External Funding

Once you’ve identified a grant that you would like to pursue, it’s time to work on developing your grant proposal. Each funding source and request for proposal (RFP) will have unique requirements, and it is very important to meet all of them to the smallest detail.

Here are some links with tips and advice on proposal development:

• Grant Writing Basics posts from Grants.gov
• Grant Proposals (or Give me the money!) from The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill
• Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics from The Writing Center at UW-Madison
• NSF Guide for Proposal Writing
• NIH proposal writing tips

Applying for an external grant is not entirely an individual pursuit. While you will be doing most of the work to write and prepare your grant proposal, there are many other areas of the college that will need to be involved in the application and submission process and that will be affected by your new grant. Your award may involve new equipment, student workers, matching funds from the college, course release, summer stipends, or other things that financially impact the college. It is critical that we know about your intent to apply for a grant as soon as possible to be able to fully support your application.

Please contact the Grants Manager, Nicole Bauer, early in your proposal writing process for help with editing, budgets, compliance with RFP details, and collecting all of the necessary college information and approvals to complete your application. 

In addition, all grant proposal submissions need to be approved by your Department Chair and the Dean of the College. Plan to complete the Request to Pursue External Funding [PDF] form no later than 10 business days before the deadline of your grant application. This gives us time to review everything, receive all the necessary permissions, and submit your application in a timely manner.

**NOTE: If you are applying for a grant or fellowship as an individual, meaning the award money will come directly to you personally rather than the college, then you are not required to submit the Request to Pursue External Funding Form. However, it is expected that you communicate your intentions to pursue a personal grant with the Dean of the College. In addition, you should discuss the application plans with the Grant Manager, as there may be resources available to help you, or other college issues to take into account when applying for individual grants.

Useful information for grant applications

When you receive your official award letter, the Grants Manager will work with Business Services to set up a grant account for your award.

Most federal grants operate on a reimbursement basis, so receipts for any supplies or travel expenses should be submitted to the Grants Manager to be processed according to the college guidelines. Cornell policies are the standard unless the award terms and conditions are more restrictive.

Some awards, particularly from foundations or other organizations, involve sending a check or deposit for the full amount of the grant. We still need to track your expenses carefully, so keep all of your receipts for anything purchased with grant funds, and work with the Grants Manager to ensure you have adequate records to show how the money was spent.

Keep in mind that in order to be charged to your grant account, the expenses need to be allowable, reasonable, and allocable. If you have any questions about whether an expense can be charged to your grant please contact the Grants Manager before it is incurred. If your award involves purchasing any single item over $3,000, there are federal guidelines regarding the procurement procedure we must follow.

If your award involves hiring staff, post-doctoral or graduate students, or undergraduates, we will need to work with Human Resources to follow necessary procedures.

There are several compliance policies to be aware of as you plan and conduct your funded project. Some of these require periodic reporting, while others may influence how you choose to pursue your work. If you have any questions about any of these, please contact the Grants Manager.

• Federal Conflict of Interest
  • Form to be completed
• Time and Effort Reporting
  • Form to be completed
• Responsible Conduct of Research
• Harassment Reporting - The National Science Foundation (NSF) requires grantee organizations to report all findings of sexual harassment, or any other kind of harassment regarding a PI, co/PI, or any other grant personnel. Cornell's Sexual Misconduct Policy can be found here. 
• Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
• Fly America
• Unallowable Costs
• Cost Transfer Policies

Additional information regarding compliance policies can be found in the terms and conditions of your award, as well as in the Uniform Guidance that covers all federal awards.