Proposal Development
All proposals for external funding must be reviewed and approved by an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) who has the authority to sign and submit grant applications on behalf of PSU. Staff in Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) are PSU's designated authorized organizational representatives.
When a proposal opportunity is identified, Principal Investigators (PIs) must complete and submit the Notification of Intent to Submit Google Form to indicate their intention to develop a proposal.
Individuals must meet the criteria in PSU's PI/PD Eligibility and Responsibility Policy to serve as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Project Director (PD). Deans or VPs may submit a PI/PD Eligibility Exception Request Form on behalf of faculty who do not meet policy criteria.
Proposal Submission Internal Deadlines
Notification: At a very minimum, SPA must receive notification at least 3 full calendar weeks, or 15 work days, in advance of the proposal deadline in order for the proposal to be eligible for submission to the sponsor. Permission to submit a proposal with less than three weeks’ notice will be handled on a case-by-case basis and must be requested from the Vice President for Research or their designee. Exception requests should be submitted using the Request for Exception to Advance Notice Requirement for Proposal Submissions Google Form.
Draft Materials for Review & Approval: The penultimate budget, budget justification, and proposal narrative must be submitted to SPA staff five (5) working days prior to the deadline.
Final approved documents: The final proposal package must be submitted to SPA staff two (2) working days before the deadline.
Proposal Development and Review Process
Proposal development is a collaborative effort that involves cooperation among faculty colleagues and the administrative staff of the University.
Principal Investigators (PIs) are designated by the sponsor/grantee organization to direct the project or activity being supported by the award. PIs must meet PSU's eligibility criteria. The PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee for the appropriate fiscal management, conduct of the research project, and reporting.
Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) staff provide assistance to PIs during proposal development by assisting with budget development and helping to ensure that proposals meet all applicable Federal regulations and University and sponsoring agency policies and procedures.
Department Chairs/Center Directors/Deans are responsible for reviewing proposed projects to verify that they are in-line with the departmental and institutional mission. Individuals in these roles review and approve PI effort, cost share commitments, and other institutional resources/commitments.
SPA Sponsored Project Team members are responsible for internal review and approval of proposals prior to submission.
The following steps outline the process for developing proposal packages and securing internal approvals prior to proposal submission. These steps are applicable for proposals submitted in response to a sponsor solicitation (Request for Application (RFA), Program Announcement, etc.), as well as proposals that are developed without a sponsor-specified format to inform and document communications with a potential sponsor prior to entering into a formal agreement to perform a statement of work.
Step 1
Notify Research Administrators:
As soon as a funding opportunity is identified and the decision is made to apply, Principal Investigators (PIs) should complete and submit the Notification of Intent to Submit Google Form.
If the Sponsor is from a Foundation/Corporation, the SPA Team members must contact their Development Office to get clearance to proceed with the proposal.
SPA must receive notification of an upcoming proposal submission at least 3 calendar weeks prior to the deadline or sponsor's request for receipt of proposed project information.
Step 2
The approach and timeline for proposal development varies depending upon the type of submission and requirements of sponsors.
SPA Team members can provide guidance for proposal development.
Step 3
An application (formal or informal) for external funding in the form of a grant or agreement (not gifts or external sales) to support research or other scholarly activities must be reviewed and approved by department chairs and deans, center directors or other appropriate department heads then submitted to Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) for review and final institutional approval before it is submitted to the sponsor.
A Proposal Internal Approval Form (PIAF) must be completed for the proposal and approved by SPA before the proposal will be submitted.
For proposals with other universities or community partners, a Subrecipient Commitment Form is required before a proposal will be submitted.