Proposal Preparation: An Overview for Faculty and Staff Norm Braaten Director of Pre-award Development Office of Sponsored Programs Marla Rohrke Senior

Proposal Preparation:An Overview for Faculty and Staff

Norm BraatenDirector of Pre-award Development Office of Sponsored Programs

Marla RohrkeSenior Proposal WriterOffice of Proposal Development

March 9, 2005

Overview

• The Grant Life Cycle• Idea Development• Funding Source Identification• Proposal Preparation• Proposal Approval, Routing & Submission• Awards Processing• 2005 Grant Writing Seminars• Proposal Preparation Assistance

The Grant Life Cycle

Idea Development

• Most creative and scholarly ideas come from prior work, perhaps dating back as far as one’s dissertation.

• Sometimes the funding opportunity may provide the idea.

Funding Source Identification

• Most investigators know about the potential for funding in their areas and the potential funding sources.

• Community of Science database

• Customized searches


Talk with a program officer• Prepare a one- to two-page summary of your

project• Email – suggest day/time you’ll call and briefly

state the purpose of your call. Say you’d like to send a summary via email before the call

• You may receive advice on your project and suggestions for other grant programs


Funding Announcementshttp://www.unl.edu/research/sp/funding.shtml

Current and Previous Issues

To subscribe to Funding Announcements listserv, contact Nathan Meier ([email protected], 472-1808)

Proposal Preparation

Getting Started1. Read and follow the RFP!


Getting Started2. Prepare outlines

a. Proposal preparation timeline – work back from submission date, save time for reflection and outside review, and identify responsibilities for group proposals

b. Skeleton outline of proposal from the sections required by the RFP and review criteria


Getting Started3. Start writing

a. Start to flesh out skeleton outline

b. Review criteria – make a copy as a checklist

c. Make sure partners stay on schedule


Getting Started4. Introduction

a. A brief summary of the narrative. Not burdened with data or references. A teaser – entice the reviewer to be your champion during panel review.


Getting Started4. Introduction

b. Get to the heart of your project right away. Don’t bury the project’s purpose three pages back. Save background information for the next section of the narrative. Briefly include the proposal “Building Blocks.”


Building Blocks

Coordination throughout your proposal

Need → Idea → Long-range Goal →Project Goal → Objectives/Specific Aims →

Activities → Evaluation → Outcomes/Impact → Future Directions


Building BlocksNeed

• Gap in current knowledge your project will fill• Significance/impact of meeting the need

Idea• Consistent with UNL’s, college’s and

department’s priorities, strategies and goals and/or your long-range research plans


Building BlocksLong-range Goal

• Long-range goal for your research beyond the project/grant funding period

Project Goal• Next step to reach your long-range goal• Will fill or move you toward meeting the

need or filling the gap in current knowledge


Building BlocksObjectives/Specific Aims

• Specific/measurable• Should not be dependent on the success of

preceding objectives/specific aimsActivities (Plan of Work/Research Design & Methods)

• Relate to objectives/specific aims• Include timeline, personnel,

resources/budget items


Building BlocksEvaluation

• Formative (to improve project during development and implementation – ongoing)

• Summative (to assess the success of the project)• Were the objectives/specific aims achieved?• Was the project worthwhile?• Can the project be used by other institutions or in

other situations?


Building BlocksOutcomes/Impact

• Expected outcomes• Impact – who/what will benefit and how• Sustainability

Future Directions• What will happen or what direction will you

take with your research after the funding period if you achieve your expected results?


ClarityReviewers will disregard proposals they

don’t like or don’t understand• Don’t hide meaning among adjectives,

adverbs and meaningless or vague jargon• Be direct. “I will do xxxxx” not “Xxxxx should

be done”• Reviewers may not be experts in your

particular area – explain when necessary


ReminderRead and follow the RFP!

• “What makes me crazy is an organization ignoring our guidelines”

• Use the RFP’s format and terminology (e.g., specific aims, objectives, background, etc.) and key words of the grant program

• Include everything, being sure you follow all instructions and requirements


Budget ConsiderationsThe budget should reflect the scope of work.Consider the following principles:• Is the cost something that directly

supports the grant (allocable)?• Is the cost an amount I would normally

expect to pay (reasonable)?


Budget Considerations• Am I doing the expenses the same way as

other grants I’ve had (consistency)?

• Is the cost something the sponsor (Federal government) says it will never pay for (specifically unallowable)?

• Is cost sharing required?

• Is full F&A cost allowed?


Budget ConsiderationsA cost share consideration:

“The investigator will devote 10% effort to the project during the academic year.” (Effort related, quantifiable. Use when cost share is mandatory.)

vs.“The investigator will devote the effort necessary to ensure that the scientific and educational outcomes of the proposal are met.”(Outcome related.)

Approval, Routing, Submission

Tips to make your proposal move through the approval process smoothly:

• An early “heads-up” to the people who would be involved in the approval process

• Early budget assistance through your department or college administrator or the Office of Sponsored Programs.

• Build administrative concerns, proposal approval and OSP review into your preparation time (2 working days).

Awards Processing

Why an award is not processed in a timely manner:

• We don’t know that an award document exists• More detail is required for the budget, cost

share or subaward• The award (contract) is in negotiations• Compliance approvals have not been received

– Conflict of interest– Human subjects, Vertebrate animals, Biosafety

Assistance

For Assistance with Proposal Preparation

Sponsored Programs – Pre-award Dev.http://www.unl.edu/research/sp/sp.shtmlNorm Braaten, [email protected], 472-3780

Proposal Developmenthttp://www.unl.edu/research/sp/propdev.shtmlMarla Rohrke, [email protected], 472-2877

Documents

Proposal Preparation: An Overview for Faculty and Staff Norm Braaten Director of Pre-award Development Office of Sponsored Programs Marla Rohrke Senior