Office of Research Advancement

When developing a grant proposal, it's helpful to have a clear idea of your research goals, understand what types of funding opportunities might exist, understand the types of Sponsored Awards and whether you are eligible to apply for the funding. Learn the difference between grants, cooperative agreements and contracts.

• Grants - These resources are given to organizations for stated purposes or activities to be carried out without substantial sponsor involvement.
• Cooperative Agreements - These agreements establish relationships between organizations and the sponsors, in which both parties pursue stated goals or activities. You can expect substantial sponsor involvement with these agreements.
• Contracts - Contracts can be considered a form of negotiated procurement. They usually correlate with a sponsoring agency's specific goals as outlined in a formal announcement.

• Proposal management: coordinating with UB offices, gathering required documents, and ensuring a polished, complete proposal package.
• Quality improvement: providing detailed editing and feedback, refining proposals to meet funding agency priorities.
• Development and drafting: assisting with non-technical sections and supplemental documents, including project management plans and broader impact initiatives.

• Become familiar with the general sponsor proposal guidelines.
• Read the specific Funding Opportunity to which you plan to apply.
  • Ask the Program Officer for program related clarification (e.g., does my proposal idea fit within the funder’s priorities?)
  • Ask early and ask often!
• Notify Sponsored Project Sevices (SPS) of your intention to submit early.
• Address all proposal review criteria within the proposal.
• Understand the merit review process of the sponsor.
• Avoid omissions and mistakes (e.g. make sure all “INSERT TEXT HERE” sections are completed).
• Start the approval form (Click) process after you and Sponsored Project Services (SPS) have completed your proposal budget.

• Check your proposal to verify it is complete.
• NOTE: The SPS team cannot submit your proposal without all approvals.
• Reminder: The deans or chairs will delay the process until you have filed your financial conflict of interest form.
• Submit a Click Grants FP (aka approval form):
  • Click Grants Login
  • Click Grants Training Page

• Organize the proposal process with checklists and templates
• Coordinate across internal units and external partners
• Help faculty develop and revise supplemental documents
• Ensure proposal compliance with solicitation guidelines

• Edit proposals and provide in-depth technical reviews through iterative feedback
• Ensure proposals align with agency requirements and solicitation review criteria
• Help develop strategies to revise and resubmit proposals

• Collaborate with faculty to draft and revise non-technical sections such as Management Plans and Institutional Support Letters
• Assist with team formation for large-scale proposals
• Create graphics to illustrate project details (e.g. timelines, organizational charts, project overviews)

Proposal Writing Series

• Small group writing series are designed to improve grantsmanship skills for developing technical documents of proposal packages
  • ORA Proposal Editors will aid participants in forming language to target solicitation and agency review criteria through iterative feedback on multiple drafts

Ask about Program Manager presentations from Funding Agencies.

Ask about ORA Proposal Manager presentations.

Need help with Training Grants? Find resources and get support for training grant applications.

These brief videos offer an overview and practical guidance on a wide variety of research-related topics in order to increase the knowledge and performance of clinical researchers at UB.

These resources serve to provide important NSF and NIH updates and guide/policy notices relevant to UB faculty and staff for proposal submissions and award administration.