2010 Program Description and Request for Proposals

The Dudley Smith Initiative invests in research and outreach activities that exploit
knowledge and technology to strengthen the Illinois agricultural system, including
the communities that support it. The Initiative funds two types of research
programs, which are described below. This notice serves as a Request for
Proposals for research to be undertaken under the DSynergy and DSystems
programs beginning in early 2010.

The DSynergy Program
The DSynergy Program is for single-year projects for groups seeking to define how their research and outreach can be integrated across disciplinary boundaries. The Dudley Smith Initiative has the capacity to fund one DSynergy grant in 2010 at an average funding level of $25,000 per project. Preference is given to proposals that have a clearly defined plan for how the DSynergy project can lead to future funding from other sources. Although the DSynergy Program places no limits on subjects to be investigated, so long as they fit broadly within the Dudley Smith Initiative, the following areas of investigation have been recommended for emphasis by our external advisory committee and, thus, are of particular interest:

• Research that builds on past Dudley Smith activities
• The use of trees for shade in pasture production systems
• Meat quality of grass fed beef. What breeds of cattle perform best on grass diets, especially finishing cattle?
• Policy issues related to certified organic cattle
• Identification of the resource base (land, people, infrastructure, etc.).
• Specific interest in challenges of working on transitional soils
• Biomass production systems
• Small scale energy production systems

Small teams of academic staff in the College of ACES, including faculty, campusbased personnel, and off-campus extension educators, are encouraged to apply to this program. Other contributors may be included. The narrative proposal
must be no longer than three single-spaced pages. It should address the strengths of the investigators, potential synergies, the systems opportunity within the framework of the Dudley Smith Initiative, and the steps that will be taken to
position the team to participate in the DSystems Program or to qualify for funding from other sources. Milestones, deliverables and timelines should be clearly outlined.

Dudley Smith Initiative
Request for Proposals, FY2010 June 2009
Proposals will be submitted through academic departments to the Office of Research, College of ACES. Proposals must include a two-page resume for all principal investigators, an itemized budget of up to $25,000, a summary of all
other funding commitments for each investigator, and any additional information that would help reviewers understand the long-term vision of the team. Note that because of its internal nature, the Initiative does not cover indirect costs.
However, it does cover all reasonable departmental expenses associated with the research, provided that they are itemized and justified. An electronic copy, the original, and five copies of the DSynergy Proposals are due in the Office of Research, 211 Mumford Hall, by 5:00 pm on August 28,
2009.

The DSystems Program
The DSystems Program is a multi-year, multi-disciplinary program focused on broad agriculture and community systems (up to five years). The scope of the DSystems Program is unconstrained, provided that the broad focus is on
agriculture and community systems. All academic staff members of the College of ACES, including faculty, campus-based personnel, and off-campus extension educators, are eligible to submit proposals. Others are encouraged to
participate, if it makes programmatic sense. Successful proposals in this program will have the following characteristics:

• They will combine extraordinary scientific creativity with a clear vision of potential outcomes (e.g., new platform for research, education, and/or outreach).

• They will exploit technological advances and seek to turn knowledge into useful information.
• They will engage stakeholders as partners.
• They will balance short-term benefits with long-term impacts.
• They will forge linkages with Christian County and utilize its local resources including, as appropriate, the Dudley Smith Farm, so as to communicate our sense of stewardship to the local community and the family of the donor.

Funds will be awarded on the basis of a research proposal with a narrative project description of ten single-spaced pages or less. The proposal should address the opportunity, the research and outreach strategy, the participants and their roles, and the expected systems payoffs. Include sufficient technical information and describe the contextual framework as it relates to the goals of the Dudley Smith Initiative. Please do not lapse into technical details not easily understood by informed non-specialists. Milestones, deliverables and timelines should be clearly outlined.

Dudley Smith Initiative
Request for Proposals, FY2010 June 2009
Funding levels of DSystems projects may be in the range of $75,000 to $150,000
per year for up to five years. Due to other committed funds, any DSystems
projects proposed to begin in 2010 should have a maximum first year request of $125,000 or less, with full funding beginning in 2011.

An electronic copy, the original, and five copies of the DSynergy Proposals are due in the Office of Research, 211 Mumford Hall, by 5:00 pm on August 28, 2009.

Review and Awards Process

• Proposals will be reviewed as a group by three advisory bodies.
• The Research Policy Committee of the College of ACES will provide the primary technical review.
• An ad hoc committee that will include ACES department heads, as well as ACES research and extension administrators, will provide the primary integrative and contextual review.
• An external Dudley Smith Advisory Committee will provide the primary link to Christian County, as well as stakeholder review of impacts and outcomes.

Successful investigators will be notified by October 2, 2009.
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Potential principal investigators are encouraged to contact the Office of Research if they have questions about any aspect of either program.
Dr. Jozef Kokini, Associate Dean for Research
College of ACES