The ICDD Grant-in-Aid Program

Directed Goals of Grants

Preferential consideration will be given to proposals for generation of high-quality experimental powder diffraction patterns, based on new data for phases which are not now represented in the Powder Diffraction File (PDF), but which are likely to be of considerable interest to present and future PDF users. Special consideration will also be given to classes of substances of high current interest, including new types of materials, which have significance in industrial and research applications. While these priorities will change with time, the ICDD interests generally lie in ensuring that the PDF satisfies the paramount needs of the diffraction community. Proposals for generating patterns of a series of materials differing only by substitution of similar atoms, with little effect on the patterns, will not be given high priority.

On occasion, the ICDD will entertain grant proposals for the generation of high-quality experimental PDF patterns of materials for which current PDF patterns exist but are of such lesser quality that identification of the phases by most users is seriously affected. In addition, the ICDD will consider proposals for the generation of high-quality calculated patterns based on demonstrably correct structure data for phases not already represented in the PDF. It should be remembered, however, that the main interests for the Grant-in-Aid Program are in the production of new, high-quality indexed experimental patterns.

In the assessment of what is “new”, it should be kept in mind that, at any one time, 50,000 patterns may be in the editorial process at the ICDD. The intending proposer can avoid the disappointment of proposing a pattern that would potentially duplicate an existing, but yet unpublished, pattern by contacting the Grant Coordinator at ICDD Headquarters prior to submission of a proposal for access to the web-based list of compounds in the ICDD master database which includes published patterns and those in the editorial process.

Consecutive proposals will be considered for those grant recipients who have clearly demonstrated their ability to meet the goals of the current grant projects, while furthering the goals of the ICDD. Occasionally, an extenuating circumstance occurs during a recipient’s grant period, which makes the recipient unable to complete the project by the deadline. When this occurs, the grant recipient must contact the Grant Coordinator immediately.

ICDD grants are not subject to cost accounting and reporting on the part of the recipient institution and, in exchange, cost-sharing on the part of the institution is expected. Typically, this cost-sharing takes the form of waiver of indirect costs and contribution of faculty salary or principal investigator time. Copyright on the patterns and supporting information is transferred to the ICDD. However, publication in Powder Diffraction or other appropriate journals with acknowledgement of the ICDD Grant-in-Aid is encouraged.

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Schedules

The ICDD Grant-in-Aid Program observes two independent cycles. The schedule for each cycle is listed below.

	Cycle I	Cycle II
Proposal Submission Deadline	31 January	31 July
Grant Cycle Start	1 April	1 October
Grant Cycle End – Final Reports Due	28 February	31 August
Progress Report Due	30 September	31 March
Grant-in-Aid Committee Proposal Review	March	September

Pattern-Producing Grants

Starter

In response to proposals by groups not acquainted with the ICDD’s goals and expectations, “starter” grants are issued for the first-time grantees and are set at a maximum of 5 patterns for $1,000. Their purpose is to give promising potential grantees the chance to demonstrate that they have the required pattern-producing capability so that they can submit a strong proposal in time for a future deadline.

Standard

Pattern-producing grants are intended principally to be supplements to other research projects in which single phase pure compounds are being synthesized and characterized. Support is provided by the ICDD to prepare reference powder diffraction patterns (d & I type) of these compounds for the PDF. The required data format to submit to the ICDD is CIF. The data entry program, DataQUACkER, allows users to save most of the GiA required data as a CIF. Submission of digitized diffractograms is a requirement of the ICDD Grant-in-Aid Program. This digitized pattern should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the ICDD, entitled Guidelines for the Preparation of Digitized X-ray Powder Patterns. Similarly, grant recipients are strongly encouraged to produce Reference Intensity Ratio (RIR) data on all new phases. If Rietveld refinement is used in the work, the grantees are encouraged to submit the refined atomic coordinates and other crystal structural data.

Pattern-Quality-Enhancement Grants

The ICDD sponsors grants that are not intended to produce new patterns, but rather to support projects which advance the quality of the PDF by replacing existing patterns with improved ones. Included within this category are projects based on historical reviews of the PDF, reworking of data already present in the PDF, and preparation of supporting material. Consideration will be given primarily to those project proposals, which are directly applicable to specific interests of the ICDD or have potential for future diffraction analysis tools or products. Please contact the Grant-in-Aid Coordinator before submitting an application for this type of grant to discuss suitability of the proposal.

Use this list as a guide or recommendation in making a selection for Grant-in-Aid proposals.
ICDD is always looking to enhance and expand our database with interesting high-quality diffraction patterns.

Submission of Grant-in-Aid Proposals

Grant-in-Aid proposal submissions are received via the on-line web portal using the Grantee Login/Register button located above. If this is your first time submitting a proposal to ICDD, you are required to register and upload a CV or resume. Once registered, you will be asked to submit for review a full diffraction pattern of a Standard Reference Material (SRM) used to calibrate and check the performance of the diffractometer you will be using for your data collection.  Once your SRM is approved, you will be able to submit your proposal using the web portal.  Deadlines for receipt of Grant-in-Aid proposals are 31 January and 31 July.

Processing of Grant-in-Aid Proposals

The ICDD Grant-in-Aid Committee reviews all proposals received. The committee reviews proposals submitted by the 31 January deadline in March and for the 31 July deadline in September. Approved proposals for Grant-in-Aid funding become effective as of 1 April (Cycle I) and 1 October (Cycle II). You will receive notification by the Grant-in-Aid Coordinator of the outcome of your proposal following the review meetings. On approval of a proposal, an Acknowledgement of Agreement of the Approved Grant and a Publishing Agreement will be issued. ICDD obtains the copyright for the data provided on approved grant projects. Permission for grantees to publish the data at a later date will be granted upon request.

Payments for Approved Grant-in-Aid Projects

Grant-in-Aid funds are initiated by wire transfer only. The payments structure is based on the total amount of funding approved. The funds will be disbursed quarterly or on a semi-annual basis during the grant cycle.

There have been hundreds of Grant-in-Aid recipients. See ICDD’s Distinguished Grantees and 1,000 Pattern Achievement Honorees.

In addition to financial support, Grant-in-Aid recipients received a Certificate of Publication,
discounted ICDD Products, a complimentary one-year subscription to the Powder Diffraction Journal, and publication in the Powder Diffraction File.