Once faculty select a funding opportunity, they will need to work with various groups across campus to finalize and submit their proposal. These teams help to ensure all proposals meet sponsor requirements and are prepared as such to increase the investigator's competitiveness for funding.
All external proposals for sponsored funding must be submitted through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).
In some cases, letters of intent, white papers and pre-proposals may be submitted directly to the sponsor by the principal investigator (PI). However, there are several factors that determine whether or not these submissions must be routed through OSP. Please contact your Grants and Contracts Administrator (portfolios based on department) to make this determination.
If the funding opportunity will be awarded as a gift or is sponsored by a foundation, please contact Emily Byrne, Executive Director of Advancement Operations and Strategic Initiatives, by email: Emily_Byrne@uml.edu to inquire about the submission process.
As the first step in the proposal submission process through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), a Proposal Development Record must be completed and submitted through the UMass Lowell (UML) Research Enterprise Solutions (RES) System at least 12 business days before the proposal deadline. RES will be used to notify OSP of the proposal submission and route to the appropriate signatories for their required approvals prior to OSP’s proposal review and submission.
RES Job Aids and Training Videos and Proposal Development Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are available.
For further assistance with RES, researchers may schedule a meeting with their College Research Administrator or the Office of Sponsored Programs.
Always refer to the specific solicitation for the funding opportunity and the sponsoring agency's most updated general guidelines for a complete set of requirements. For example, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has its Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 24-1) and the National Institutes of Health has its overarching Application Instructions.
If you need additional support, please contact your College Research Administrator or submit a request for proposal development support through the Office of Research Development.
- Proposal development strategy and support – the Office of Research Development (ORD) supports faculty and researchers from conceptualization to collaboration with your college research administrator for submission. The team manages proposal preparation for complex, large, projects; advises on smaller projects; reviews proposals for clarity, strategy, competitiveness, and completeness; and more. Please submit a request for proposal development support as early in your project as possible. Please visit the ORD website for a more comprehensive list of services.
- Budget development – your College Research Administrator (CRA) may provide support in developing your budget. Please contact your CRA for support.
The Contacts and Subcontracts team within the Office of Sponsored Programs handles all contacts and subcontracts with and as a subawardee of a project. Please refer to the Working with Subrecipients page for information regarding the coordination of required documents for subcontract packages.
Please contact Cody Pilon, Associate Director of Contacts and Subcontracts, by email: Cody_Pilon@uml.edu for additional questions and information.
The Office of Research Development is currently developing a suite of boilerplates and templates to support faculty in writing their proposals. In the meantime, please email RD@uml.edu to discuss your needs and request proposal language.
The Office of Research Development has outlines, templates, and resources to help researchers start their proposal writing process, particularly for popular federal funding opportunities. Please email: RD@uml.edu for support.
Protect your intellectual property
If your proposed project could generate any potentially commercializable intellectual property - such as a possible patent or invention - contact the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) prior to proposal submission. OTC staff can work with you to plan ahead for protecting your intellectual property before, during, and after an award.
Plan for working with international collaborators
If your proposed project involves working with foreign collaborators, consult with the Office of Research Integrity prior to proposal submission to ensure your plans comply with export control policies.