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New Mexico State University

Ten Steps To Developing A Winning Proposal

  1. Build your research agenda

    Design your research agenda based on your passion for the work you want to do. Discussing and working with colleagues can help. Remember to describe the problem your funded program will solve. Funders are looking for innovative and creative ideas that have intellectual merit and a broad impact. NSF, in particular, is looking for new kinds of research designs and wants to fund new PI's.

  2. Add yourself to the college database

    Please go to http://nasadml.nmsu.edu/bio/ and place yourself in our database so that we can refer potential funding opportunities to you based on your specific area of interest. This database will also be shared with the V.P. for Research's office and across campus.

  3. Look for Funding sources

    There are many sources for funding, such as the SPIN listserv, grants.gov, nsf.gov, foundationcenter.org, and others. You are receiving funding opportunity notices regularly from our Research & Budgeting Office (ERB) and from the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI). Please review these to locate opportunities specific to your field. If you have a special research interest you are seeking funding for, please contact the ERB (646-4955) and ask for assistance.

  4. Learn to love your RFP

    When you find a grant solicitation that interests you, download the Request for Proposal (RFP) guide from the agency's website and read it carefully before you decide it is a good match for what you want to do. If you have any questions about the explanations in the RFP, please call the ERB. Our staff can answer questions concerning areas of potential concern. Once you have found the solicitation you want to pursue, use that RFP as your guide while developing your proposal. It is usually based on the criteria for awarding points and incorporates sections such as a needs assessment, a gap analysis, a work plan, an evaluation, etc. If you need assistance conceptualizing what should be in each section, please contact Associate Dean for Research Dr. Karin Wiburg (646-1407).

  5. Fill out the Proposal Award Form

    You will find the Proposal Award Form (PAF) on a direct link to NMSU's Office of Grants and Contracts (OGC). Download and complete the form, sign it and have your department head also sign, and then bring this to the ERB. Plan to meet with our personnel as early as possible before the grant is due so that we may assist you in meeting all the requirements for submission. Our grant fiscal specialist, Dawn Gonzales (646-7343), is here to assist you.

  6. Communicate with the Program Officer

    Communicate with the program officer for your particular grant submission early on. They can clarify issues and answer questions. You can also call the technical assistance person listed in the RFP, if you have questions while preparing your proposal. They are very helpful and will give you direction in your preparations, including suggesting which priority for funding most closely matches your proposal idea.

  7. Create a timeline

    Plan ahead and create a time-line and list of who is responsible for each section of the grant, if you are working with one or more co-PI. Meet frequently with collaborators and those assisting to ensure you are on schedule. Please do not hesitate to get help from the ERB staff in assembling the various components of your submission package. They are familiar with the various requirements for each funding agency and can expedite the packaging and submission process.

  8. Collaborate with others

    Don't be shy about asking your colleagues to critique your program plan. In addition, the ERB is ready to assist you in editing and formatting your proposal. Early in your proposal development seek out other faculty members doing similar research and bounce your ideas off of them. Get their input. Funding agencies love collaborative efforts!

  9. Plan to complete earlier than the deadline

    The University's Office of Grants and Contracts (OGC) submits all grant proposal application packages, and so requests receipt of your proposal packages 48 hours prior to submission deadline. That means you need to submit the various components of your proposal to the ERB at least four (4) days prior to the deadline, so he has 48 hours to assemble the package, make copies, complete external and internal documents, and submit to OGC. Try to have your narrative, summary and budget and budget justification pieces prepared at least one week before submission deadline. Then you can rest easy knowing your proposal will go out on time!

  10. Try and Try again

    Developing a program, and writing and submitting a proposal require time and effort. It also requires practice. Don't get discouraged if your first submission does not receive funding. Very often funding agencies will support a proposal on the second or third submission, as you hone and improve your ideas and your plan to more closely meet the priorities of the solicitation. The most common reason proposals are not funded is because the PI has failed to reflect the priority and the goals laid out in the RFP. Follow it to the letter and develop your program around it!

Responsibilities of the ERB

Pre-award:

  1. Understand the research and funding needs and strengths of all faculty, professional staff and partner groups who want to write grants in the College of Education (We need your database information of course).
  2. Know about research agendas in other colleges, partner schools, universities and businesses with which you might want to collaborate. Share the College of Education research strengths with other colleges, universities, businesses, and schools.
  3. Search daily for grant opportunities, match them to faculty and let faculty and staff know about relevant grant writing opportunities.
  4. Assist grant writers to understand the requirements of the RFPs so that they will be successful.
  5. Provide help with writing the budget for the grant.
  6. Provide help with conceptualization of the grant or grant sections as requested.
  7. Provide technical editing for final submission and ensure compliance with RFP.
  8. Prepare and submit all required forms associated with your grant and the technical narrative from the P.I. to the ERB to send to OGC, preferably 2-3 days before due date.

Post-Award:

  1. Notify the P.I. of the grant award.
  2. Set up a CAS template that aligns with the grant budget.
  3. Ask for an index number for the grant funds that will be coming.
  4. Distribute indirects (facilities and administration –F&A) per policy on ERB budget information.
  5. Monitor all grant awards and provide a monthly balance to P.I.s on their fund balance.
  6. Assist departmental accountants and grant group accountants to provide continuous funding updates to P.I.s. (Training on banner and other financial procedures is available.)
  7. Transfer funds as needed between categories, and redo time assignments for personnel.
  8. Work with the Office of Grants and Contracts to resolve any contract problems.
  9. Answer as many funding related questions as possible.

Responsibilities of P.I.s (Principle Investigators), (in addition to steps above)

  1. Take the new P.I. training (You will have a manual and up to date information.)
  2. Submit a link to the RFP you plan to write and a Proposal Award Form as soon as possible to the ERB.
  3. Ask for help on all parts of grant submission as needed as early as possible.
  4. Get your complete grant forms and technical paper to the ERB two-three days before the final due date.
  5. Work with Mary Askew in ERB and your budgeting person to keep track of all funds on grants.
  6. Submit required grant reports on time and please send a copy to the ERB for our records.
  7. Ask for help on any aspect of grant administration as needed.

Thank you for your help in developing a research culture in the College of Education,
Karin Wiburg, Associate Dean for Research