Morris Grants Development Office Proposal Checklist

Download Proposal Checklist »

Brainstorm and Plan

Discuss your plans with discipline colleagues and division chair.

• Contact the Grants Development Office with your funding needs and/or ideas.
• Obtain the proposal guidelines issued by the sponsor.
• Determine the number and type of personnel needs.
• Identify equipment and/or supply needs.
• Obtain specs and costs of any equipment.

Draft and Prepare

• Prepare the proposal abstract, summary, and narrative. (The Grants Office is available for assistance with proposal development.)
• Use appropriate forms and adhere to formatting and page number guidelines.
• Prepare the proposal budget. (The Grants Office is available for assistance with budget development.)
• Include all necessary expense items (project personnel and required effort; equipment costs; supply costs; travel costs; publication costs; undergraduate research costs; cost-share requirements, if any).
• Use correct rates for F & A (Facilities and Administration, aka indirect costs) and fringe benefits.
  • Assemble the parts. These vary according to the sponsor, but may include:
    • Budget
    • Budget justification/narrative
    • Facilities and resources description
    • Biographical sketches
    • Letters of support
    • Abstract or summary
    • Project description
    • Cost-share commitments
    • Appendices
  • Have a colleague and Grants Office review proposal.
  • Ensure compatibility with U of M regulations:
    • If needed, foundation/corporation contacted through appropriate channels (Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations guidelines followed).
    • Limitation on number of proposals from institution.
    • Institutional Review Board (IRB) human or animal subjects training and approval secured (if appropriate or if using stem cells, chemicals, recombinant DNA, etc.)
    • Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Parts 1 & 2 and continuing education completed.

Finalize

• Submit final draft of proposal and budget to Grants Development Office five (5) working days prior to funding agency receipt deadline.
• Ensure compatibility with U of M Proposal Routing Form (PRF). (Grants Development Office will prepare the actual PRF.)
  • Project-related income
  • Project-related conflict of interest
  • Space needs
  • Cost sharing/matching
  • International component
• Grants Development Office will obtain required signatures from division chair and dean.

Submit

• Grants Development Office will submit the fully signed and final proposal to sponsor.