MTTI membership is open to all faculty and staff supporting transportation research, education, activities, and outreach programs.
Investment Initiatives for Resources
Internally, MTTI provides funding to members through research initiatives.
Major initiatives are larger, often highly-collaborative activities that generate self-perpetuating resources in the form of long-term external project funding or other resources, and that may lead to stable programs or centers that provide for the common good of many MTTI members. MTTI’s investment in initiatives should be used as a means to capture outside resources. Projects are funded for up to $60,000 on a three year basis.
Minor initiatives are exploratory projects which can be partially supported several ways through MTTI. In all cases these projects result in a deliverable that produces a chance at a return on the investment that MTTI made. Projects are funded at $10,000 for one year.
Administrative – Pre-Award Support
- RFP Scouting
- Communication with SPO/SPA
- Budget preparation
- Transmittal preparation
- External sponsor forms preparation
- Proposal writing/editing
- Printing, copying, shipping
- Communications with sponsor
- Communication with subcontractors/collaborators
- Development of subcontractor budgets
- Obtain necessary documentation from subcontractors/collaborators
- Letters of support from external sources
Letters of Support
- Internal letters
- Conference, workshop letters
- Proposal letters
Travel
- Member sponsored travel
- External speaker travel support for hosting visiting speakers/guests
Students
- Travel funding
- Letters of support
- Financial funding for pre-college outreach programs
- MTTI summer internship program
Research Funding
- Major initiatives
- Minor (seed funding) initiatives
- Cost share support
Other Funding
- Proposal writing support
- Facilities upgrades
- Stop gap funding for programs, when necessary
Priority Feedback from Members
In January 2017, The MTTI Executive Committee requested input from our members on better aligning MTTI support and services with the priorities of our members. The survey focused on six areas of support offered by MTTI, asking respondents to rank the areas of importance to their needs. The rankings are as follows:
- Most respondents were principal and affiliate members.
- Administrative pre-award is the most important area for MTTI to support.
- For administrative pre-award, budget preparation and transmittal and contract documentation preparation are most important.
- For administrative post-award, budget/financial tracking and reporting are most important.
- For travel and event support, member and student travel are valued equally to external speaker travel.
- MTTI summer student internships are the most important area in student support.
- For research funding, cost share support is most important.
- Other important funding should include financial proposal writing support.