SPO Proposal Preparation Guide
Brief Overview of the UCA Grant Proposal Process
Early Planning
• Start early and build in time for the unexpected to happen.
• Brainstorm with colleagues or Sponsored Programs Office (SPO) staff.
• Locate appropriate funding sources (e.g., federal/ state agencies, foundations, etc.).
• Use SPO SPIN to conduct a funding search.
• Register for SMARTS with SPO to receive funding opportunity e-mails.
• Research the funding source to learn if your interests correspond with theirs.
Development
• Obtain the funding source's guidelines and/or application package for proposal submission.
• Carefully follow and address each section of the sponsor's guidelines/ application.
• Notice if a hard copy of the proposal or electronic submission is required. If electronic, contact SPO for additional information/ support.
Budget Development
• In developing the budget, request adequate resources to complete the project (SPO staff can assist in this area).
• Discuss the budget and needed resources with your chair, dean, or supervisor.
Research Compliance
• If your research involves human or animal subjects, talk with the compliance coordinator. Some agencies require approval before proposal submission.
Proofing and Constructive Criticism
• Ask colleagues and/or SPO staff to read the proposal for a thorough, understandable narrative, grammatical/ typographical errors and to provide constructive criticism.
• Quality Circle available 1 month prior to deadline of proposal.
UCA Approvals and Signatures
• Complete registration and training in Cayuse424 to obtain the signatures of your chair and dean. (Note: some chairs and deans will want time to read the proposal before signing.)
• Allow SPO a minimum of five days to obtain the appropriate approvals/ signatures.
Award Negotiations
• If the funder calls to negotiate the budget, tell the negotiator that you need to consult with your Sponsored Programs Office before agreeing to any budget revisions.
• Budget revisions will have to be approved by UCA officials.
Post-Award Activities
• When you receive notice that your proposal has been awarded or disapproved, contact SPO and send a copy of the notice.
• If awarded, paperwork will be completed by SPO so that a budget account can be established by the grants accountant.
• Supply requested information for a news release.
• Complete the funding agency status reports as required in the award notification.
Budget Information and Templates:
Proposal Budget: Information for the Budget Spreadsheets
Calculating Salaries for Grants and Conversion of Percent of Time& Effort to Person Months
Sponsored Programs Budget Spreadsheet (1 to 5 years No Match Required)
Sponsored Programs Budget Spreadsheet ( 1 to 5 years Match Required)
Proposal Writing Guide
If you are thinking of writing a grant or contract proposal this guide will encourage you to seek external funding for your project and that the information contained in this guide will make proposal writing and the submission process easier, more efficient, and more productive. If you have any questions along the way, as your read this, or as your prepare your proposal, call or stop by the Sponsored Programs Office.
UCA Proposal Writing Guide (PDF)
Links to Other Proposal Writing Guides
American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU):
Proposal Development Handbook - The ability to secure external funding for research or service projects has become a necessary skill for many in academic careers. This booklet is designed to help individuals understand the process by which government agencies and private foundations support research and service activities on our nation’s campuses. In addition to explaining the conditions under which agencies and foundations make grants, this booklet outlines an easy-to-use process for transforming research project ideas into grant-winning proposals. (Updated 7-5-2001)
National Endowment for the Humanities:
Advice on Preparing Your Grant - An interesting feature of the National Endowment for the Humanities Web site is a document containing specific advice given by its program directors to assist applicants as they complete their grant proposals. While prepared by NEH personnel, the guidance is universal and could be used for most applications for external project funding. (Updated 1-25-2007)
National Institutes of Health:
"Hints for Writing Successful NIH Grants“by Prof. Ellen Barrett, University of Miami, October 1995. Please note that some of the rules for writing NIH grants have changed since this article was written. Two specific examples of important changes are (1) preparation of the budget section and (2) the need in current grants to include a section explicitly mentioning innovative aspects of the proposed research. (Updated 3-7-2001)
"All About Grants" Tutorials- Help for biomedical investigators, especially new ones, to plan, write, and apply for the basic National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project grant. (Updated 2-4-2009)
Proposal Writing: The Business of Science - This guide, provided by the Whitaker Foundation, discusses how to obtain a NIH grant, including a look at the NIH review system. (2005)
National Science Foundation:
"Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)- National Science Foundation (updated 10-1-2008)
"FASTLANE - Electronic Proposal Submission Guide” File in PDF format - National Science Foundation (updated 2-21-2009)
"A Guide for Proposal Writing"- National Science Foundation, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, NSF 98-91
Generic links to proposal hints:
"The Art of Writing Proposals" - The Social Science Research Council (Updated 12-12-2008)
Proposal Writing Short Course - The Foundation Center has summarized the steps to writing your proposal. (updated 2009)
Grant Writing Tools for Non-Profit Organizations - This grantwriting guide, provided by SeaCoast Web Design, while aimed primarily at private grantseekers, will be useful to public grant seekers as well, providing samples of letters, applications and budgets. (Updated 7/17/2008)
Grantseeker's Checklist - from CD Publications 1999 (updated August 15, 2002)
"A Few Ideas about Pursuing Federal Funding" - by Ralph Nelsen of the Columbia Education Center of Portland, Oregon. (Updated 2-12-2009)
Grant Search & Information - Sponsored by The Paladin Group - Grant Mentors. (Updated March 25, 2003)
Grant Proposal Writing Tips - Sponsored by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (Updated 2009)
Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal - By S. Joseph Levine, Ph.D., Michigan State University. (Updated 1-20-2009)
More sites containing links for Proposal Writing Assistance:
Grantwriting Resources (Updated 2008)
Proposal Writing: Internet Resources (Updated 1-6-2009)
Proposal Writing: Resources in Print (Updated 1-6-2009)
The Quality Circle (QC) for External Grant Proposal Review
Purpose: The QC provides constructive criticism to grant writers before proposals are submitted to funding agencies. The focus of the review is on strengthening the proposal.
Members: Faculty from various disciplines and colleges across campus are recruited. Each circle consists of three to five members considered best suited to review a specific proposal.
Why: We see this as a way to strengthen proposals, and therefore increase the rate at which UCA proposals are funded.
When: Faculty should alert Sponsored Programs early in the grant writing process that they would like a Quality Circle review and submit the proposal at least three to four weeks prior to the agency deadline date.