First meeting of WG4 and the grant committee - 04/10/2023

* STSM grants:

• target travel across borders -- even outside Europe
• grants have to be within 4k EUR but other rules can mostly be set by us.
• we want to spend all the money within a grant period (GP).
• we need to keep the scientific relevance and inclusiveness (geography, gender, juniority) in mind when allocating grants.

* Allocation of STSM grants:

• two options, either first come first serve, or open calls during a few weeks for a given period and with a given budget?
• if so, should a call be open for the upcoming X months or for a whole GP?
• the favoured option is four calls per GP covering both the upcoming few months and later periods, more details below.

* Templates:

• see https://www.cost.eu/uploads/2021/12/Grant-Awarding-userguide.pdf
• https://www.cost.eu/STSM_GrantApplication
• https://www.cost.eu/STSM_Report
• https://www.cost.eu/ITCConference_GrantApplication
• https://www.cost.eu/ITCConference_Report
• applications are filled online through e-cost + should we request letters from the host (and home?) institutes, CV, support from the WG leaders?

* Decisions:

Calls for ITC conferences and STSMs at the same time, but different application forms. No dissemination grants for the first call.

Calls every 3 months
================

 call closing    |   travel window
------------------------------------------
 15/11/23        |  01/12/23 -- 15/10/24
 10/01/24        |  01/02/24 -- 15/10/24
 10/04/24        |  01/05/24 -- 15/10/24
 10/07/24        |  01/08/24 -- 31/01/25

• budget for each trimester = TOT / 4, that may be modified by the grant committee if needed.
• for each trimester, at most half of the budget is reserved to not "last minute" applications, where "last minute" applications are those which are requested for the closest travel window.
• travel ban in the last two weeks of October (just before the end of a GP).
• calls to be sent by the Grant Committee Chair to COMETA_ALL at least three weeks ahead of a call closing date.

Submission procedure
=================

• Online grant applications: https://e-services.cost.eu/activity/grants/add
• Application form + additional uploaded documents (for both STSM and ITC).
• Letter of invitation:
  • STSM: from the host (physical person, not institute),
  • ITC: from the conference organisers, or copy of accepted abstract.
• CV including publications (for both STSM and ITC).
• Support letter from supervisors for PhD and master students (for both STSM and ITC).

Evaluation
========

• Evaluation criteria:
  • scientific relevance,
  • geographical inclusiveness (note that the ITC classification is according to the home institute of the candidate),
  • gender balance,
  • younger people (< 40 y.o.),
  • the grant committee may contact WG leaders in case of need for decision.
• Evaluation procedure:
  • the grant committee chair first prepares and distributes a summary of the applications,
  • in case of a conflict of interest, the implied member of the committee does not participate in the evaluation of that single application,
  • closed evaluation committee meeting (open to participation, but not voting, for the chair and vice chair).
• Evaluation response:
  • minutes of the decisions,
  • we think that the grant committee has the right to reduce the STSM requests: does the COST system and rules allow for it?
    • if it's not possible, the committee does not approve the application and asks for a new submission with a new amount within days of the first decision,
    • if the submitter does not accept, the STSM is rejected.