Center for Research and Creative Activity

The Center for Research and Creative Activity connects faculty to responsive and integrative resources to advance research mobility, scholarship and creative activity.

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Supporting growth and connecting faculty to resources

The Center for Research and Creative Activity (CRCA) provides support from idea to impact for faculty as they prepare, conduct, and share their research. CRCA is a key part of the Research and Creative Activity Ecosystem. Center support lies in responsiveness (i.e., reactive, just-in-time) and preparedness (i.e., proactive investment and training).

We enhance faculty success in research mobilization, cross-campus and community connectivity, and growth as research leaders through streamlined services. Services include a one-stop shop for connecting the structures needed to support ideas to impact by assisting faculty to develop, secure, and improve their research and creative activity goals. We provide:

Tactical support
Research strategy and mentoring
Education
Training
Project management
Leadership
Professional Development.

About Us

Services Offered

The Center for Research and Creative Activity connects faculty to responsive and integrative resources to advance research mobility, scholarship, and creative activity. Follow the links below to learn more about these services and how CRCA can help your next discovery or creative project happen.

Research Development

CRCA provides front-end consultation on all aspects of research proposal preparation, as well as strategic project planning. Read below for more information, or click the link to visit the Research Development page.

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Metal bronco statue in the Boise State quad

Education and Training

CRCA sponsors seminars, workshops, events, and asynchronous training to support faculty development and success in grant preparation and research proposals across the research and creative activity ecosystem.

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Programmatic Sustainability (PMI)

CRCA offers project management and coordination support to principal investigators across the research and creative activity ecosystem . Services include support in project onboarding, operations, communication, strategic planning, reporting, and special requests.

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Upcoming Events

STEM PIs: Engaging Social Scientists in Development of Competitive and Compelling Interdisciplinary Projects and Proposals

Research and Creative Activity Ecosystem: CRCA Expertise

At Boise State University, the Center for Research and Creative Activity (CRCA) is vital in supporting principal investigators and their projects’ lifecycles. Working hand-in-hand with principal investigators and their college and departmental administrative staff, CRCA offers specialized assistance to navigate the journey within the Research and Creative Activity (RCA) Ecosystem.

CRCA’s contributions to the RCA Ecosystem:

Capacity Building: Providing guided focus to increase research and creative activity through team building, educational programming, just-in-time training, and targeted research development opportunities.

Strategy: Providing front-end consultation on all aspects of research proposal preparation including tools, templates, timelines, strategic project planning, and reviewing and editing proposals.

Sustainability: Providing proposal management and coordination services to allow investigators to focus more on research and less on administrative duties.

Boise State has honed the process into seven steps. Do you need full support along the way? We built a path that takes you from start to finish. But for those who need support in one, two, or a few of these steps, you’re not alone. We’ve built a system that allows you to choose your own adventure and jump into any of these steps as you need them. Let’s have a conversation to help you get started.

Research and Creative Activity Ecosystem

Step 1: Generate Idea

What would you like to research or create? In step one, learn to look at your ideas carefully and discover what to do with them; after all, some of you have done this before but need assistance, and so many others have great ideas but are new to this and don’t know where to begin.

CRCA Research Development can work with you to brainstorm, network with peers, develop a team, and explore ideas. We can provide consultation on generating ideas, build an affinity group around your ideas, provide guided brainstorm facilitation for groups, and be a partner in developing collaborations. If you have compliance questions, connect with the Office of Research Compliance.

You may need to connect with the following offices at this stage:

Research Development Brainstorming Support

Step 2: Find Funding

Once you have established your idea, it’s time to investigate your funding options. Here, you’ll discover the resources to help you get started.

CRCA Research Development consults on strategies for finding extramural funding opportunities aligned to your research and creative activity. We disseminate funding opportunities and manage the Limited Submission calls. We support and promote opportunities to interface with program officers.

Connect with the following offices at this stage:

Center for Research and Creative Activity (CRCA)

Research Development Funding Identification

Step 3: Prepare Proposal

Your idea is set. You’ve investigated your funding options and are ready to introduce your project. In this step, you’ll learn how to prepare your proposal, find resources, and get help creating your valuable documents in preparation for proposal submission.

