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Once the initial preparation and planning for a proposal have begun, the principal investigator (PI) is well-positioned to develop a thorough and competitive submission.

Successful proposals will be responsive to the specifics of the funding opportunity and include a budget that reinforces the project narrative. Ensuring that the scope of work and budget are in balance will help reviewers to evaluate your proposal.

In addition to preparing an accurate budget, proposal development includes determining the applicability of cost sharing, securing commitments from collaborators, and reviewing compliance issues.

Taking all of these considerations into account should help PIs meet the sponsor’s requirements and prepare a competitive proposal!

Review the Application Instructions
This is key!! You’ll want to carefully look at the solicitation, RFA, or application instructions and pay attention to:

  • What are the eligibility criteria? Is 鶹 as an institution eligible to apply, and are you as an investigator eligible to apply?
  • Is a preliminary proposal or letter of intent required?
  • Is it a limited submission opportunity? This means that JCU can only submit a limited number of proposals for that competition.
  • Are there budget restrictions or cost sharing involved?
  • What are the deadlines?

Please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs early – we can help!

What is required in a proposal varies by funder and program, but most include:

  • An abstract (project summary/executive summary);
  • Project description (including the background of the project/why it should be pursued, methodology, what will be done/who will do it, evaluation of outcomes, and timeline);
  • Budget
  • Biosketch (abbreviated CV);
    • NSF Biosketch: ; we created a that conforms to NSF requirements and formatting to assist you.
    • NIH Biosketch: and
  • Other sections, including data management plan, mentoring plan, facilities, and past grant support, may be requested or required depending on the funding opportunity.

For some funders, University information or documents may be required (e.g., audited financial statements, budget, etc.). Some information can be found on the Institutional Information tab; if you need specific documents, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs, and we can help you obtain them.