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For grant purposes, the healing arts and sciences are defined as any organized bodies of knowledge that have practical application to problems of physical, spiritual, and mental health.  This would include, but not be limited to, biology, chemistry, nursing, psychology, social work, sociology, and theology.  Research proposals will be eligible for consideration for an O.P. Kretzmann Fund grant if they address themselves to questions of the analysis, diagnosis, and/or cure of problems of physical, spiritual, and mental health, irrespective of the academic department of the researcher.

Preference is given to those proposals that, in addition to satisfying the above criteria, hold promise of practical usefulness in the life and ministry of the church, particularly the Lutheran Church, and give emphasis to the theological implications of academic disciplines and life situations.  Grants are made by the President of the University upon recommendation of the Committee on Creative Work and Research augmented by a person chosen ad hoc by the President of the Wheat Ridge Foundation.

Any discoveries or inventions made in the course of research under an O.P. Kretzmann Fund grant is the property, in equal shares, of the researcher, of Valparaiso University and of the Wheat Ridge Foundation.  The right to publish results of the research must belong exclusively to the researcher.

All faculty with the rank of lecturer or above with full-time continuing appointments are eligible for the grant.  Faculty with twelve-month appointments are also eligible; however, they will not receive a cash grant but rather released time for which their department or unit may be reimbursed through the grant.

In awarding grants from this fund there must be no discrimination based on race, sex, color, or national origin.  Religious considerations may be taken into account to the extent of evaluating the potential value of the proposed research for the life and ministry of the church.  In the event no eligible request for a grant is received in any given year, that year's earnings on the fund will be added to the principal of the fund.

The maximum amount of the grant funds for all grants is presently $7,500 annually. Applications for the Kretzmann Fund shall be submitted to the Office of the Provost.  The deadline for receipt of the application and all supporting documents is October 15.

The grant or grants shall include a stipend that will be paid at the end of the spring semester following the selection.  Grants will not be awarded for any project that in any way contributes toward the attainment of a degree.  All grant recipients shall file a detailed report of their work by October 1, following the year for which the award was granted.  A copy shall also be filed with the Wheat Ridge Foundation and the researcher's department.