Process to Submit a Proposal
Develop Idea and Determine Eligibility
- Know the field and assess the competition.
- Only full-time faculty and/or staff are eligible to apply for grants.
Select Potential Sponsor
- Verify that topic is compatible with agency funding interests
- Consider agency limits on budget, # of applicants and geographic area.
- Proposals to foundations for research projects should be coordinated through Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) prior to submitting a proposal.
- Proposals to foundations in support of programs or scholarships should be coordinated through the Office of University Advancement (OUA) prior to contacting foundations.
Develop Proposal
- Allow plenty of time.
- Get input from colleagues on campus and off-campus.
- Inform ORSP of possible funding opportunity.
- Review proposal requirements. Use correct forms, follow instructions and complete all parts of application.
- ORSP will download the application, review for completeness, and submit the application.
- Keep Department Chair, Dean and ORSP informed of the progress.
Write Your Grant/Develop the Budget
- As an expert in your field, you will be responsible for writing the bulk of the grant narrative.
- We will review the material and make suggestions to revise your narrative to make your proposal more competitive. We also encourage you to take advantage of the resources offered on this site that can help you increase your chances of writing a successful grant proposal.
- We can work with you to develop the proposed budget and check all budgets for compliance with sponsor guidelines.
Submit Proposal to Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
The ORSP submits all grant proposals on behalf of the university to the appropriate funding agencies. The ultimate responsibility for meeting the funding agency’s submission deadline lies with the Principal Investigator/Project Director (PI/PD). If the funding agency specifies a deadline date for submission, the PI is responsible for delivering the proposal to the ORSP 2 weeks (10 business days) before the proposal deadline if ORSP will complete the budget or 1 week (5 business days) before the proposal deadline if the PI will complete the budget.
The following procedure applies to grant submissions:
- Send the Intent to Submit a Proposal form signed by the Dean to the Grants & Contracts Director as soon as you have decided to apply to the grant. Email Angela Hartmann, fax (361) 580-5502, or mail UW Suite 272D.
- ORSP will supply the PI/PD with a Proposal Checklist Other Agencies Proposal Checklist Other Agencies, facilitate an administrative review of the grant, and work with the PI/PD on any needed changes.
- ORSP will submit the grant to the appropriate funding source electronically or by mail per funding requirements.
- ORSP will circulate the External Grant Proposal Routing Sheet for administrative signatures and will handle all follow-up contract prior to a funding decision.
- After Submitting the Grant: Follow-Through with Sponsor
- Provide additional information as requested, and forward any correspondence relating to this grant to ORSP.
If the Project is Funded:
- Conduct the project per agreement and program requirements.
- Keep sponsor and ORSP informed of progress or problems.
- Deliver reports on time.
- Follow up with renewal proposal.
ORSP will oversee contract execution, and if necessary subcontract agreement(s), account setup, relay cost center information to the Principle Investigator, establish the cost center budget; oversee and approve expenditures, complete invoices and financial reporting requirements, plus work with department personnel to coordinate the project.
If the Project is Not Funded:
- request reviews (these can be very helpful in a resubmission),
- revise,
- visit with program officers if necessary, and
- resubmit (resubmission increases likelihood of funding by 50%) or start over.