Getting Started: Steps to Proposal Planning and Preparation

Project Conceptualization:  Before developing a concept,  it may be helpful to assess your capability as a potential awardee on a project. Determining you have the necessary resources, skills, and staff to perform the work you would like to propose may alter the concept you develop. Also, you may find it helpful to consult colleagues, review the literature, develop a clear-cut statement of the need for your project, and write a short description of your project to help identify appropriate funding sources.  The Grant Writing Laboratory (GWL) can assist with project conceptualization.

Identification of Funding Sources: There are many sources for external funds, including federal, state, and local government agencies, and private foundations and corporations. All of these sponsors have various funding priorities and submission requirements, which are spelled out via agency-specific Requests for Proposals, Program Announcements, Grant Application Guidelines, Fellowship Opportunities, and Small Grant Applications, for example. Determining the most appropriate funding source takes careful research and preparation. The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) can assist in researching funding opportunities, communicating with the funding agencies, and with obtaining and interpreting guidelines and applications. You may request a personalized search to identify possible funding agencies and granting mechanisms (contact manira@nova.edu).

Proposal Preparation:  After a funding opportunity has been selected, the principal investigator/project director is responsible for preparing the proposal, with assistance available from the GWL and the OSP.  The OSP and GWL can provide information on various aspects of proposal preparation (i.e., outlining the proposal format; obtaining current University-wide boilerplate information; proposal editing; identifying sponsor and University requirements; developing the project budget and justification; and completing forms and required assurances). The extent to which these offices can assist is contingent upon the lead time provided by the principal investigator/project director.

Early in the proposal development process, it is critical to discuss your project with your dean or director, as appropriate, to enlist their approval and support for the project. Release time, space, cost sharing, and other center or institutional issues should be clarified early in the proposal development process in order to avoid delays in proposal submission. Informing appropriate parties early in the process allows any institutional issues to be addressed in a timely fashion and successful proposal submission. The Preliminary Grant Development Guide form may be used for this purpose.

Each funding agency has its own set of guidelines for the proposal narrative section. However, there are certain general characteristics that apply to most proposals submitted for external funding:

• State clearly the need for, and the objectives of, the project.
• Match the stated priorities of the funding agency as closely as possible.
• Make clear the ways in which your project is innovative, necessary, timely, and significant.
• Clearly describe your project, including timeliness charts, and graphs as appropriate.
• Collaborate with other individuals, agencies, or organizations whenever possible.
• Carefully follow any instructions from the funding agency, including page limitations, deadlines, and review criteria.
• Include, if requested, a current, clean copy of your curriculum vitae, and biographical sketches of other key personnel.
• Determine if you will need approval for projects involving human subjects, animal subjects, copyrights, etc., in consultation with the OSP, well before the agency deadline.

It is sometimes helpful to have others (a colleague, the GWL, and/or the OSP) review your draft proposal before a final version is prepared. This helps to ensure clarity and completeness.

Proposal Budget:   A proposal budget and line item justification are prepared in conjunction with the proposal narrative. Many agencies have specific budget restrictions and guidelines, as well as forms to be used with proposal submission. The OSP can assist with developing your budget and can provide information regarding personnel, fringe benefits, use of consultants, equipment, and facilities and administrative (indirect) costs. Please contact your OSP Grant Officer early in the proposal development stage for help in preparing a proposal budget.

Proposal Review and Submission:   Completed proposal documents and completed/signed internal forms, including the Proposal Approval Record, should be forwarded to your OSP Grant Officer for final pre-submission review and signatures.  If electronic submission is required, the OSP will submit the proposal.  By signing the Proposal Approval Record, the OSP indicates the University's official approval. Every effort should be made to have necessary proposal documents, with appropriate forms and approvals, to the OSP at least five days prior to the funding agency deadline to allow time for sufficient review and troubleshooting, when necessary, to ensure a successful submission, especially where proposals must be transmitted electronically and technology issues may arise. 

Planning and Preparation Time:  The time from proposal preparation and submission to award can be as long as six to nine months. Generally, the process will take longer than expected. If you plan to use the resources of the GWL or OSP, please contact their offices early in the process of proposal development.

Proposal Links

Links to Proposal Development Resources

• Free Resources from the Foundation Center
• NIH Grants Process Overview
• All About Grants:  Tutorials and Samples
• Grant-Writing Tools for Non-Profit Organizations
• Grant Proposal Writing Resources - University of Wisconsin-Madison
• NSF:  A Guide for Proposal Writing
• NSF:  Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, January 2013

Links to additional resources and samples on proposal writing and development are accessible at the Grant Writing Laboratory under "Resources and Links".

NSU Forms

Listed below are the internal forms used for proposals submitted through and awards managed by the OSP. Please work with your assigned OSP Grant Officer to determine which forms need to be completed.

How to Use and Submit the Forms:

• Acrobat - if you would like to print a form and complete it by hand or complete a form online and immediately print a copy, please use the Adobe Acrobat version (If you have Adobe Acrobat Professional, you will be able to save the forms).
• Word - if you would like the ability to begin completing a form on your computer and then save it to finish later, or email it to someone else to complete, please use the Microsoft Word version.

