Notify Office of Sponsored Programs of your Intent to Apply
Please send an email notification to the Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs, as well as your chair and dean, as soon as possible to indicate your intent to apply for external funds. This notification is critical for all Samford stakeholders to plan and prepare for your upcoming submission, as the appropriate amount of time must be allotted in the calendar to accommodate budget revisions, routing, and submission. When notifying OSP about your intent to apply, please include as much information about the upcoming proposal as possible, such as:
- Funding agency and program
- Copy of program or URL where instructions can be found
- Internal and external partners
- If a course buy-out is needed
- If matching funds/cost share from the university is needed
- Any other special considerations you are aware of
Identify an Appropriate External Funding Source
If you have not yet identified a funding source for your idea, please use the university’s subscription to www.grantforward.com to locate potential options. If you would like to schedule a consultation to assist with this process, please indicate this in your intent to apply e-mail.
Refine the Proposal and Budget
Please make an appointment to speak with the Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs during the formal proposal and budget development stage to ensure that the funding request is compliant with institutional, federal, state, or local guidelines. During this stage, OSP may assign internal peer reviewers, mentors, or other personnel who can assist you in the development of your proposal (especially for faculty members new to the grant writing process). In addition, OSP is pleased to work directly with project directors in developing their proposal.
Route the Proposal
All proposals submitted by Samford University employees under the auspices of the institution (meaning the university will be the one to receive the funds and manage the accounting) MUST have institutional approval prior to submission as outlined below. Any awards which are made from proposals submitted without approval risk being declined by the university if terms are unacceptable.
Utilizing the “Proposal Routing Form,” found in the Office of Research Canvas Course, the following approvals are required:
| Office | Approval Signature Required | What is Reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Department Chair | Always, for each Senior Personnel participating | Approves participation of faculty/staff working on the project, ensures the department can support the project in its current form |
| Academic Dean | Always, for each Senior Personnel participating | Approves department participation, certifies time commitment and demonstrates knowledge of any potential budget impact the project will have |
| Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs | Always | Certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by the institutional officials and all policies and procedures have been adhered to |
| Compliance Officer | If any human or animal subjects are proposed | Certifies that compliance requirements have been satisfied for the project, or will be if an award is made |
| Associate Director of Grants and Contracts | If a budget is submitted with the proposal | Budget is reviewed and verified, indirect costs are calculated properly, salaries are verified with Payroll, formulas are accurate |
| Provost | Always | Official signature of approval on behalf of Samford University |
| President | If funds are federal or federal flow-through | Official signature of approval on all federal programs to ensure alignment with Samford University mission and vision |
After a proposal is routed, no significant changes should be made to the proposal concept and no changes at all should be made to the budget. OSP will submit only those projects approved by the institution through the signatory process on routing forms. All proposals are submitted in accordance with OSP scheduling priorities. Verification of submission will be provided to all grantees.
Obtain IRB/IACUC Approval
PIs should begin the protocol approval process early if their grants require approval. Please note that if the externally funded program requires IRB or IACUC approval, the project director may not begin grant activities until all appropriate personnel are approved to do so by the respective committees. Please be advised that principal investigators and project directors are not eligible to determine if their research activity is exempt or non-exempt.
Formal Submission
Completed and approved projects (including narratives, budgets, and appendices) will be submitted directly by OSP, unless authorization is provided by OSP allowing the project director to submit directly.