The University is interested in funding proposals from multiple sources: foundations, state, and federal agencies. To encourage collaboration and to facilitate this process, please use the Concept Paper Application (79kB) in developing ideas that support your departmental and college goals. The completed concept papers will be useful documents as the Sponsored Programs office makes faculty aware of funding opportunities, and as the Foundation office makes inquiries with potential sponsors.
If a Pre-Proposal or Letter of Intent (LOI) is required and has no binding financials or University committments, the Principal Investigator (PI) should submit a copy of the Pre-Proposal or LOI to the Sponsored Programs office. If the Pre-Proposal is binding, which means the submitted financials, narrative description of scope of work, and University committments can not be changed when submitting the full proposal, then it will need to be processed through the SVSU Transmittal Process. Please discuss with Sponsored Programs.
See Flowchart (131kB) of Grant Proposal Development and Transmittal Process.
The Transmittal Checksheet requires the signature of the Project Director as well as the appropriate dean, the director of Sponsored Programs, the controller, an appropriate administrator such as director or vice president, the vice president of Academic Affairs, and the president. The Sponsored Programs office is responsible for obtaining the required signatures.
Signatures on the Transmittal Checksheet certify that the proposed work is consistent with University objectives, and that all faculty involved in the proposal agree to participate, to accept the obligations and commitments described in the proposal, and to perform the work in accordance with University and sponsor policies. These signatures also certify that federal funds have not, nor will be, used to attempt to influence the granting of the award (pursuant to restrictions on lobbying).
The remaining signatures on the Transmittal Checksheet carry the further commitment to ensure the release time required to carry out the project, to assign space and facilities as indicated in the proposal, and to provide appropriate administrative support to the project.
The Office of Sponsored Programs staff review the proposed budget to ensure accuracy and completeness. Office staff also check that all sponsor requirements are fulfilled and route the completed proposal, the Transmittal Checksheet, and necessary accompanying documents to the appropriate University offices for the required endorsements, signatures, and certifications. Office staff work to ensure that all circulated documents are returned promptly so that sufficient copies can be made for mailing or electronically submitted to the potential sponsor. Two weeks should be allowed to complete this process.
The staff will do everything possible to get the proposal to the sponsor on time. However, as the amount of time for processing is reduced, so the chance for insurmountable obstacles increases. Certain parts of the review process lay outside of Sponsored Programs and, therefore, are subject to the schedules of other offices. Given sufficient lead time, the staff can compensate for these problems. Therefore, faculty should make every effort to provide the maximum time possible for Sponsored Programs to process and adequately review their proposals. Proposals received with less than one full working day prior to the send time are not eligible for submission.
Electronic research administration (ERA), in the generic sense, is simply doing research administration tasks electronically.
As more and more of our sponsoring agencies are requiring submission of applications and sending award notices electronically, faculty and staff are reminded that they must work with Sponsored Programs on all grant applications, regardless of the submission process. Even when the sponsor requires that proposals be submitted electronically by the PIs, this can be done ONLY with approval from SP.
Each system has its unique requirements. To ensure a smooth process for review and submission by the deadline, PIs are strongly urged to contact Sponsored Programs staff early-on about plans for electronic submission of proposals.
Due to unforeseeable technical difficulties with hardware performance, Internet access, and software compatibility, as well as the ever-changing requirements by agencies for electronic proposals, SP can only ensure submission by the required deadline if e-proposals are complete and ready for transmission at least 24 hours prior to the deadline . Budgets must be reviewed and approved prior to this 24-hour review deadline.
