From: "Karen Grill" <[log in to unmask]>


***CRDF TRAVEL GRANTS PROGRAM***

The CRDF Travel Grants Program provides short-term travel support to
encourage the development of new industrial R&D collaborations between
scientists and engineers in the former Soviet Union (FSU) and for-profit
companies in the United States. To this end, the program seeks to fund
proposals that demonstrate commercial potential for a new or improved
technology, as well as plans to meet with specific U.S. for-profit companies
to discuss potential collaboration. These collaborations include those that
result in submission of proposals to the CRDF Next Steps to the Market
Program. The Next Steps program provides support for joint U.S.-FSU R&D
projects that are designed to facilitate and expedite the commercial
utilization of research results, and must include participation of and
cost-sharing from a U.S. for-profit company. Travelers considering new
collaborations with industry that may be the subject of proposals to other
grant programs are also welcome.

All applications to the Travel Grants Program must be submitted no later
than ten (10) weeks prior to the intended start date of travel.

FOR FSU SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

Program Summary

Under this program, CRDF will make one-time, short-term travel grants to FSU
individuals who meet the eligibility and evaluation criteria specified
below. CRDF will arrange and pay for airfare, hotel expenses, medical
insurance, and per diem for FSU scientists or engineers to participate in
visits to U.S. for-profit companies or in U.S. commercially-oriented
scientific meetings. The maximum award level will be $3,600 USD.

Eligibility Requirements

FSU applicants must be scientists or engineers presently employed and
residing in the following countries of the former Soviet Union: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Rusia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan.

All proposed visits must include meetings with representatives of U.S.
for-profit companies or participation in commercially-oriented technical
meetings or trade shows where discussions with U.S. for-profit companies are
planned.

FSU applicants must be sufficiently fluent in English to participate fully
in their proposed meetings. No CRDF support is provided for interpretation
or translation.

If the applicant wishes to attend a conference, workshop, or trade show,
registration fees must be
waived or paid from another source. If registration fees are to be paid from
another source, the applicant must include written confirmation from that
source of their intent to pay the fees.

FSU applicant travel to attend degree programs at U.S. universities or
attendance at other academic courses is not eligible for CRDF support.

FOR FSU AND U.S. SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

Proposal Screening and Evaluation CRDF will screen all proposals for
eligibility and completeness. Ineligible and incomplete proposals will be
ruled ineligible and applicants will be notified accordingly. Corrected
versions of such proposals can be resubmitted to CRDF for evaluation, but no
later than ten weeks prior to the intended date of travel.

CRDF will evaluate all eligible and complete proposals according to the
following criteria:

- Technical merit of the applicant's proposed technology
- Potential for commercialization of the proposed technology
- Applicant's understanding of the issues and goals related to
commercialization of the proposed technology
- Level of U.S. for-profit company's commitment to the proposed visit.

CRDF will place higher priority on proposals that include participation of:

- FSU former defense scientists who are currently employed full-time at
civilian research institutions, or for whom a travel grant will assist their
permanent transition to the civilian research and development sector in the
FSU
- Younger scientists and sudents, women, or university researchers in the
FSU
- FSU scientists and engineers from locations other than Moscow or St.
Petersburg
- FSU scientists and engineers for whom a CRDF Travel Grant would be his/her
first visit to the U.S.
- US and FSU scientists and engineers who are collaborating together for the
first time.

*APPLICATION SUBMISSION*

Applications to the Travel Grants Program are due at least ten (10) weeks
prior to the intended start date of travel. CRDF will receive applications
on a rolling basis until program funds are expended. All application
materials must be completed by the applicant in English.

To apply, please submit the following five (5) items to CRDF:

1)Application form: A completed and signed Application Form (found on
website).
2) Proposal: A brief proposal of no more than two double-spaced, typed pages
(in English), which must include all three of the following components:
 a. A description of the applicant's specific scientific or engineering
research, and the potential for commercialization of that work in the global
marketplace.
 b. A brief description of the goals of each element of the proposed visit
(company or institute visits, professional conferences, other meetings to
develop collaboration).
 c. A description of the participating U.S. companies' interest and possible
role in the development of the applicant's scientific or engineering
research.

3) Curriculum Vitae: A curriculum vitae must be submitted for the applicant
which includes information on the applicant's education, prior and current
employment, research interests, and relevant publications, patents, and
participation in past conferences, trade shows, or U.S. for-profit company
meetings. The curriculum vitae must not exceed one (1) page.
4) Budget: A budget (see attached form) which details the estimated expenses
for international airfare, domestic (FSU) airfare, hotel expenses, ground
transportation, per diem (meals and incidentals), medical insurance, and
visa fees. Please nte which expenses are being requested from CRDF and which
expenses are being covered from another source of funding. The maximum
requested from CRDF may not exceed $3,600 USD.
5) Invitations: A copy of invitation letters from all U.S. or FSU hosts for
each proposed visit.
For visits to U.S. for-profit companies, please include a signed letter of
interest from each company to be visited. Each letter must be on company
letterhead and indicate the company's interest and expectations in hosting
the proposed visit. All letters must also specify the date and location of
each proposed visit.

For travel to a conference, professional meeting, or trade show, please
attach a signed, dated invitation from the conference organizer(s), on
conference/organization letterhead, that documents the organizer's
commitment to waive registration fees for the applicant. If registration
fees are not waived by ten weeks before the deadline for application
submission, the applicant must include a signed statement that the fees will
be paid from another source at least ten weeks before the date of travel.
CRDF will not accept proposals for conference travel that do not include a
waiver of registration fees or written documentation that the fees will be
paid from another source.

Note for Applicants from the Russian Federation: Individuals who were
formerly engaged in defense research must receive written authorization from
the Russian Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology before proceeding
with preparation of a proposal to CRDF. This written authorization must be
included as an attachment to any proposal that is submitted to CRDF. Please
contact: Mikhail Petrovich Kirpichnikov, First Vice Minister, Ministry for
Industry, Science and Technologies of the Russian Federation, 11 Tverskaya
St., Moscow 103905, Russia. Tel: (7 095) 229-2501, Fax: (7 095) 229-4524, (7
095) 230-2823.

*TO APPLY*

Applications must be faxed or e-mailed directly to: U.S. Civilian Research
and Development Foundation
Attn.: Travel Grant Progam
1800 North Kent Street, Suite 1106
Arlington, VA 22209
Fax: (703) 526-9721
e-mail: [log in to unmask]

To receive an electronic copy of this program announcement and application
forms, please download directly from the CRDF web site at www.crdf.org or
contact [log in to unmask]

*AWARD NOTIFICATION*

Award Notification, Processing, and Reporting
All applicants will be notified by e-mail or fax of the results of review.
Successful applicants will receive information on how to receive pre-paid
air tickets, as well as details for disbursement of remaining funds. Please
note that CRDF will arrange all travel. All segments of transoceanic flights
MUST be made on a U.S. air carrier. In addition, all awardees must receive
emergency short-term medical insurance for the duration of their visit.
Medical insurance arrangements will be made by CRDF for a CRDF-designated
medical insurance agency. Costs associated with providing medical insurance
to the applicant will be deducted from the award total. All recipients of
CRDF travel grants are required to submit a final report within one week of
completion of travel, and to submit follow-up reports six and twelve months
after travel has taken place. CRDF will provide grantees with the required
forms for these reports.