency to put your information forward on your displacement. Then, you may reach out to an HEI who seeks to submit a proposal, and be a part of their team.

I am currently receiving a grant from CHED, and as such, I am contractually restricted from enjoying other grants from the Commission. May I be part of the core team of this research, as it is not distributed to me individually?

As such, we must respect the terms of the original contract. We may not permit you to enjoy the benefits of the grant’s core team.

I am a project member of a different government grant. May I also be part of this current grant opportunity?

If you are:
A displaced or de-loaded faculty
Have the qualifications to be part of the team
You are permitted to be part of the team, provided that you are able to commit to the time demands of the program, without neglecting either. Also, any salaries you already enjoy from the first grant may not be applied to you, as this would be double compensation.

Can I lead more than one project?

You may lead up to 2 projects, with respect to any other contractual obligations you may have signed on for.

In the template, there are budget line items that are not applicable to our project. What must we do?

You may opt not to answer them.

 

Grant Limits

Details about the grant limits can be accessed through this link.

Contact

For more information, you may contact Mr. Raph Doval-Santos through k12research@ched.gov.ph.