Grant Submission and Administration Procedures

Processing Proposals

The University is interested in funding proposals from multiple sources: foundations, state, and federal agencies. To encourage collaboration and to facilitate this process, please use the Concept Paper Application in developing ideas that support your departmental and college goals. The completed concept papers will be useful documents as the Sponsored Programs office makes faculty aware of funding opportunities, and as the Foundation office makes inquiries with potential sponsors.  

See Flowchart of Grant Proposal Development and Transmittal Process.

Signatures

The Transmittal Checksheet requires the signature of the Project Director as well as the appropriate dean, the director of Sponsored Programs, the controller, an appropriate administrator such as director or vice president, the vice president of Academic Affairs, and the president. The Sponsored Programs office is responsible for obtaining the required signatures.

Signatures on the Transmittal Checksheet certify that the proposed work is consistent with University objectives, and that all faculty involved in the proposal agree to participate, to accept the obligations and commitments described in the proposal, and to perform the work in accordance with University and sponsor policies. These signatures also certify that federal funds have not, nor will be, used to attempt to influence the granting of the award (pursuant to restrictions on lobbying).

The remaining signatures on the Transmittal Checksheet carry the further commitment to ensure the release time required to carry out the project, to assign space and facilities as indicated in the proposal, and to provide appropriate administrative support to the project.

Deadlines

The Office of Sponsored Programs staff review the proposed budget to ensure accuracy and completeness. Office staff also check that all sponsor requirements are fulfilled and route the completed proposal, the Transmittal Checksheet, and necessary accompanying documents to the appropriate University offices for the required endorsements, signatures, and certifications. Office staff work to ensure that all circulated documents are returned promptly so that sufficient copies can be made for mailing or electronically submitted to the potential sponsor. Two weeks should be allowed to complete this process.

The staff will do everything possible to get the proposal to the sponsor on time. However, as the amount of time for processing is reduced, so the chance for insurmountable obstacles increases. Certain parts of the review process lay outside of Sponsored Programs and, therefore, are subject to the schedules of other offices. Given sufficient lead time, the staff can compensate for these problems. Therefore, faculty should make every effort to provide the maximum time possible for Sponsored Programs to process and adequately review their proposals. Proposals received with less than one full working day prior to the send time are not eligible for submission.

Electronic Research Administration

Electronic research administration (ERA), in the generic sense, is simply doing research administration tasks electronically.

As more and more of our sponsoring agencies are requiring submission of applications and sending award notices electronically, faculty and staff are reminded that they must work with Sponsored Programs on all grant applications, regardless of the submission process. Even when the sponsor requires that proposals be submitted electronically by the PIs, this can be done ONLY with approval from SP.

Each system has its unique requirements. To ensure a smooth process for review and submission by the deadline, PIs are strongly urged to contact Sponsored Programs staff early-on about plans for electronic submission of proposals. More specific directions for submitting National Science Foundation FastLane proposals electronically is included below.

Due to unforeseeable technical difficulties with hardware performance, Internet access, and software compatibility, as well as the ever-changing requirements by agencies for electronic proposals, SP can only ensure submission by the required deadline if e-proposals are complete and ready for transmission at least 24 hours prior to the deadline. Budgets must be reviewed and approved prior to this 24-hour review deadline.

Responsibilities of. . .

Principal Investigators (PIs) and Departmental Administrators Assisting the Proposal Preparation Process for Electronic Submissions

  1. Upon learning of a deadline requiring electronic submission, PIs must contact Sponsored Programs to alert them of the upcoming electronic submission.
  2. Proposals requiring electronic submission, must follow the same processing rules as paper proposals, i.e. they are required to be routed through the appropriate departments and approved by Sponsored Programs prior to submission to the sponsoring agency. See Processing Proposals above.
  3. Project Leader or Principal Investigator submits a copy of the grant guidelines (RFP), completed narrative and budget to Sponsored and Academic Programs Support and the Office of the Controller, for pre-review two weeks prior to deadline/due date in preparation for the transmittal process.
  4. If paper copies of any documents are required to be sent to the sponsoring agency, they must be submitted to SP with appropriate signatures, approvals, and attachments, where applicable.
  5. If an electronic proposal submission involves a multi-institutional consortium or has sub-awards to other institutions, it is the responsibility of the PI to provide documentation to SP: a) proposal cover sheet or document that provides signatures of the PI and authorized representative of the external organization; b) budgets/justifications from the sub-awardee organization.
  6. Failure to follow these instructions could result in a proposal not reaching the sponsor by their deadline and could jeopardize the potential for an award.

The Office of Sponsored and Academic Programs Support

  1. Sponsored Programs (SP) is committed to being and remaining savvy in the arena of Electronic Proposal Submission. Any information directly related to this process will be disseminated through this website under the caption News.
  2. Sponsored Programs will, upon request, assign identification or PIN numbers required by some sponsor electronic systems. This will allow PIs to begin working on proposals and to review reporting and proposal tracking systems. Contact SP at 989.964.4295 to request this service.
  3. SP will assist faculty and departmental staff with proposal instructions and other administrative processes relating to the grant and/or contract submission.
  4. SP will continue to review proposals and budgets, and to prepare institutional certifications and assurances before proposals are submitted.
  5. In the majority of situations, SP will electronically "submit" proposals to sponsoring agencies, rather than PIs.
  6. SP will mail paper copies of all documents required by sponsored agencies.
  7. SP will retain and provide paper and/or electronic file copies of the completed and submitted proposal.

