The IUSB Office of Research and the Sponsored Research Services (SRS) in Bloomington request at least a two week lead time to put through an external grant proposal.  To ensure that federal and state guidelines are met and that the intellectual and academic objectives of the University are maintained, all proposals for external funding must be reviewed at appropriate administrative levels prior to submission.  As soon as you starting thinking about applying for a specific grant opportunity you should contact the Office of Research (4181).

The items discussed below cover frequently asked questions regarding the preparation and review of proposals. Help with proposal preparation (organization, complying with agency guidelines, editing, etc.) and with budgets is available by calling 237-4181. Current rate information is available on-line at http://www.iusb.edu/~research/Budget.html.

The PROPOSAL ROUTE SHEET is available in  PDF Format. Hard copies are always available in the Academic Affairs office (A247) or by calling 237-4181. If project personnel come from more than one department or school, all relevant chairpersons and/or deans must sign the route sheet. Finally, the route sheet should be delivered to the Office of Research, Admin. 247, for the remaining signatures and routing of the proposal to the Sponsored Research office in Bloomington which will forward it to the agency. In addition to the original and copies required by the external agency, include three Indiana University file copies plus one additional if required by your Dean's office.

It is important to start this process early! The route sheet and proposal must be received far enough in advance of the mailing date to allow each signing individual to review the proposal, as well as make suggestions and corrections. It is recommended that five working days be allowed for the IUSB Office of Research to process and mail the proposal. If there are special needs (research risk approval, matching funds, collaborative projects, subcontracts, space commitments, etc.) or if there is difficulty in allowing five days, consultation with the Office of Research during preparation of the proposal can avoid delays.

PROPOSAL COVER SHEET
Most sponsoring agencies specify the format for the title page. If not create a simple cover. Almost all require a signature of the authorizing university official in addition to the project director's signature. For all IUSB proposals Indiana University is listed as the Institution and fiscal agent. Click here for current institutional information to use in preparing your application, including Authorizing Officials, DNS Numbers, etc.

BUDGET

• Assistance in Budget Preparation

Budgets must be approved by the IUSB Office of Research and the Sponsored Research Services Office in Bloomington prior to routing a proposal. Current rate information is available on-line at http://www.iusb.edu/~research/Budget.html. Call 237-4181 with questions, or to set up an appointment. The office can also be of assistance in responding to technical questions regarding RFP's or contracts.
 
• Faculty Summer Salary

Faculty members on academic-year appointments (10 month) may be given summer appointments on external grants or contracts at a weekly rate not to exceed 2.5 percent of the previous academic-year salary (AYS). Ordinarily, summer appointments are for nine weeks (22.5 percent AYS). Some agencies will restrict the amount of summer salary which may be requested. For example NSF limits summer pay to 2/9 of AYS. Appointments may extend to a maximum of eleven weeks (27.5 percent AYS) if permitted by the funding agency.

While appointments to a maximum of thirteen weeks full-time (32.5 percent AYS) may be requested, appointments in excess of eleven weeks, whether wholly or partly supported by grant or contract funds are strongly discouraged. Exceptions to the 27.5 percent limitation will be made only with justification and with approval, in advance, by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
 

• Fringe Benefit Rates

Fringe benefits are to be included in proposal budgets for all Indiana University personnel.
 
• Facitlities & Administrative Costs (F&A) formerly Indirect Cost Rates

The F&A costs represent reimbursement to the University for expenses incurred for such items as lighting, heating, space, payroll, accounting, personnel, administrative support, and building and equipment maintenance (as opposed to the direct costs of salaries, travel, laboratory equipment, etc.). The indirect cost rates are negotiated annually with the Federal Government and apply to all grants and contracts. Different rates are in effect, however, for different kinds of proposals: research, instruction (teaching or training programs), and other sponsored activities.

IUSB currently has in place a Research Incentive Plan (RIP) which allows for the redistribution of recovered F&A costs.

More information
 

• Travel Reimbursement Rates

 
• Matching Funds

Cost Share: The amount that IU or outside agencies will contribute to the project, if funded. This can be a cash amount (i.e. $200 for travel or salary), or an in-kind amount (i.e. $200 in rental fee for outside hall donated to project). Projects which require matching funds from the University must have the amounts and sources identified in the proposals and must have the appropriate approvals on the Route Sheet.

Principal Investigator/Project Director is responsible for ensuring that all required disclosures were made by others associated with his or her project. The signature on Route Sheet certifies this assurance.

Human Subjects
Under federal regulations, all proposals involving the use of human subjects must be reviewed and approved by the IUSB Institutional Review Board. Assurance of approval must be submitted to the agency at the time the proposal is transmitted to the agency or no later than 60 days from the date of transmission. This review requires that an application describing the human subject involvement be completed by the Project Director no later than when the proposal is routed. Guidelines for the use of human subjects and the necessary forms may be obtained from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies (237-4181).

Subcontracts
Proposals which include a subcontractor/subrecipient in the budget must include the following information provided by the proposed subcontractor:

• budget
• work statement
• letter of support signed by the business official of the subcontracting institution

Collaborative Projects
Projects involving more than one department or campus require all participating units to sign off on the route sheet. Issues such as indirect cost allocation will be determined internally among the units involved. Faxed copies of route sheets are acceptable to assist in obtaining the various approvals.

Should I reapply to an agency that rejected an earlier proposal?

Most agencies answer this question with a resounding "YES." For many programs, the success rate of first-time applicants is very low, but a significant number of those proposals are funded upon resubmission. Contact the Office of Research to discuss strategies for resubmission.