Center for Research and Creative Activity Research Development, Office of Sponsored Programs (Pre-Award), and Office of Research Compliance all have a part to play in Step 3.

You may need to connect with the following offices at this stage:

Sponsored Project Life Cycle Research Development Proposal Preparation

Step 4: Submit Proposal

The excitement is in the air. You are finalizing your proposal, so it is finally time to submit! Find out everything you need to know about submitting your proposal.

The Office of Sponsored Programs supports this stage of the ecosystem by working with Principal Investigators (PIs) and their college and departmental administrators (collectively referred to as Business Managers (BoMs)).

Connect with the below offices at this stage:

Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)

Step 5: Accept Award

You’ve received the great news that a sponsor is interested in your idea and wants to fund your research and creative activity. Learn about award acceptance and how to take the next steps towards starting your project here.

You may need to connect with the below offices at this stage:

- Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)
- Office of Research Compliance (ORC)

Step 6: Manage Award

Here, the research and creative activity begins. There are many details to manage, organize, and undertake around your project, as well as researching or creating your project. But how do you organize such a workload? Learn more about the exciting journey of bringing your vision to life here.

Office of Sponsored Programs supports this stage of the ecosystem by working with Principal Investigators (PIs) and their college and departmental administrators (collectively referred to as Business Managers (BoMs)). Center for Research and Creative Activity Project Management Initiative, Office of Research Compliance, and Office of Technology Transfer may be involved in this step as well, depending on the project.

You may need to connect with the below offices at this stage:

Sponsored Project Life Cycle Connect with CRCA-Programmatic Sustainability

Step 7: Share Research

Step 7: Share Your Research — View an accessible version of the above infographic.

Step 7: Share Research

Your project is complete, and it’s time to release your hard work into the world. We can help you find the channels needed to share your findings. Pat yourself on the back. You’ve accomplished something tremendous, and we’re delighted you have invited us to join your journey.

You may need to connect with the below offices at this stage:

When to work with the Center for Research and Creative Activity

The Center for Research and Creative Activity (CRCA) interacts with researchers and project directors in the Research and Creative Activity Ecosystem during steps 1, 2, 3 and 6. Below are examples of ways CRCA supports this process:

Step 1: Generate Idea: Research Development can work with you to brainstorm, network with peers, develop a team and explore ideas. We can provide consultation on generating ideas, build an affinity group around your ideas, provide guided brainstorming facilitation for groups, and partner in developing collaborations.

Step 2: Find Funding: Research Development consults on strategies for finding extramural funding opportunities aligned with your research and creative activity. We disseminate funding opportunities and manage the Limited Submission calls. We support and promote opportunities to interface with program officers.

Step 3: Prepare Proposal: Research Development prioritizes large-scale, multi-investigator efforts and provides a range of proposal development services and resources tailored to the research team’s needs and the proposed effort’s scope. We serve as your thought partner in translating solicitation requirements and criteria, funder priorities, team strengths, and your scholarship into competitive proposals.

Step 6: Manage Award: Hire a research project manager. Engage the project management initiative to hire a highly trained coordinator or manager to support the programmatic management of your funded project.

Discover funding opportunities with Funding Blast

We invite you to visit our curated hub for diverse funding opportunities tailored to Boise State University projects. This subscription helps opens doors to numerous grants and initiatives supporting innovative research and creative endeavors.

Subscribe for Updates:

Take advantage of these opportunities! Subscribe for regular updates and ensure you’re always at the forefront of available funding to support your endeavors.

Resources

Do you have questions about research development? Or the Project Management Initiative? Review some of our most frequently requested resources here or contact us at crca@boisestate.edu.

Center for Research and Creative Activity

Supporting growth and connecting faculty to resources

Services Offered

Research Development

Education and Training

Programmatic Sustainability (PMI)

Upcoming Events

STEM PIs: Engaging Social Scientists in Development of Competitive and Compelling Interdisciplinary Projects and Proposals

STEM PIs: Engaging Social Scientists in Development of Competitive and Compelling Interdisciplinary Projects and Proposals

Research and Creative Activity Ecosystem: CRCA Expertise