Faculty Proposal Development Guide

Where can I locate research funding opportunities? How do I develop a competitive proposal? Where do I find the data needed to complete my proposal? What is a data management plan? What is required for a federal proposal? Who do I contact with questions?

It takes considerable time and effort to develop a successful proposal — in fact, proposal success rates average 20–33%, depending on the field. Funding agencies reject half the proposals they receive because the applicant did not follow instructions, or the proposal did not match the funding program. The rewards for obtaining research funding can be great, enabling you to explore new frontiers, instruct your students in the conduct of research, and yield new discoveries to grow knowledge of benefit to society.

This guide will assist faculty in the development of successful funding proposals. Please also refer to the University Research Administration pages for more information regarding proposal development and support services.


Work with Funding Agencies
Creating Proposals

Article: Understanding FOAs (or NOFOs)

Article: Contacting the Program Officer

Funding Searches

Agency Proposal Toolkits

Limited Opportunities

Federal Award Databases and Funding Forecasts

Sample Proposals

Article: 12 Steps to a Winning Proposal

Article: Create an Effective First Page

Proposal Components

Proposal Writing Resources

Budget Development

Subawards

Proposal Documents 
and Related Materials
Proposal Compliance and Submission
Resources 
and FAQs

Article: Effective Letters of Support

Pre-Proposals, White Papers, and Letters of Intent

Letters of Commitment, Collaboration, and Support

Data Management Plans

Graphics and Evaluation Resources

Roles and Responsibilities Matrix

PI Eligibility

Proposal Review and Endorsement

Disclosures and Assurances

Contracts

Compliance

Submission Deadlines

Faculty Support for Proposal Development

Quick Reference Fact Sheet

University Facts and Figures

Proposal Development and Award FAQs

Budget Development FAQs


Please contact your unit research administrator or URA Sponsored Development administrator for further questions or additional information.