Proposal Preparation and the Award

You’ve found a funding opportunity or a RFP, now what?

Or..., still looking? Check these pages for links to funding agencies and organizations:

Guidelines and Instructions: the details are important!

The sponsor’s funding announcement or request for proposals (RFP) will provide you details about eligibility, what costs you can apply for and the required forms for the application. Be sure you also search for post-award guidelines, which explain things like the sponsor’s expectations for accounting and reporting.

What are deadlines for proposal submission?

The University requires all proposals to be submitted to your institutional representative at least 5 full working days before the sponsor’s due date. To find internal deadline dates for common due dates, go to the Office of Research Administration ORA website

Have you developed a timeline to prepare your proposal?

Best practice is to work backward. Don’t forget, you need 5 business days for institutional review!

Who does what in the proposal process

You, the applicant and the Principal Investigator, are responsible for:

  • writing the research plan
  • providing budget details to your RPM
  • writing a budget justification
  • gathering biosketches for the research team
  • obtaining a PI waiver (if necessary)
  • keeping your mentor and department manager apprised

For a quick overview of who does what during proposal preparation take a look at, and print for your team, the Proposal Process page.

Congratulations, you've been funded!

You’ve received notification of an award, now what? First: send a copy of the award documentation or email to your Research Process Manager and Department Manager.

Make sure you have all animal and human subjects protocols in place, as needed. If your mentor has an active protocol that applies to your research, be sure to cross reference your funding. (See Chapter 5: Compliance (active link to Ch 5) – or Chapter 1: Education & Training, if we delete Ch 5)

Who does what in the award process

Now the work begins! To get started, print a copy of the Award Process page for your team.

Christoper Contag, Profesor of Pediatrics (Neonatology) and Co-Director of The Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS). The program aims to fundamentally change how biological research is performed with cells in their intact environment in living subjects & to develop new ways to diagnose diseases & monitor therapies in patients.