All forms must be signed, preferably in blue ink, before submission to the OSP.  Please obtain any and all other required signatures (e.g., dean, chancellor, etc.) before submission to OSP.  If you need assistance, contact your assigned OSP Grant Officer.

Required Pre-Award Forms (as applicable)	Revision Date	MS Word	PDF
Waiver of Facilities & Administration Costs (Indirect Costs)	8/30/2012
Financial Conflict of Interest Disclosure	8/24/2012
Individual Interest Disclosure	8/24/2012
Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Director (PD) Responsibilities on Sponsored Projects	8/30/2012
PI/PD Assurance and Certification to the Public Health Services	8/30/2012
Proposal Approval Record (PAR)	8/30/2012
Cost Sharing Approval	8/30/2012
Major Project Support	8/30/2012
HR Position Forms
Job Description Questionnaire for New Grant Funded Positions
Process Map for Creating New Grant Funded Positions

NSU Fact Sheet

Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs:  Commonly called Indirect or Overhead Costs. Per Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Rate Agreement - F&A costs are calculated as a percentage of the salaries and wage base. Rates below will be effective for a period of four years, beginning July 1, 2011.

• Main Campus 42.50%
• Main Campus (off-site locations) 13.00%
• Health Professions Division 45.30%
• Health Professions Division (off-site locations) 27.00%
• Oceanography 68.70%
• Oceanography (off-site locations) 27.00%

Budget Information (Personnel)  

• Salaries
  Projected annual salary budget increase - 3% as of each July 1 fiscal year
• Fringe Benefits
  (includes social security-FICA, retirement, health/life/disability insurance, moving expense, unemployment, workman's compensation, tuition waiver)
  • Faculty and Staff - 26.50%
  • Students, adjuncts, and part-time working 19 hours or less  - 7.90% (includes workman’s compensation, FICA, unemployment only)

Institutional ID Numbers

• Dunn & Bradstreet (DUNS) Number
  00-297-1240
• Federal Entity Identification (FEIN) Number
  59-1083502

Assurances

• Human Subjects-Assurance of Compliance-Federal-wide Assurance-# FWA00004057
• Assurance of Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (persons with disabilities), Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (sex discrimination), and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975-Filed 5/18/95
• Misconduct in Science: Updated annually
• Delinquent Federal Debt-NO DELINQUENCY
• Debarment and Suspension-NOT DEBARRED OR SUSPENDED
• Drug Free Workplace-Annual compliance, Mailing
• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Form filed for awards exceeding $100,000 for total costs for one year.

Note: For other Assurances, contact the Office of Sponsored Programs

Articles of Incorporation and Merger:  A complete copy of NSU's Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Articles of Merger, as well as the tax-exempt 501 (c)3 letter, are available in the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Institutional Budget - $539.3 million, 2011

University Board of Trustees - A current list of NSU's Board of Trustees is available at www.nova.edu/about/board-of-trustees.html.

NSU's Organizational Chart - A copy of NSU's organizational chart is available in the Office of Sponsored Programs

NSU's Financial Statement and Certified Annual Audit Reports - Recent financial reports, as well as A-133 reports, are available in the Office of Sponsored Programs

Proof of Non-Profit Status - IRS Federal Tax Exemption Status letter is available in the Office of Sponsored Programs.

NSU Fact Book (written and graphical overview of the University including organization, administration, academic programs, resources, accreditations, enrollments, student demographics, program completers, university personnel and financial resources)

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives

• Frederica Wilson - 24th District
• Debbie Wasserman Schultz - 23rd District

U.S. Senators

• Bill Nelson
• Marco Rubio

Authorized University Representatives
The following individuals are authorized to sign proposals for sponsored programs submitted from NSU.   In most cases, the Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs will be the individual signing the proposal, unless the sponsoring agency specifically requests the signature(s) of others.

George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., President/CEO
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314-7796
Phone: (954) 262-7575
Fax: (954) 262-3800

Jacqueline A. Travisano, Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314-7796
Phone: (954) 262-7300
Fax: (954) 262-3800

Gary Margules, ScD, Vice President, Office of Research and Technology Transfer
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314-7796
Phone: (954) 262-7507
Fax: (954) 262-2658

Cathy Harlan, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314-7796
Phone: (954) 262-5366
Fax: (954) 262-3977
Email: osp@nova.edu

Administrative and Business Contracts: If the application asks for the name of the administrative official to be notified in case an award is made or for other non-accounting administrative needs, please provide the following information:

Cathy Harlan, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314-7796
Phone: (954) 262-5366
Fax: (954) 262-3977
Email: osp@nova.edu

If the application asks for an accounting contact, please provide the following information:

Andrea White, Contract and Grant Accounting Manager
Nova Southeastern University -- East Campus
3100 SW 9th Ave.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315
Phone: (954) 262-5244
Fax: (954) 262-3921
Email:  white@nova.edu