Basic Proposal Steps

The sponsor guidelines will generally provide instruction on applicant eligibility, the deadline, submission method and key proposal elements. Carefully read ALL sponsor guidelines to ensure compliance.

• Instructions for Eligibility
  • Eligibility may be limited to the type of organization the sponsor will fund (for example: educational institutions, hospitals, or community organizations).
  • Eligibility to submit may depend on a required level of educational degrees and/or career experience of the Principal Investigator (PI). The instruction might require a specific percentage of time that the PI will be required to spend on their project by the sponsor.
  • The sponsor may impose a limit on the the number of applications an entity may submit. In these cases, follow the UCLA Limited Submission Process to obtain permission to submit an application from UCLA.
• Deadline Dates and Submission Methods
  • Indicates the method of submission (e.g.; email, S2S Grants, Research.gov, NIH ASSIST, etc.) and who may submit the application.
  • The sponsor deadline date can be either a “received by” date or a “submitted by” date, and can also include a deadline time. It is important to make sure OCGA knows the date, time, and time-zone (PST versus EST) the deadline pertains to in order to ensure timely submission.
  • OCGA closes at 5:00 pm PST. Even if the sponsor deadline is after that time, proposals must still be submitted by 5:00 pm PST.
• Sponsor Funding Opportunity/ Funding Opportunity Announcement Instructions
  • Carefully read each funding opportunity to identify vital and specific instructions pertaining to the application. Ensure compliance with ALL guidelines. (most federal sponsors have General Sponsor Guidance in addition to the specific funding opportunity. Pay close attention to details regarding proposal format, required forms and/or certifications, and budget restrictions. Make sure the opportunity is the most current version available.
  • The funding opportunity may have specific instructions on the proposal format, and the required layout/order of the proposal. It may include a narrative explanation of what is to be included in each section, such as the Research Plan, Budget, Budget Justification, etc. The requirements for the proposal formatting may be as specific as using a required font size, font style and even page margins.

Most sponsors specify proposal forms or formats and provide guidance about content and page limitations. In most instances, proposals contain most or all of the following elements:

• Cover Page
• Abstract or Project Summary
• Table of Contents
• Project Description
• Budget and Budget Justification
• Biographical Sketch - for key personnel
• Current and Pending Support - for key personnel
• Resources (Equipment and Facilities)
• References
• Appendices
• Other forms required by the sponsor, such as Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) disclosures | FCOI Decision Tool
• Certifications and/or other forms as may be required by sponsor
  • If UCLA is a subrecipient to another entity's application, the pass-through-entity should provide UCLA with any proposal submission forms that the pass-through entity requires from its subrecipients.
  • If UCLA is a subrecipient to another UC sister-campus, the sister-campus should provide UCLA with any proposal submission forms required, including the UC Multiple Campus Agreement (MCA) Commitment Form.

Additional information that is commonly required in contract and proposal applications can be found under our Standard Institutional Information page.