Assistance & Development
The VPR Office collaborates with offices across campus to provide UofU faculty a wide variety of grant proposal submission services, including tutorials; training and professional development; administrative support; writing and workshopping consultations; and grant-writing and editing services.
Below is a Proposal Development Assistance Guide with all currently available resources and services to address the most common proposal development needs. If your question isn't listed here, contact us at vprgrants@utah.edu!
Getting Started
New investigator onboarding
An onboarding training course is available (and required!) for all new investigators at the University of Utah. This self-guided course will guide new PI’s through the process of finding funding, preparing proposal documents, and submitting proposals.
Click here to enroll in this course!
Research Education courses and grant-writing workshops
The Office Research Education (ReD) provides online courses and live workshops to help researchers write proposals aimed at specific federal agencies. Foundations courses provide a basic introduction to each agency and guided workshops provide professional and peer-to-peer feedback on proposal outlines. For more information, visit the ReD Grant Writing Portal.
Preparing Proposals
Administrative support for proposal submissions (pre-award support)
Centralized pre-award support services are available to departments that manage proposal submissions with the VPR or SVPHS pre-award offices. Some of the services offered by the Pre-Award Office include researching a particular funding opportunity, starting and managing the application, providing instructions and checklists of requirements for the opportunity, reviewing all submission documents, assisting with budget preparation, and liaising with the Office of Sponsored Projects to submit the application. Visit their webpage for more information.
Grant Proposal Development
Assistance from a professional grant writer is available to advise you on developing a more competitive proposal. These services include assistance with proposal outlines, substantive and developmental editing of proposal text, and proposal review. During periods of high demand, proposals that fall into one or more of the following categories will be prioritized:
- Proposals from pre-tenure faculty
- Drafts prepared at least four weeks in advance of the proposal deadline
- Interdisciplinary proposals that align with current institutional priorities
Grant development requests can only be considered if placed at least three weeks in advance of the proposal deadline. For more information, contact Jesse Morris.
Drop-in Grant Writing Consultations
One hour drop-in sessions are available several times a year to answer a range of questions about proposals to NIH or NSF. Led by experienced grant writers, specialists in NIH and NSF programs will be available to help get you started on finding funding, provide grant writing tips, or answer specific questions about the grant writing or proposal submission process. For more information, visit the NSF Grant Writing Consultation or NIH Grant Writing Consultation pages.
Writing Center Assistance
The VPR Office and the Writing Center offer editorial support for faculty, which includes grant proposal documents and manuscripts for journal submissions. Please contact Pippi Pecchia-Bekkum to discuss your needs at least three weeks prior to your submission deadline. For the writing center click here.
University Print and Mail Services
University Print and Mail Design Services offers high-quality graphic design support. This resource offers great teaching and research materials. Rates are very reasonable for on-campus groups, and are determined by the complexity of the design and number of iterations. Please contact Santiago Garcia for availability and/or more information.
University Compliance & Commercialization
The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP)
OSP supports faculty through effective management of extramural sponsored proposals and awards funded by federal and state agencies, foundations, and other public and private sources. OSP is primarily responsible for interpreting and ensuring compliance with University policy, proposal and award terms and conditions, and applicable federal and state laws and regulations. OSP reviews and submits proposals on behalf of the University. They also draft, negotiate, and sign sponsored agreements and subawards. The OSP website provides many resources for grant writers including a grants toolbox, a handbook for research and sponsored activity, and a quick reference page for commonly needed information. You can also find the Sponsored Project Officer for your academic unit at the Staff Directory.
Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT)
PIVOT leads centralized and integrated strategy and operation for technology commercialization, corporate engagement, and economic development. PIVOT staff assist the U’s faculty inventors in bringing their innovations to market by spearheading all aspects of invention management, patent prosecution, licensing, startup formation and support, equity management and early-stage funding. PIVOT's website offers an Inventor's Guide to answer common questions about the commercialization process as well as assistance with invention disclosure and material/data transfer and nondisclosure agreements.
Grant development requests can only be considered if placed at least three weeks in advance of the proposal deadline. For more information, contact Jesse Morris.