Pre-award overview
The Grant Support Office (GSO) pre-award team is the first stop for CLAS researchers planning to apply for external funding. Our staff support investigators in the preparation of submissions to federal, state, and private funding sources.
Our pre-award staff help faculty pursue their research goals—from the initial planning stage to proposal submission—and serve as liaisons between researchers, the UI Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) and other UI offices, internal and external collaborators, and sponsors. The pre-award team serves as a submission partner and organizer, allowing researchers to focus on writing their proposals and developing their projects.
Contact us
General CLAS Grant Support Office inquiries should be sent to: CLAS-GSO@uiowa.edu.
Pre-award services
Proposal development and coordination
- Assist with finding funding opportunities
- Review application guidelines and researcher eligibility
- Develop proposal checklists, workplans, and timelines
- Develop proposal budgets and budget justifications compliant with internal and sponsor guidelines
- Communicate with internal (UI) and external partners to organize submission materials
- Assist with documentation of cost share commitments
- Complete proposal forms and other ancillary materials
- Provide guidance and feedback on application materials and requirements
Compliance, review and submission
- Provide institutional information
- Review proposals for compliance
- Prepare applications in sponsor systems (Cayuse, Research.gov, ProposalCentral, etc.), as well as templates, and/or forms
- Coordinate proposal submissions and route proposals to DSP
- Assist with navigating internal (UI) processes (IRB, conflicts of interest, etc.)
- Assist with gathering Just-In-Time materials or responding to other sponsor requests prior to award
Getting started
Below is a list of first steps that researchers can take when seeking and applying for funding:
Find a funding opportunity and determine eligibility: The first step is to find a funding opportunity that is right for your project and ensure that you are eligible to apply. If you need help finding funding, check out the our Funding page or contact us for assistance.
Submit an intake form to the GSO: After identifying a funding opportunity, the next step is to submit an intake form to request pre-award assistance from our team. Be sure to review our recommended timelines so that your proposal receives full support.
Register with the sponsor's grant application portal (if applicable): Federal agencies and other grant sponsors often utilize online portals for submitting and tracking applications. If your sponsor uses a dedicated portal, register for an account or contact us for assistance.
Review the sponsor and grant program guidelines: Sponsors, collaborating institutions, and grant programs will have different requirements for preparing application materials. Your GSO pre-award contact will help review the funding opportunity announcement and other guidance to help you put together a complete and compliant application.
Ask questions! Your GSO pre-award contact will work with you on your submission and identify areas they can help with. If you aren’t sure if we can assist with something, just ask! We are happy to help if we can.
Timelines
Please submit an intake form to notify us as soon as you decide to apply for funding. We are often managing multiple proposals at any given time, so researchers who provide advanced notice and follow our recommended timelines will receive priority.
For standard and simple submissions, we recommend that you begin working with us at least three weeks before the sponsor deadline.
For complex submissions (collaborating institutions, training grants, human subjects research, clinical trials, multiple subawards, etc.), we recommend working with us at least four weeks before the sponsor deadline.
These recommendations are in place so that your proposal is in the best position to be completed by the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) deadline, which is five business days before the sponsor deadline. Please note that your proposal must be complete–including all documents, letters, budget materials, etc.–before DSP will review the application. Meeting this deadline allows enough time for a thorough review and ensures that your proposal meets University, federal, and sponsor guidelines. Your GSO pre-award contact will inform you of important dates to keep in mind.
While we will always do our best to assist you, please know that requesting GSO support at the last minute or completing and routing proposals less than five days before they are due may result in limited support, especially during peak submission periods.