Resources

1. Grant Timeline & Requirements¶

Project and Grantee Requirements

Collect and sequence the approved number of soil samples, per your application.
Send sample sequencing data and metadata to SPUN. SPUN will not use this data until the end of the embargo period.
Document the expedition and provide images and videos to SPUN in English or the local language. This footage will be used to promote the research coming from the Underground Explorers grantees.
Train at least three local community members in soil collection protocols. Video and/or photo documentation of this training should be submitted to SPUN soon after the completion of the expedition.
Present a final technical report and to submit an expense report with receipts no later than 60 days following the conclusion of the funded project.
Submit an expense report with complementing receipts that matches with your originally proposed project budget.
Adhere to SPUN DEI and ethical guidelines which can be read here.
Develop community engagement activities as outlined in the original proposal.

See requirement dates under Key Dates on the main page.

Cohort Kick-Off

The Cohort Kick-Off is a meeting with your cohort and the UEP staff to introduce everyone to the program. Cohort members will have the opportunity to meet the other researchers in the program and ask questions to the staff and to each other. During this meeting, important information will be provided regarding the expectations of the grant program, research protocols, etc.

Official Grant Start and Grant End Dates

These are dates that mark the start and end of the grant program. UEP cohort members are expected to begin their projects by the start date and finish their projects by the end date.

If you would like to sequence via a SPUN sequencing partner

SPUN has partnerships with a couple sequencing facilities to intake UEP samples. Sequencing with a SPUN sequencing partner is something you can consider if you do not have a reasonable sequencing option available to you. Sequencing via SPUN costs $50 per sample, including PCR amplification, and the sequencing for ITS2 and SSU regions. You must first have extracted your DNA before sending to the SPUN sequencing partner, which only accepts DNA samples. In order to sequence via a SPUN sequencing partner, you can contact rachel@spun.earth who can provide you with the instructions to submit the sample submission form which our sequencing partners need before processing your samples, as well as the DNA shipping instructions.

Mid-term and Closing Sessions

The Mid-term Check-In is an important opportunity for the cohort members to come together and update us on the progress of their projects. The Closing Session gives time to cohort members to provide insights and conclusions for their projects. Both meetings are an opportunity for cohort members to ask questions regarding methodology or process, and get advice from other cohort members or the UEP staff.

Media Releases

When you record a video or take a photo during your project, you should ask all participants who are in the recordings or photographs to sign a Media Release

Footage Submissions

UEP grantees are required to document their project using a camera. The UEP communications team is here to provide guidance, and will go through a short training during the kick-off. The footage should be submitted to SPUN by the prescribed submission date.

Sequencing Data Submissions

UEP grantees are required to submit metadata and sequencing data via the SPUN Data submissions application. Instructions for how to submit via the platform are found here. If you sent your samples to a SPUN sequencing partner, you do not have to submit your sequencing data via the platform as we will receive the data directly from the sequencing partner.

Expense Report & Receipts

While conducting your Underground Explorers research, all purchases or services you pay for should be documented, and the receipts should be kept. At the end of the grant period, you will be required to submit all the receipts and the final expense report. The expense report is a summary list of all the expenses you made, the cost, and the total amount of all transactions. The total cost should match with the original budget you had proposed for your project. An expense report template will be provided to you so that you can fill this out as you make purchases. A receipt template will also be provided to you if you make purchases that have no receipt. In these cases, you can fill in the template with the information from the transaction in place of a real receipt. The expense report and receipts should be submitted via Good Grants. You will find this under "Grant Reports" in your Good Grants profile.

Final Technical Report

The final report is required for all UEP cohort members to submit. We will provide a template for the final report with questions that we would like you to answer. These questions ask you to summarize the results and insights from your project. We do not want to burden you with too much work and therefore have a word limit for each question. The final report is due after the Official Closing Date. The final report should be submitted via Good Grants. You will find this under "Grant Reports" in your Good Grants profile.