How do I “route” a proposal?
Before any proposal is mailed to a funding agency, it must first be “routed” through the GIT internal review process. The internal review processed can be viewed through this flowchart.
This requires the Proposal Routing Form to be filled out.
After the form has been filled out, the PI attaches the original application. The routing form and the proposal are then forwarded to the departmental chairperson and then to their dean for approval. The department head and the dean signify their approval by signing the form. Signatures from any co-P.I.s and their Chairs must also be secured.
After departmental and collegiate approval has been granted, the proposal and routing forms are brought to OSP for final processing. At OSP, the proposal budget is reviewed, and the application is checked for compliance with institutional and federal regulations. If the budget is accurate and all policies and procedures have been followed, OSP staff will provide the authorized institutional signature.
After the proposal has been signed, it is ready to be submitted to the funding agency. OSP can copy and mail the proposal.
New policies on submission:
- The Electronic Submission Policy: proposals that are to be submitted by an electronic means need to be ready to be released to the sponsor 24 hours prior to submission deadline and additionally, it needs to be ready for OSP review 2 days prior to that.
- Paper copies must be in OSP by 2pm the day it needs to be submitted otherwise it will be processed the next business day.
Why does my proposal need to be routed?
The internal review process for external funding proposals ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations and promotes accuracy in all budgetary and institutional information. Typically, the following questions are resolved at each of the indicated levels:
1. Departmental:
- Will the grant in other ways interfere with the total effort expected and for which that person is being paid?
- Will the teaching load be adjusted because of the faculty member’s work on the grant?
- Are there sufficient facilities and equipment available to support the proposed research?
- Does the project fit within the overall objectives of the department?
- Are human or animal subjects to be involved in research?
- Have biohazards been identified?
2. College:
- Confirms that above judgments have been made at the departmental level.
- Determines that the commitment of Instituional funds, if any, in support of the project are consistent with the collegiate objectives.
- Verifies the worthiness of the project in terms of collegiate objectives.
- Reviews the budget to insure that full and appropriately documented costs are included.
3. Office of Sponsored Programs:
- Forwards those proposals requiring University funds not available at the collegiate level to the Vice President for Research for review. Examples of such a requirement are funds to continue the employment of personnel upon the termination of the grant, funds for renovation, or matching funds for equipment.
- Reviews the budget to insure that full and appropriately documented costs are included.
- Verifies that all involved departmental, collegiate, and compliance units have approved the proposal.
- Reviews institutional information for accuracy.
Does everything I send to the funding agency need to be routed?
New, competitive renewal, supplemental, and non-competing continuation applications for external funding by grants and contracts must be routed. Revised budgets and progress reports that include a budget for a subsequent period of time must also be routed.
Requests for carryover of funds from one budget period to another, no-cost extensions, and requests to rebudget after the grant has been funded do not need to be routed. Non-financial requests that require the signature of the institutional official also do not require routing.