Funding Policy

Grant-making by the Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation (the “Foundation”) brings together scientific, medical, and related professionals with practitioners of Structural Integration at several levels to explore, define, verify and expand the scientific bases of Dr. Rolf’s concepts and their role in improving the human condition. It is agreed that the Foundation will abide by the following practices in accepting, reviewing and approving grants for research projects:

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Deadline: The Foundation accepts proposals for review throughout the calendar year.
  • Letter of Intent: The first step in the application process is a Letter of Intent. The letter of intent shall include a brief description of the project, including its title, a precis, the responsible institution and the principal investigator. Detailed guidelines for the Letter of Intent »
  • Application : If invited to submit a full proposal for a research grant, the investigator(s) may submit a complete application. Grant Application Guidelines »
  • Committee Review: The Review Committee appointed by the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Council will assess letters of intent and applications to determine whether the research plan is appropriate and relevant to the Foundation’s goals.
  • Review Criteria: The Review Committee will follow review criteria as used in funding announcements of the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the analyses of project proposals. This is to assure, among other factors, the scientific merit of the proposed undertaking, the qualifications of the researchers and institutions, and the prospective usefulness of information sought in furthering public knowledge and understanding of Structural Integration.
  • Final Review: After the Review Committee submits its assessment, the Science Advisory Council will present summary findings and recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Board will make the final grant decisions based on, among other considerations, funding availabilities, terms of grant agreements and timing of potential benefits to the field of Structural Integration.
  • Notification: Applicants will typically be notified within six to eight weeks following submission of the letter of intent or application.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Term: Foundation research grants typically support studies for terms of one to five years.
  • Recipient: Except in unusual circumstances, the Foundation makes grants to organizations, not individuals. The official recipient of a Foundation research grant shall be a nonprofit organization exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or, in the case of a nonprofit organization located outside of the United States, the analogous provision of the respective country’s tax code.
  • Financial Officer: The financial officer administering grant funds shall be bonded.
  • Principal Investigator: The principal investigator of a given research project shall be a scientific research professional associated with a nonprofit organization. The principal investigator shall have the training and experience needed for performing the research activities specified in the grant project but need not be a U.S. citizen.
  • Co-Investigators: Co-investigators shall have the training and experience needed for performing the research activities specified in the grant project but need not be U.S. citizens.
  • Structural Integration Practitioners: The involvement of a Structural Integration practitioner is encouraged but not required for Foundation-funded research projects. The Foundation can refer interested scientists to such practitioners. Beginning researchers, whose only experience may have been as co-investigators and co-authors, may also be included.
  • Biographical Information: Applications shall include NIH-format biosketches for all principal and co-investigators.
  • Budget: Applications shall include a detailed budget that specifies the requested funding and estimated expenses for each year, including the itemized cost of personnel, materials, and other permitted expenditures.
  • Contact information:  Applications shall provide e-mail, telephone, and postal contact information for the principal investigator, any co-investigators and the responsible administrative official of the grantee nonprofit organization.
  • Human subjects safety review: In order to be reviewed, applications for research involving human subjects shall specify an Internal Review Board (IRB) that will approve and provide oversight for human subjects safety. The IRB shall be certified as satisfying US Department of Health and Human Services requirements for human subjects safety oversight.  The IRB specified may be internal to the applicant institution, or may be a free standing IRB under contract to provide review and oversight for the proposed study.  The application should include documentation of the relevant certifications for all IRBs referenced.
  • Animal subjects review:  Applications for research involving animals shall specify provisions for independent review and oversight relevant to the standards of Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

