Proposal Preparation Outline
Find a program to apply to and read the guidelines carefully. Contact the program officer at the funding agency.
Contact ORSP as soon as possible and provide us with the name of agency, program, and/or contact info, due date(s), names and contact info for collaborators at least a week ahead of time and ideally more, especially if you are collaborating with another institution or the project will require cost-sharing. Complete the Internal Approval Checklist.
Prepare a budget with ORSP. This will help you in writing your budget justification to answer questions about time commitment, project roles, subcontracts, consultants and possible unallowable costs.
Get your c.v.(s), other support info, and institutional background information in order.
Prepare the draft narrative.
- General outline for proposals:
- Abstract/Summary
- Background/Significance/Need
- Aims/Objectives
- Methodology/Design
- Management Plan (including possible subawards/subcontracts)
- Evaluation/Expected Results/Future Plans
- Biosketches or Curriculum Vita
- Budget and Justification including subcontracting organizations
Additional items may be required by the granting agency, e.g. NSF requires a data management plan that is separate from the project narrative, and DOE has a section called the GEPA which outlines how the project affects and includes all school children including non-secular students.
Obtain appropriate approvals for the project in conjunction with ORSP and fill out any required administrative forms, contact the IACUC for animal research , and/or the IRB for human subjects.
If you are collaborating with another individual at a different institution, please let ORSP know right away. We will assist you in preparing the appropriate documents for inclusion in your proposal.
If you have time, please have someone read your draft proposal that is qualified to evaluate it.
Provide ORSP with final proposal at least five days prior to the due date or at least 10 days if you have a proposal that requires cost-sharing.
Please call us if you have any questions and keep us informed about your application plans. A Generalized Proposal Checklist is available by clicking here.