University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignAt the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a call for research ideas and proposals on C-FAR priorities netted more than 100 faculty submissions from the colleges of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and Veterinary Medicine. Office of Research staff formed review teams to evaluate and rank each of the submissions. The teams used three criteria for recommending projects: consistency with C-FAR objectives; timeliness of likely progress or results; and quality of science and research personnel. Office of Research senior staff also gathered input from their External Advisory Committee, which consists of C-FAR representatives, before making final allocation decisions. The UIUC funded 25 projects with $860,000 of food and agricultural research project funds.
At Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Illinois State University and Western Illinois University, administrators modified existing request for proposal (RFP) forms and procedures to align with C-FAR objectives and priorities. At SIU-C and WIU, members of C-FAR were part of the review panels.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
The interaction was a learning experience for everyone, according to Tony Young, associate dean for research at SIU-C. "Many of our faculty attended C-FAR meetings and the research retreat, and we used the inputs and guidelines that C-FAR put out in the research priorities and through the Working Groups," Young said, "but with C-FAR members on the review panel and meeting directly with the peer evaluation panel, reviewers got a better view of what C-FAR was thinking, and the C-FAR members got an idea of what researchers felt was good science to meet the objectives." SIU-C allocated $280,500 over 10 projects.
Western Illinois UniversityDanny Terry, WIU, involved C-FAR members not only in proposal reviews, but in budget negotiations. "We felt that C-FAR earned the money and needed to have major input on how it would be spent," he said. "The process worked really well for us." WIU allocated $76,500 over five projects.
Illinois State UniversityAt ISU, Randy Winter marshaled faculty members representing major agricultural programs of the Department of Agriculture to review and recommend proposals. Winter worked with faculty to "stretch the dollars as far as they would go," and ISU funded seven projects with $102,000. The department has since established a C-FAR External Advisory Committee to participate in the proposal review process.
"The External Advisory Committee provides an opportunity for C-FAR to raise questions and issues and for everyone to consider directions, ideas and responses that best fit C-FAR objectives," Winter said. "Involving C-FAR brings more information to the table."
