Project Review starts in mid to late fall. Renewing Hatch projects that terminate between June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023 should go through the review process this year. Department heads have been provided a list of projects that are due for renewal. Please advise the Directors Office of new faculty who will be establishing a project this year. New projects will be established through Project Review. 

It is the department head's responsibility to ensure that all proposals are complete and in the correct format. See the Project Proposal Format webpage for guidelines.

Peer review seminars are to be scheduled by the department as convenient to all reviewers. Seminars must be advertised and also posted on the Project Review website. Send seminar information for posting to Jenna Smith jenna.smith8@montana.edu and include the Project Director's (PD) name, proposal title, date, time and location. This is a Director's requirement to meet the federal Plan of Work (POW) guidelines.

The Project Review committee should include the PD's department head, one faculty reviewer within the PD's department, one College of Agriculture Department Head (who serves as the Director's representative) and one additional faculty reviewer external to the PD's department. Faculty serving as cooperators on projects cannot serve on the peer review committee for that project.

The committee roles are:

  • PD's Department Head
    • Collect all requested information (MAES Project Proposal Format) from the PD and distribute to the peer review committee
    • Comply with MAES Project Review procedures
    • After the seminar and Project Review, collect peer review written comments and develop a joint response with the Director's representative to the PD
  • Director's Representative (other COA Department Head)
    • Provide a rigorous Project Review and ensure overall compliance with established procedures for MAES Project Review
  • Internal Department Faculty Reviewer
    • Provide a rigorous Project Review based on familiarity with the research area
  • External Department Faculty Reviewer
    • Provide a rigorous Project Review based on familiarity with the research area

The PD is responsible for distributing to each member of the peer review committee a copy of the proposal at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled seminar. Evaluation forms can be forwarded to reviewers along with the copy of the project proposal to be available at seminar locations.

If the review requires a significant amount of revision or is rejected, the Director should be consulted prior to sending a letter to the PD.

Final project proposals are due to the Director's office on or before March 1, 2023. A copy with the department head's approval signature is required. The proposal will be used for the project initiation in NRS.

Project Initiation in NRS must be completed for each project, both new and revised, on or before April 1, 2023. 

In order to facilitate resolution of USDA/NIFA revisions and/or non-approvals, please make every effort to adhere to the above deadlines so all project information will be updated in NRS prior to the Federal Fiscal Year.