Who Must Approve Your Proposal Before Submission

Required Approvals

Your proposal must be reviewed and approved prior to submission to the sponsor by the following via the AGrants system:

  • The head of your department/program**
  • The head of the unit to which your department/program reports
  • Both the department/program heads and unit heads of your on-campus co-Principal Investigators (co-PIs), if different from your own
  • Any department or unit on campus providing cost share for your project
  • Special Funds Accounting
  • Lastly, Sponsored Programs

**If you are the head of your department/program or unit, you will still need approval from two areas above you (i.e., for department chairs, your school/college and Academic Affairs).

Deadline

To allow Sponsored Programs adequate time for review and final approval, you must complete all required fields in AGrants, attach all final and complete proposal materials in the system, and obtain all required internal approvals no later than five business days before your sponsor's submission deadline.

Why Must You Obtain These Approvals?

  • Your proposal should be reviewed by your chair or department/program head and your dean or unit head so they are aware of:
    • Your research and scholarly/creative endeavors;
    • Your time commitments, especially during the academic year;
    • The impact the project may make in terms of personnel, class scheduling, space, etc.
    • Any commitments on their unit's part for space, personnelequipmentcost share, etc.
  • The same is true for your co-Principal investigators (co-PIs) and their departments/programs/units, of course.
  • Special Funds Accounting must review your proposal budget for accuracy and appropriateness. You and the University are responsible for carrying out what is included in the budget if the grant is funded, so your budget should meet all applicable policies and guidelines to be able to withstand an audit.
  • Sponsored Programs must review the entire proposal and all supporting documentation for accuracy and appropriateness. You and the University are responsible for carrying out what is included in the proposal if the grant is funded, so the entire proposal must meet all applicable policies and guidelines.
  • Sponsored Programs can also assist you with insuring you have complied with all the sponsor's requirements in terms of formatting, review criteria, supporting documentation, etc., if the proposal is submitted for review at least 14 business days in advance of the sponsor's deadline.

Please note: If you submit a proposal before receiving all required internal approvals, the University reserves the right to withdraw the proposal or not accept an award if, upon review, the proposal is found to contain terms with which the University cannot comply.