Get Started

You have an idea ...

• Ask colleagues in your professional circles if they have seen any calls for proposals that match your idea.

• Browse the resources on the "Find a Grant" page of this toolkit.

• Use Google, browse, or conduct keyword searches on professional association websites for opportunities.   

You learned about a grant opportunity ... 

• Socialize the opportunity and brainstorm ideas among known colleagues and potential partners.

• Review the criteria on the Call for Proposals to ensure it will be a good match for your organization. 

• Identify potential project collaborators. 

Start Early!

• It is imperative that you start early.  Crafting a compelling proposal and compiling all of the required materials in advance of the submission deadline tends to take longer than you will anticipate.  

• For externally funded projects, the Office of Research Services (ORS) typically requires a minimum of 10 days in advance of the submission deadline.

  • ORS needs adequate time to prepare the official budget, ensure the proposal is properly entered into the Niner Research portal, and obtain the required university approvals. 

  • External projects typically will require approvals from your supervisor, the associate dean, the library dean, the provost, and the official university designee who is authorized to approve applications. The approval process typically takes several days. 

  • The more time you allow the better. (Do NOT wait until you have completed your narrative to connect with ORS.) 

• If your project will involve human subjects research (including surveys, interviews, and focus groups), plan to complete the required Institutional Review Board training (e.g., CITI). Some funders will want you to complete this training before your grant application is submitted; others will simply want to know that it is part of your project timeline. (CITI training typically takes several hours to complete.) 

Before you begin preparing the proposal ... 

• Review the eligibility and criteria to evaluate if you match these and are capable of meeting the requirements.

• Use the samples or templates provided.

• Identify and understand what information and documents are needed. 

• Create your own checklist of requirements and selection criteria so that you include everything needed and nothing else.   

Connect with your support team ... 

• Connect with Becky Croxton at the time of project conception. She can help you navigate the application process AND serve as a liaison with the university's Office of Sponsored Research (ORS - the grants office for externally funded projects). Make these connections well in advance of the submission deadline (2 weeks minimum is requested).

• Work with your assigned liaison in ORS (typically Stafford Farmer or a designee) to prepare the official budget and complete the requirements in Niner Research (the electronic research administration system for UNC Charlotte grants). 

Following the directions ... 

• Follow the directions provided on the funder site explicitly. You must address every component that is outlined in the instructions. 

• Avoid extraneous information that may distract the reviewers. Reviewers often have too many proposals to read, and probably use a matrix for their decisions, and thus you need to adhere to their stated requirements as clearly as possible.

• Incorporate selection criteria language from the grant announcement throughout your narrative. This will help the reviewers confirm that your responses address the desired criteria and goals for the project. 

Compile the application package ... 

A grant application package typically requires the following items. (See Parts of a Proposal for further details.) 

• Cover Letter (typically a template from the granting agency)

• Narrative for the grant (the heart of the proposal)

• Budget and Budget Justification

• Letters of Support (from library leaders and collaborating entities)

• CVs or Resumes for key project team members

• Official Approval from the UNC Charlotte University designee. (Approvals go through the Niner Research portal.) 

Submit and wait ...  

• In general, external grant proposals are submitted by the Office of Sponsored Research on your behalf. 

• Be sure to verify "who will do what" with your OSR liaison in advance of the submission deadline.

• The timing for award announcements is typically indicated on the funder's website. 

• Once you receive a notice of award (or a decline), contact the Office of Sponsored Research either way. They will help you negotiate the next steps in the award process or close out the entry in Niner Research.

• If you are not awarded funding, don't give up! It often takes several tries to get a good project funded. You might ask for feedback from the reviewers and resubmit again in the future, or you may decide to submit a revised or updated version of the proposal to a different funder.