Proposal Submission Guidelines
The Research Foundation of CFA Institute funds research that is relevant and useful to investment practitioners. The Research Foundation emphasizes research of practical value while also inviting the exploration of new and challenging topics that provide a unique perspective in the rapidly evolving profession of investment management.
The Foundation may choose to publish the funded research as a Research Foundation monograph. In comparison with a typical journal article, which may describe a specific innovation or insight, Research Foundation monographs are expected to address a topic in a more comprehensive manner or to cover several related innovations and insights. In comparison with a book, monographs are expected to provide a more succinct and focused description of a topic. Finally, Research Foundation monographs should be self-contained and be presented in a style that is appropriate for investment practitioners.
The Research Foundation typically publishes four to six research publications a year. The research must be of particular interest to CFA Institute members. Specifically, the topic must be:
- Relevant to investment practitioners
- Of lasting value
- Of interest to a fairly broad range of members
- Considered "significant" by offering important new insights on topics of interest to CFA Institute members
How to Submit a Proposal
Research proposals should be assembled as follows:
- A cover page with project title, name, affiliation, address, and telephone number
- A statement of what is to be done, how it is to be done, its reference to the developed literature — both academic and practitioner — what it hopes to accomplish, and its relevance to investment practitioners
- Timetable for completion of the project
- Author curriculum vitae
- A detailed statement of required funding
- A statement of other funding sources
Proposals should be submitted by e-mail or by mail to:
Research Director
The Research Foundation of CFA Institute
560 Ray C. Hunt Drive
P. O. Box 3668
Charlottesville, VA 22903-0668
Proposals are reviewed periodically.
Policy Statement
This Policy Statement is part of the agreement between grant recipients and the Research Foundation of CFA Institute.
Research projects approved by the Research Foundation must be clearly and uniquely identifiable. That is, while a researcher's various projects may be similar and have some overlap, funded Research Foundation projects are assumed and expected clearly to add value relative to any other project completed, in progress, or proposed by project investigators.
A condition of acceptance and funding by the Research Foundation is that the essential content of the research project has not been previously published elsewhere. This does not preclude from acceptance and funding a previous work updated and expanded, if it clearly meets the criteria in #1 above.
The Research Foundation has clear and exclusive publication rights for projects it funds. If the Foundation decides not to publish the results of a project it funds, the researcher will be given a release on a timely basis, and after obtaining permission from the Foundation's Research Director, the researcher may publish results elsewhere provided that proper acknowledgement of Research Foundation funding is included. This caveat applies to abstracts, summaries, articles, book chapters, monographs, and the like.
As a condition for payment of the portion of the research grant that is withheld until the project is completed, grant recipients must certify that (a) publication of the results has not occurred, (b) publication of the results is not forthcoming elsewhere before the Foundation makes its publication decision, and (c) publication of the results is not forthcoming before Research Foundation publication occurs (if, indeed, the decision is to publish the research).
After the Research Foundation publishes the research project, grant recipients agree not to republish it elsewhere without the written permission of the Research Foundation. Once given such permission, grant recipients should make proper acknowledgement of Research Foundation funding.
Researchers are encouraged to present papers at association meetings and research seminars based on research funded by the Research Foundation. However, inclusion of funded material in meeting or seminar proceedings must be authorized by the Research Director.
