Pre-Award Guidelines

Proposal development

Discuss your intentions to apply for any external grant — no matter what size — with your dean. This alerts them of your proposed activity, as well as ensures that you understand the impacts or implications an external grant may have in your department or school.

Letter of inquiry

Some granting agencies require submission of a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) before applying for a grant. Complete and have your dean sign an Intent form for all LOIs.

If the agency invites you to submit a full proposal, you will need to complete and have the dean sign a second ITS for the full proposal. Please make sure that OSP has copies of all correspondence with the sponsor, including declinations or invitations to submit.

Writing the proposal

While PIs write grant proposals, OSP is available to help proofread, examine a draft proposal from the grantor’s point of view, check for the required components of the grant, and analyze the strategic language used with each funder. OSP is also able to supply boilerplate language for certain sections.

Preparing the budget

Familiarize yourself with the funder’s financial requirements. Most funders provide their required budget forms on their website or embedded within the application. The Office of Sponsored Programs wiill help you develop a project budget that meets SPU and Agency guidelines.

Submitting Your Proposal

OSP reviews, approves and submits all academic grant applications in collaboration with the SPU Finance Office to ensure that your application and budget meets all SPU and Agency requirements.

OSP will obtain all institutional permissions and the Director serves as the Official University Representative and signatory on all grant applications

Compliance

  • Increasing federal regulation, auditing practices, and legal developments have necessitated a number of compliance policies.  
  • All applications require the following assurances:
  • Additional assurances might include the following:
    • Institutional Review Board approval
    • Intellectual property rights
    • Animal Care and Use Committee approval
    • NIH/Institutional compliance requirements 
    • Import/export statement
    • Ethics training compliance

 

Please contact OSP@spu.edu for more information.