Managing Sponsored Projects
UM SPA, January 2008
Chapter 2: The proposal process
Section 2.1: Locating funding
 
The first step in locating funding depends on whether the project is: The second step is to search University resources for potential sponsors or lists of funding opportunities: Solicited proposals
Federal agencies commonly announce opportunities or programs through Grants.gov. The University also subscribes to SPIN, a network which provides funding information. See the second part of this section for information. These agencies may also notify specific institutions known to have a special capability in the research area.
 
Sponsors usually use a request for applications (RFA) to generate responses to a grant announcement, as opposed to a request for proposals (RFP), which is usually reserved for contracts.
 
The key element of the RFP is the statement of work. RFPs normally describe specific tasks to be addressed in the proposal and require extensive technical and cost detail. RFAs are more general and open to a variety of creative projects.
 
Most federal sponsors require applicants to use Grants.gov to submit a proposal. If the sponsor does not provide application information, use the generic proposal in the Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS) as a guide. The proposal must provide adequate background to define the problem(s), objective(s), approaches contemplated, and significance of the anticipated findings. Faculty should bear in mind that performance of research under a solicitation may place some limitations on their conduct of research, i.e., the tasks may be largely defined by the sponsor.
 
Informal discussions
Faculty will often discuss research ideas with representatives from businesses or other organizations. While these informal contacts are encouraged, faculty should be careful not to enter into binding agreements until a formal proposal has been developed, internally reviewed, and institutionally signed at SPA. All projects involve significant University resources outside of the individual faculty person's time. This internal review ensures that all involved parties are willing to commit these resources and that budgetary and intellectual property issues have been addressed. 

Unsolicited proposals
If a faculty member has an idea for a project, a potential sponsor can be identified, and an unsolicited proposal submitted for funding. The term "unsolicited" proposal is most commonly used with federal and state agency sponsors when neither an RFA or RFP has been issued. In most cases, the sponsor's program officer should be contacted, and a preapplication submitted.

Extramural opportunities requiring nomination
Some sponsors or programs place a limit on the number of applications they will accept from an institution. The Office of the Vice President for Research maintains a listing of such current funding opportunities at www.research.umn.edu/opportunities/limited_applications/. Each posted opportunity has a set of internal guidelines and contact information for the office coordinating the application and peer review process. As part of a process to coordinate application for these opportunities University-wide, this page also provides mechanisms for faculty and staff to register interest in and be considered as an applicant for a particular opportunity. It is helpful to register so that the University can prepare for an internal peer review and faculty and staff can identify possible collaborators and work together to create a stronger application. However registration is not mandatory nor is it sufficient.

SPIN
The University subscribes to the Sponsored Projects Information Network (SPIN) which provides searches for funding prospects in a faculty member's specific area of interest. This computerized locator system provides information on federal, nonfederal, and corporate research, education, and development opportunities. Faculty and staff may conduct SPIN searches using keywords to describe research areas or the type of support sought. The result of a search is a set of profiles of funding sources that provides:

 
Department, collegiate sources
Within the University a wide variety of services are provided to assist faculty in identifying potential sponsors for research or training projects. Faculty are urged to make initial contact with their department heads or college administrators. Their offices normally have considerable experience in seeking sponsored funds and are able to identify likely sponsors. Several department/collegiate sources are listed at the top of the page.
 
Internal funding
The Office of the Vice President for Research primarily provides assistance locating internal funding. Because it is difficult to secure external support for initial or "seed" research, and because smaller research projects may be difficult to fund, the University provides some resources for such projects. The VP for Research's office provides information about these programs.
 
Publications
SPA's web site offers several external publications and sources for funding. The University library system also provides numerous publications, periodicals, and databases which supply information regarding potential sponsors and list funding opportunities. These include the Annual Register of Grant Support, the Guide to Minnesota Foundations and Corporate Giving Programs, and The Foundation Directory. Since the variety and availability of reference materials changes constantly, SPA recommends that researchers contact the libraries directly for information.
Back to SPA Grants Manual
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This page last updated January 9, 2008.
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