Limited Submissions

Understanding limited submissions

When a funding agency restricts the number of proposals an institution may submit, it's referred to as a limited submission. Some programs are limited by institution (i.e., X proposals allowed for the entire university), some by Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, some by campus, and some by school.

If the University submits more than the allowable number of proposals to a limited submission opportunity, all of its proposals will likely be disqualified. That is why it is imperative to follow the internal application process and secure proper authorization from the university (and, in certain cases, your campus, school, or department as well).

If you are no longer able to apply for a limited submission opportunity, it is imperative that you notify the appropriate contact person, with a cc to limsub@iu.edu, immediately in order to allow another colleague the opportunity to move forward with a proposal. Failure to do so may result in your disqualification from subsequent limited submission opportunities.

Find limited submission opportunities

How you can tell if a funding opportunity is limited submission

Carefully check the funder’s guidelines for any mention of institutional limits. These are usually listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity/Request for Applications under Eligibility. Be aware that some limitations extend to subawards. If you are uncertain about whether or not an opportunity is limited, contact limsub@iu.edu.

Before you apply

Before you apply for a limited submission opportunity, be aware of any additional requirements, for instance, a letter of nomination from the Dean, Provost, Chancellor, or President. If your proposal is selected, it will be your responsibility to meet all additional requirements, to work with the IU's Office for Research Administration or Corporate and Foundation Relations staff to prepare the proposal, and to submit the full application to the sponsor.

Applying for a limited submission opportunity at IU

InfoReady lists IU’s current limited submission opportunities as well as instructions for submitting internal applications. This list of limited submission funding opportunities is by no means exhaustive. If you identify a limited submission opportunity not on the list, please reach out to limsub@iu.edu right away so that we can verify the limitations and post the opportunity on InfoReady

If you find an opportunity you are interested in, but the internal deadline has recently passed, please contact limsub@iu.edu to inquire if the opportunity is still available. Opportunities with “Closed” in the title are not accepting additional applications.

Most internal applications require:

  • 1 page project narrative
  • Current CV or biographical sketch of the principal investigator
  • Applications may request additional information relevant to the solicitaiton or IU research initiatives

Check the exact posting on InfoReady to determine each limited submission’s requirements. Please email limsub@iu.edu if you have any questions.

Review process

IU's research offices use a peer review process to identify the strongest proposals. Internal applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Responsiveness to the solicitation's program objectives
  • Scientific/scholarly strength of the proposal
  • Relevance to Indiana University's research objectives
  • Presentation of project (clear action plan, completeness, clarity of proposal summary of project, list of collaborators, realistic preliminary budget)

To ensure a fair and transparent review process, reviewers may be selected from:

  • ORD members with expertise regarding similar federal, corporate and/or foundation funding opportunities
  • Senior leaders and faculty who are technical experts or who have previously been awarded by the same funder

Helpful Resources

To subscribe to our weekly new limited submission opportunities listserv, email limsub@iu.edu.