Office of Grants & Sponsored Research
Submitting a Proposal
The Office of Grants & Sponsored Research works to assist Rollins faculty and staff with the process of applying for external funding and in the administration of grants and awards to the College. The following guidelines are provided to help individuals navigate the College's internal process for submitting an external grant application or proposal for funding.
Important note: Faculty and staff interested in applying for an external grant should contact the Office of Grants & Sponsored Research (OGSR) early in the planning stage of their proposal. All formal applications for external funding submitted on behalf of the College must be reviewed by OGSR staff prior to submission.
Step 1
Plan ahead. The principal investigator or project director (PI/PD) should consult with his/her department chair or director to determine whether any aspects of the proposed research or planned project could impede other functions in the department.
Step 2
The PI/PD may then work with OGSR to locate potential sources of support. OGSR may assist the applicant in making contact with potential sponsors, securing appropriate guidelines and application forms, developing strategies for the project budget and narrative, understanding any compliance regulations, and providing other technical assistance as needed.
Step 3
Once a funding source has been identified (and, if the source is a private or corporate foundation, approved by the Office of Foundation Relations to pursue), the PI/PD must complete a Grant Proposal Endorsement Form. Forms must be completed and returned to OGSR three weeks prior to a deadline to be routed for additional administrative review and approvals, which must be secured prior to submission.
Step 4
The applicant may then proceed with preparing the full proposal in accordance with the funding agency's guidelines. The OGSR may provide technical assistance (including templates, timelines, budget development, editing, and formatting assistance, etc.) to ensure the proposal meets the funder's stated goals and is clearly aligned with the mission of the College. Final grant budgets must be reviewed by the College's financial officers prior to submission. Additional resources are available to help faculty develop their project budgets.
Step 5
Final drafts of proposals should be provided to the OGSR at least 7 days prior to the sponsor's deadline for final internal review and to ensure successful on-time submission. Some smaller (non-governmental) proposals may be submitted by the applicant directly only after final internal review and approval have been secured.