PERMITTED EXPENDITURES

  • Indirect Costs: The grantee nonprofit organization may budget no more than 5% of the total requested funds for administrative and other overhead expenses.
  • Personnel: Funds requested for salaries, benefits and per hour compensation of study personnel shall be equivalent to those currently established by the grantee nonprofit organization and shall be proportional to a specific percentage effort devoted to the proposed research activities. The budget may include annual adjustments in salaries, benefits and per-hour compensation in keeping with the grantee nonprofit organization’s established policy and procedure.
  • Travel: Travel expenses pertaining to the proposed research may be included and shall be in accordance with the grantee nonprofit organization’s policies and procedures.
  • Dues and Contingency Funds: Dues to organizations such as federations, societies, or clubs will not be allowed as charges against grant funds. No funds shall be budgeted as “contingency funds” except by special arrangement with the Foundation.
  • Premiums on Hazard and Other Insurance: If appropriate justification is provided, the budget may include itemized funds for payment of premiums on hazard and other insurance to protect study personnel who may reasonably be regarded as at risk.
  • Patient Care and Remuneration: Funds requested for hospitalization, professional medical services, or remuneration of study subjects may be included in the project budget if appropriate justification is provided. All third-party payments received by the grantee nonprofit organization for such services are to be used to offset the funds awarded in the grant for this purpose.
  • Equipment and Supplies: Scientific equipment purchased with Foundation grant funds shall be the property of the grantee institution.The cost of installing equipment purchased with funds of the grant is not allowed unless such funds were requested in the application and specifically approved in the budget of the grant awarded.Office equipment, computers, office supplies, books and journals may not be purchased with grant funds unless included in the application and specifically approved in the budget of the grant awarded.Consumable supplies may include any type of laboratory supplies, including purchase and maintenance of experimental animals.
  • Other: Any other expenditure directly related to the cost of conducting the proposed research may be requested in the application for a grant. However, construction or renovation costs are not permissible expenditures under any circumstances. In addition, unless prior approval in writing has been obtained from the Foundation, expenditures are likely to be disallowed for items not specifically included in the budget of the grant awarded.
  • Subcontracts: A subcontract from another institution may be included in the proposal from the applicant institution. A separate budget page and summary budget request should be prepared for each subcontract and the amounts requested for each subcontract should be entered as separate items under the Other Expenses category on the main budget page. Sub-contracts to other institutions shall specify acceptable human and animal subjects oversight.
  • Rebudgeting of Funds: Transfers within or among major categories of the approved budget (i.e. personnel, equipment, other expenses) may be made with the exception of reductions in the percentage effort of the Principal Investigator, which shall be approved by the Foundation.

MECHANISM & CONDITIONS OF AWARD

  • Notification: Both the principal investigator and the grantee nonprofit organization will be advised by email of the duration and amount of the grant awarded and the project’s expected start date. Notice of award will be accompanied by a contract specifying the obligations of the grantee institution as detailed here.
  • Payment: Payment of the grant will be remitted annually to the financial officer at the grantee institution. Payment of amounts initially specified for subsequent years of the award is dependent upon a) availability of funds; and b) receipt, review, and approval by the Foundation of annual financial and research progress reports.
  • Unexpended Funds: Any unexpended funds remaining at the end of each grant year may be carried over to the next year, upon approval of such a request by the Foundation. However, unexpended funds remaining at the termination of the grant shall be returned to the Foundation if an extension is not awarded.
  • Excess Expenditures: The Foundation is not responsible for expenditures in excess of the grant amount.
  • Supplemental Funds: During the term of a grant, supplemental funds may be requested only in extraordinary circumstances.
  • Transfer of a Grant: The Foundation retains the right to transfer a grant from one institution to another, along with the transfer of the principal investigator, upon the principal investigator’s written request.
  • Change of Principal Investigator: In most cases, a grant will be terminated if the principal investigator becomes unable to continue supervision of the research. However, within 30 days after such an occurrence, the original institution may request that the grant be continued with the responsibility transferred to a new principal investigator who, in the judgment of the Foundation, has the requisite background to complete the project and publication of results.
  • Termination of Award: A research grant award may be terminated before the end of the project under any of the following conditions:
    • if the principal investigator requests, in writing, that the award be terminated;
    • if the principal investigator is unable to complete the research at the original institution;
    • if the sponsoring institution requests in writing that the award be terminated because of the termination of principal investigator’s academic appointment;
    • if the principal investigator fails to notify the Foundation of any change in his/her affiliation with the department or institution on record at the time the award was made;
    • if the principal investigator changes any aspect of the research agenda from that which was originally approved by the Foundation which would impact the specific aims of the research studies, without prior notification and approval by the Foundation; (minor changes that do not alter the achievement of the original aims, or research design, i.e. alterations of schedules, minor changes in exclusionary criteria, treatment protocol, data collection protocol, etc. are allowed);
    • when annual reports of progress are not received from the principal investigator within one month of the end of each award anniversary year;
    • if the principal investigator is found by an institutional investigation to have committed scientific misconduct or fraud; or
    • by action of the Board of Directors of the Foundation without cause.
  • Publications: The Foundation expects that the results of research will be published in appropriate peer-reviewed journals. The responsibility for publication lies with the principal investigator. The results of any work supported by a grant from the Foundation may be published without review by the Foundation, and a disclaimer shall indicate that neither responsibility for performance nor results of the research shall be attributed to the Foundation.
  • Privacy: Research funded by the Foundation shall respect the privacy of individually identifiable medical information in accordance with applicable law.
  • Intellectual Property: Although copyright to the grant work product will typically remain with the grantee, the Foundation requires that it be granted a no-cost royalty-free assignable license to exploit work product arising from the funded research. Funded research shall not give rise to intellectual property rights that infringe upon or otherwise inhibit the intellectual property rights of the Foundation or the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration.
  • Acknowledgement: The Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation shall be acknowledged as a source of funding in all reports and presentations of the research project and its results (e.g., publications, scientific exhibits, scientific presentations, press releases, etc.) derived from research supported in full or in part by the Foundation. The following acknowledgment or its equivalent should be used:
    “This investigation was supported (in part) by (a) grant(s) from the Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation. The content is solely the responsibility of the author(s) and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Foundation.”

ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS

  • Forms and Instructions: A report detailing progress on the research agenda and financial expenditure of the funds awarded for the prior research year shall be submitted annually. Forms and instructions for this report will be provided to investigators and institutional officials at the time of notification of the award and approximately 90 days before the anniversary date of the grant.
  • Due Date: Annual reports are due by the end of the 46th week of each grant year.  Research activities and expenditures expected for the final 6 weeks of the current year should be estimated, as should funds remaining unspent at the conclusion of the research year. The submission of progress reports at a later date may result in a gap in funding.
  • Narrative:  The report shall include a brief account of items of the research agenda that were initiated, are ongoing, and/or completed during the preceding funding year.  A separate section of the narrative should detail any changes in the co-investigator personnel.  NIH format biosketches of any new co-investigators should be provided.
  • Financial Reporting: The annual report shall itemize expenditures per the same categories as in the budget approved by the Foundation.
  • Final Financial Reports: A full account of all expenses made for a research project is due within 90 days of the termination of the grant.
  • Human and animal subjects certifications: Progress reports shall include a copy of annual approval letters from the IRB and/or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
  • Publications and presentations: Annual reports shall include information on publication in peer-reviewed journals by each investigator on the project staff and presentations of research results at scientific conferences and symposia.

PRIVACY POLICY

  • Commitment: The Foundation is committed to respecting the privacy of everyone who visits its website or submits a research proposal.
  • Disclosure: Names and other personally identifiable information pertaining to research support applicants collected in conjunction with submitting letters of intent and applications will not be sold or rented to third parties without the applicant’s approval.  The Foundation uses information for the purposes for which it was collected and for related activities in support of its mission.  Subject to applicable law, the Foundation reserves the right to use or disclose information to third parties in a good faith belief that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to
    • take action regarding suspected illegal activities;
    • comply with the law, including receipt of a search warrant, subpoena, statute, or court order;
    • protect the Foundation’s rights, reputation, property and best interests, or those of its constituency, affiliates or the public;
    • manage Foundation-funded research projects, or otherwise
    • fulfill the Foundation’s mission more effectively.
  • Medical Information: The Foundation respects the privacy of individually identifiable medical information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and other applicable law.
  • Cookies: The Foundation’s site does not collect personal information via tracking cookies.
  • Email: A user’s email address submitted to the Foundation’s site may be used for direct correspondence and periodic updates pertaining to the Foundation’s activity. A user may unsubscribe from receiving such emails by expressing this preference to info@rolfresearchfoundation.org.
  • Data Storage: The Foundation takes steps to protect personal information and other data from unauthorized use or disclosure, but it does not guarantee information security. Information is provided at one’s own risk, and the Foundation is not liable for the release of personal information.
  • Children: The Foundation’s website is not directed toward children and does not actively solicit information from children.  Children under the age of 13 are required to obtain permission from a parent or guardian prior to providing any personal information.
  • California Law: The Foundation takes steps to comply with the California Online Privacy Protection Act.
  • Contact Information: Inquiries concerning this Privacy Policy or other aspects of the Foundation’s work may be sent to info@rolfresearchfoundation.org or, via postal delivery or express mail, Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation, 3980 Broadway Suite 103, PB 156, Boulder, CO 80304.
  • Amendments: Amendments to this policy will be indicated directly on this page or via an update to the Privacy Policy modification date below.
  • Modification Date: The Foundation’s Privacy Policy was last modified on January 30, 2014.

IPRRF-Research-Policy-2014 »

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