Before You Get Started

When developing a grant proposal, it's helpful to have a clear idea of your research goals, to understand what types of funding opportunities might exist and whether you are eligible to apply for the funding.

Understanding Types of Sponsored Awards

Grants

These resources are given to organizations for stated purposes or activities to be carried out without substantial sponsor involvement.

Cooperative Agreements

These agreements establish relationships between organizations and the sponsors, in which both parties pursue stated goals or activities. You can expect substantial sponsor involvement with these agreements.

Contracts

Contracts can be considered a form of negotiated procurement. They ususally correlate with a sponsoring agency's specific goals as outlined in a formal announcement.

Taking Preliminary Steps

  1. If this is your first time submitting a proposal, verify you are an eligible PI to submit.
  2. Find your sponsor or funding source.
  3. Once you identify a funding opportunity, please contact your SPS Proposal Specialist and the Office of Research Advancment as soon as possible.
  4. Your SPS proposal specialist will register your proposal on the UB Research Proposal Whiteboard. This university-wide reporting tool tracks and prioritizes your proposal throughout its development and submission.
  5. It is important for you to identify the submission due date because: 
    • The administrative portion of your proposal is due to SPS five business days before sponsor due date.
    • The technical narrative is due to SPS two business days before sponsor due date.
  6. Provide Sponsored Projects Services and the Office of Research Advancement with a link or PDF that contains the specific funding opportunity program announcement.