2010 Individual Grants Competition Announcement

Announcement of The Actuarial Foundation's AERF Committee, the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries' CKER Competition.

Purpose

The Actuarial Foundation's (TAF) AERF Committee, the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) and the Society of Actuaries' (SOA) Committee on Knowledge Extension Research (CKER) announce the 2010 Individual Grants Competition to support the advancement of knowledge in actuarial science. Grants will be funded through TAF, the CAS and the SOA.

Note: This is the only solicitation for grant proposals; one application will be used to submit proposals to each organization. Each organization may award grants.

Who May Apply

Individuals and groups may apply. Letters of intent are expected to come from:

1. practitioners, usually where the research project is not part of their employment
2. industry and university researchers embarking on a collaborative project
3. academics, individual or as a team

Graduate and undergraduate students are not eligible to apply individually, but may be part of a group in one of the above categories.

Selection Criteria

The project may be either theoretical or empirical in nature. A key criterion for each organization is that the project should have the potential to contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge in actuarial science.

TAF's AERF Committee gives preference to projects relating to current policy issues or having direct applications, and those that further the basic or continuing education of actuaries. Proposals for innovative developments in actuarial education also are invited for consideration.

Publication of Research
The result of each research project should be a manuscript suitable for publication in a scholarly journal (preferably the North American Actuarial Journal or Variance) or as a monograph. The sponsoring organization(s) reserve the right to publish the results of any research they have funded. If this right is not exercised, suitable credit must be given the sponsoring organization(s) at the time of publication. Information on previously published manuscripts is available on TAF's website at ActuarialFoundation.org under "Completed Research."

Research Contract

The selected researcher and the sponsoring organization(s) will enter into a formal contractual arrangement. Oversight will be coordinated by the funding organization(s). The range of grants awarded over the past five years has been $5,000–$60,000 U.S., with a median of $15,000.

Intent to Propose

Interested parties must submit a brief letter of intent (1–2 pages) outlining the nature of the research project, a rough estimate of the funding requirements, the anticipated distribution of results and the qualifications of the applicant(s). Letters should be submitted to Erika Schulty by October 19, 2009.

Application Form

Application forms will be distributed by November 23, 2009, to researchers being invited to submit proposals for funding consideration. Completed application forms are due by January 4, 2010.

Awards

Grant awards will be announced by March 15, 2010.

Questions to

• Curtis E. Huntington, Chairperson
• The AERF Committee of TAF and the CKER of the SOA
• ph: 734.763.0293
• f: 734.764.7048