Proposal Development Guide
The Office of Sponsored Research is committed to assist faculty with general guidelines and procedures when applying for a grant.
Funding Sources
A good place for new faculty to begin is at www.grants.gov. This is a portal for federal funding. You can also use the federal agency web site such as http://www.nsf.gov/funding/. A more detailed list of sponsoring agencies can be found on the website under Faculty Funding Opportunities/External Grants.
If you are looking for foundation funding, you can go to www.fdncenter.org. However, you must contact the University Advancement Office before applying to any foundation for funding.
Proposal Preparation
Once you have selected a funding source, you need to complete the Prior Approval Form for your proposal to be approved for submission Please submit a brief synopsis of your project along with the Prior Approval Form at least 10 days prior to the proposal due date. All proposals must be submitted through the Office of Sponsored Research.
Here are some suggested steps to develop your proposal:
Step One – Start Early
In order to write an effective proposal, you must start early – it is not unheard of that a proposal could take 6 months to write.
Step Two – Consultation
Discuss your ideas with your Department Head to be sure your proposal is aligned with departmental mission, goals and objectives. If you and your Department Head are in agreement, complete the Prior Approval Form to begin the process.
Step Three – Begin Your Proposal
You will need to identify the individuals who will be involved in the project and then set up each individual’s responsibilities. Also, develop a timeline for activities within the project-this will identify resources for each activity. Next, schedule a meeting with the Office of Sponsored Research to develop a draft budget. These steps will provide the framework for your proposal. The final version of your proposal, letters of support, supplemental documents, quotes, bios, etc, should be submitted to the Office of Sponsored Research within 2 business days of submission.
Step Four – Budget and Justification
Your budget should be calculated based on hard numbers. It should be prepared on the grantor’s budget form. It should include salaries and wages, fringe benefits, equipment, travel, supplies, dissemination, consultants, sub-awards and indirect costs. The budget and justification will be completed in collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Research.
Step Five – Proposal Submission
Proposals must be submitted by the Office of Sponsored Research. Most proposals are submitted on-line through grants.gov or NSF Fastlane. The Office of Sponsored Research will assist you every step of the way.
Step Six – Wait
Now you should feel good about a job well done.
Timeline
Post-Award Support
Congratulations, you have been awarded!!! The Office of Sponsored Research is ready to go to work. If you require support other than listed, please don’t hesitate to make a request.
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Award Review and Acceptance
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Financial Management and Reporting
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Budget Modification Requests
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Record Retention
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Subaward Monitoring
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Project Close-out
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Patent Process
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Non-Disclosure Agreements
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Export Controls
