Proposal Development

Topic	Information
LMU Proposal Information	The LMU Proposal Information has a variety of information in it, such as LMU contacts for fiscal signature authority and authorized organizational representatives (AOR), UEI number, fringe benefit rates, Human Subjects Assurance number, congressional districts, as well as other information needed for proposal preparation.
LMU Boilerplate	The LMU Boilerplate provides basic history, mission, student demographics, faculty demographics, and accreditation information by academic year that is common in grant applications. ORSP will update it each fall after the census date to reflect current enrollment and trend information.
LMU Seaver Boilerplate	This Seaver Boilerplate provides history, mission, student demographics, faculty demographics, and accreditation information of the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering by academic year that is common in grant applications. ORSP will update it each fall after the census date to reflect current enrollment and trend information.
Finding a Sponsor	Only eligible faculty or staff are allowed to apply for extramural funding on behalf of the University. Please visit Search Funding Opportunities to locate and search for various funding opportunities. The ORSP staff are happy to meet with you to discuss possible funding opportunities and review the submission guidelines. Tip: Leave plenty of time to develop your proposal. Most applications require four to six weeks to prepare.
Notifying Staff of Your Intent to Apply	Complete the LMU Intent to Apply Form and the ORSP staff will receive an automatic notification. ORSP staff are here to facilitate discussions between you and others on campus who may be able to help in the development of your proposal.
Developing Your Project or Research Design	As the leader of the project, you will be responsible for writing the narrative, collecting any letters of support and completing all other elements of the proposal required by the sponsor. Meet as early as possible with a member of the ORSP staff to discuss the guidelines and necessary timeline. Please visit: Proposal Development - Grant Writing Guidance for more resources and see the LMU Institutional Profile for proposal preparation information. PLEASE NOTE: Data requests must be made with two (2) weeks notice to process.
Creating Your Budget	Your budget is the translation of your proposal into financial reality, ensuring that you will be able to conduct your project successfully. The ORSP staff will help you develop the budget to ensure that costs are reasonable, allocable, and consistent with both LMU policies and compliant with sponsor guidelines. Be specific as you estimate the cost of all resources needed, following the instructions regarding unallowable costs and any other financial terms defined in the sponsor guidelines. For more information, please visit: Proposal Development - Budgeting Additional Budget Guidance: Facilities and Administrative Rate Memo Indirect Cost Rate Agreement Reassigned Time and Match Guidelines
Ensuring Research Integrity and Compliance	Talk to the ORSP staff about compliance issues related to your work. If your work involves human or animal subjects, you may need to work with LMU's Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Discriminatory harassment training is required of all Principle Investigators who receive awards from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health as well as the faculty and staff who work on these grants.
Reviewing All Materials Prior to Submission	Staff are available to review your proposal materials and make suggestions for strengthening your proposal narrative pending any time restrictions. Please allow at least ten business days prior to the deadline for review.
Routing the Application for Internal Signature Approvals	Once all required internal and external proposal documents have been uploaded in Cayuse, the proposal will be routed electronically to the Chair, Dean, and Director of Research and Sponsored Programs in this order. Cayuse approvals are needed for proposal submission. If LMU matching or contributed funds are proposed, the ORSP prepares a LMU Institutional Commitment Agreement (ICA) for additional signatures. The ICA is also included in the Routing Package. The grant proposal is then ready for submission to the sponsor. (Include specifics for federal and non-federal) The Cayuse routing process requires at least eight (8) business days in order to permit timely review by the signatories.
Submitting the Proposal	The ORSP facilitates all submissions on behalf of the PI. Proposals for federal funding can only be submitted by ORSP staff who are authorized by federal agencies to submit proposals on behalf of LMU and the PI. Notifying the ORSP approximately a month in advance of a grant deadline will permit thorough review and seamless submission on various agency online portals and systems.
Following Up	ORSP staff is pleased to assist you after submission by discussing reviewer feedback and considering how to improve your proposal’s chances for award at your next submission. When the sponsor issues an award, ORSP staff will arrange an appointment with the Post Award Administration and Accounting Office to set up your new grant account. Review of the award terms and conditions and any other post award issues will be addressed at the Award Set Up Meeting.