The immediate nature of most disasters means researchers need to be quick on the draw to collect perishable data. Now we at the Natural Hazards Center are pleased to announce we’re quicker, too.

In the past two years, we’ve made significant improvements in how we evaluate and score proposals for our Quick Response Grant Program. Those changes, which include a blind evaluation based on a weighted criteria and ranking system, allow us to turn our program on a dime—and that has allowed us to make a noteworthy change in how we’ll process grant proposals in the future.

For the 2011 program year, we've eliminated the fall preapproval process and will evaluate proposals submitted to study specific disasters as they occur, saving you the guesswork of writing about events that haven't happened yet. We'll still have the same application requirements, but will be able to provide more support to potential applicants than ever before.

With that in mind, we've created an e-mail list where we'll distribute the new guidelines and keep you in the loop throughout the year—sign up today (you don't have to reenter all of your info—just your name, e-mail address, and check the QR box), so you’ll be ready to enter the field tomorrow.