Proposal Development

What is a proposal?

A proposal is a scope of services submitted to an outside entity, whether there is funding attached or not. This is true regardless of whether William & Mary will be the prime recipient of the award or a sub-recipient.

It is important to keep this in mind when agreeing to participate as a sub-recipient on an award because only proposals that have been approved by an Authorized Official may be considered binding commitments.

Once a researcher has identified a potential sponsor for research in his or her area (visit the Funding Sources page for general external sources), there are three steps to having a proposal considered for funding. F

The Technology Transfer Office has extensive information available regarding the protection of your research.

Step One: Notify.

Contact the appropriate Sponsored Programs Administrator so that we can plan for the submission. Check the About Us page if you are unsure who to contact. If you are applying to a foundation, the submission will need to be coordinated with Corporate and Foundation Relations if it appears on the clearance list.
Submit the electronic Route and Review Form (Mac users may need to use Google Chrome browser to access form) to answer compliance-related questions. You do not need a budget estimate to complete the form, but you will need your WM log-in and password to access.

Step Two: Plan.

The Sponsored Programs Office requires a minimum of 5 working days before a proposal deadline to review the draft budget and proposal narrative. This allows us to coordinate with appropriate Deans, Chairs, compliance committees, and the Vice Provost for Research to confirm availability of resources such as cost share, facilities, student housing, etc.
The items in the Tools Menu of this section will help to develop a proposal budget, determine sub-recipient relationships, and other important proposal components.
The References Menu is a collection of internal and external guidelines. Remember: the specific announcement to which you are responding takes precedence over standard agency guidelines, so read it carefully when drafting proposal materials.

Working with research subjects?

No need to submit that protocol yet. Protocols should only be submitted once a "Just in Time" request has been received or if the award notice is imminent.

Step Three: Submit.

Most, but not all, sponsors require that a proposal be submitted by the Office of Sponsored Programs. If a sponsor requires that the investigator submit the proposal directly, the following codes may be requested:

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