Tips for Submitting E-Grant Applications

  • Don't wait until the day of the deadline to submit as computer glitches may occur and you may not be able to get technical assistance. Set an early deadline for yourself and make it one or two days early.
  • Some agencies will require that you secure an account through which you will make your submission. When reading the application instructions, be alert for this requirement. Establishing this account may take extra time.
  • Keep a printout (with date and time of submission) to verify that a proposal has been submitted electronically as the agency may not have a record of it. If this occurs, you may still be able to get back into the competition.
  • Don't rely solely on instructional prompts which appear on screen but also on a printed copy of the detailed program announcement and/or instructions.
  • Keep a record of passwords and password changes and share it with colleagues who may be working with you, especially when you may have tight deadlines. It can be enormously frustrating to be delayed in waiting for the Help Desk to return this information.
  • Do not assume that exiting a form will save it. Always press the "Save" button before exiting. Some applications also prefer that you do not use the browser "back" button. Save work frequently.
  • Remember that text documents prepared in advance with standard word-processing software tend not to preserve formatting when pasted into the appropriate boxes on the online form.
  • Always print a hard copy of your proposal before you press the "Submit" button.

Submitting an NSF Proposal via FastLane

FastLane is NSF's electronic proposal submission and award management system. Use of FastLane is required by all grantees. SVSU's Institutional registration is complete.

  • If you are a current user and have forgotten your password, go to the FastLane Homepage and click on Proposals, Awards and Status. Click on Change Password. This will direct you to additional information about Password Change/Reset.
  • You must be registered in two different databases to begin preparing a FastLane proposal:
    • The Principal Investigator (PI) database maintained by NSF
    • The FastLane user database maintained by the Office of Sponsored Programs.
  • If you are not a registered user, obtain an NSF FastLane Registration Form and Request for PASSWORD.
    (See Requirements for Accessing FastLane Proposal Preparation below.)

Proposal Preparation Information

What is FastLane (return to list)

For answers to questions about FastLane, click here. You'll find out what it is, why you should use it, how to use it, when it's required, and information about its various users: the public, the researcher/educator, NSF reviewers/panelists, the research administrator, and the business officer. For more information, please see the list of Frequently Asked Questions.

FastLane Demonstration Site (return to list)

NSF provides a demonstration application for the orientation of new FastLane users. The demonstration is available by clicking the FastLane Demonstration Site link or by entering the address https://www.fldemo.nsf.gov/.

NSF Guide to Electronic Proposal Submission (return to list)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has made a number of updates to its FastLane Proposal Preparation and Submission Guide (Electronic Proposal Submission) (7.1 MB PDF File) using FastLane. The detailed user guide is available online at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/jsp/homepage/flhelp.jsp.

For SVSU Researchers Submitting Proposals via NSF FastLane (return to list)

Whether a proposal is submitted electronically or via paper copy, it must be routed through University channels. See Flowchart for Grant Proposal Development and Transmittal Process for guidance in meeting specific deadlines.)

Requirements for Accessing FastLane Proposal Preparation (return to list)

To access proposal preparation as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI, you must be known to NSF. PIs/Co-PIs who have never submitted a proposal to NSF cannot use the FastLane Proposal Preparation application until their information is added to the NSF database. To have this done, contact the Office of Sponsored Programs, FastLane's primary organizational user. The registration of authorized users (PIs/Co-PIs) will be administered by completing an NSF FastLane Registration Form available here or from the SP office.

Instructions for Preparing and Submitting a Standard NSF Proposal via FastLane (return to list)

NSF provides an instructional index on preparing a proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About FastLane (return to list)

The National Science Foundation has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Find out if your question is among them by clicking FAQs.

Grant Proposal Guide (return to list)

The Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) provides guidance for the preparation and submission of proposals to NSF. Contact with NSF program personnel prior to proposal preparation is encouraged. Some NSF programs have program solicitations that modify the general provisions of this Guide, and is such cases, the guidelines provided in the solicitation must be followed. A new revision to the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 08–01) is currently available and effective for proposals submitted on or after April 6, 2009.

Deadlines and Target Dates (return to list)

Active Funding Opportunities

  • are provided in program announcements and information,
  • reviewed in on-going lists by program area, and
  • published in the NSF E-Bulletin which is a web-based document that announces current deadline and target dates for the submission of proposals to the Foundation, is updated daily on the NSF web site.

Any questions concerning these dates should be referred to the individual or office named as a point of contact for the program. To receive email or web alerts of new program announcements, subscribe to NSF's Custom News Service.

Toll-free Number for FastLane Questions and Support (return to list)

NSF FastLane users with technical questions can contact the FastLane Help Desk at 1–800–673–6188. The FastLane Help Desk can also be contacted by sending e-mail to fastlane(at)nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk can help with questions about the mechanics of using FastLane. Non-FastLane questions should be directed to the program office.