Research Development Services (RDS) offers a structured and supportive process for preparing proposals to be submitted to external funding sources. These centralized services are available to all campuses, and are intended to augment, not replace, any internal resources that may exist within a unit/department. If your unit does not have internal proposal preparation support, or you are unsure, please reach out to RDS and we can help connect you to the assistance you need.
Develop your best proposal
Collaborate with us to help plan, prepare, and manage applications for external funding.
Review of research priorities and pathways to achieve them
Large-Scale proposal team building and planning
Support for planning and preparation of large-scale, collaborative, multidisciplinary proposals
Strategic Proposal Support
Funding opportunity searches and consultations including corporate and foundation
Formulation of funding strategy – federal, corporate, and private foundation opportunities
Writing support
Proposal component reviews
Budget and budget justification preparation support
Scientific reviews
Project management
Administrative Review and Proposal Submission
Review and interpretation of sponsor guidelines
Initiation and routing of KC proposal development for ORA review and approval
Completing administrative forms and uploading applicable proposal components into sponsor systems
Post-proposal assistance
Timing is Everything
Please complete the RDS request form as early as possible, at least one month before the sponsor deadline to help us maximize our ability to support your proposal.
Proposals requiring narrative reviews, collaboration coordination, subawards, or complex project management will need additional lead time. Reach out early to maximize the resources available—even if you are planning two years from now!
Not sure what you need?
No problem. Fill out the RDS request form with what you do know. RDS will review and connect with you to identify relevant resources.
Begin internal routing 2 weeks before sponsor deadline
5. Submit Proposal
On or before sponsor deadline
6. Post-Proposal Assistance
After proposal submission, prior to receiving funds
Proposal Quick Guide
Regardless of where you are in the process, reach out to Research Development Services to access resources and expertise to help advance your research.
Start by asking some questions:
How long will your project take?
Will you need a team?
What materials or resources will you need to make it happen?
Do you have a time frame in mind?
Indiana University faculty or staff who serve as a principal investigator (PI) assume responsibility for providing thought leadership for the research project or creative activity.
PIs at IU accept full responsibility for:
maintaining fiscal oversight;
determining the scope and overall direction of the project, including deliverables; and
ensuring compliance with relevant laws, federal regulations, university policies and sponsor guidelines for the award.
This PI responsibility applies to any research grant, cooperative agreement, training or service initiative, clinical studies, and sponsored projects of any kind. Please note that, at IU, PI’s do not have authority to execute contracts or agreements of any kind of behalf of the university.
Knowing compliance prerequisites and training requirements that apply to the relevant area of research is expected of the PI. Compliance prerequisites ensure that each study meets the highest ethical standards and best practices in research. Training ensures that the PI and team understand the necessary procedures for each specific research project.
Anyone listed on a research protocol must complete all required training before the study begins. Review the training requirements for each compliance area to find out what is required for each study.
Remember: research is not a one-way conversation, but a sharing of ideas. When you keep up with the discoveries, inventions, and creative endeavors of your colleagues, you will be more inspired and informed in your own work.
Subscribe to any of these research newsletters for the latest research and creative activities happening at IU.
Also remember: you can't lead the way without knowing where you’re going. Research announcements will keep you up to date with the latest changes in research policies, procedures, and opportunities.
If you are participating in a clinical trial, be sure to also review the university's clinical trial policy.
To pursue your research or creative idea, you will need money, and possibly collaborators. Below are a few ways you can find funding and start building your team.
IU sends out several funding-related announcements that are useful when looking for funding. Subscribe to these updates and never miss a funding opportunity.
Attend training
You can attend training in person or online to better understand the process, deadlines, and types of funding. Funding seminars and workshops are available for IU faculty throughout the year. Or, you can find online training for using the Pivot database and other web-based systems.
Once you have identified a funding opportunity for your project, it’s time to prepare your proposal and necessary documents.
Application requirements may vary by funding source. You may need to:
Explore the Research Facilities Database: a searchable campus database to leverage and share the strengths of research equipment across the university community
The proposal routing and submission process depends on whether you are applying for internal funding or external funding.
If the funding is internal...
For the majority of IU’s internal funding programs, you will do everything online through InfoReady, a web-based portal that streamlines the process of applying for internal funding opportunities at IU. Through InfoReady, you can:
Upload and submit your proposal
Allow department chairs and school or college deans to upload letters of support for your proposal
All proposals for external funding must be reviewed at appropriate administrative levels prior to submission. You can route your proposal electronically through Kuali Coeus Grants. If you or someone within your unit does not have experience routing a proposal electronically, please fill out the Proposal Development Services (PDS) Request Form and a Pre-Award Specialist will be assigned to assist you.
If your research includes compliance review requirements such as human subjects research, research with animals, biological materials, radiation, or export control, please visit the Compliance home page for further information.
After you've been awarded a funding opportunity, and all agreements have been accepted, a staff member from the Office of Research Administration will establish an account in the Kuali Coeus grants system and the Kuali Financial System.
Award management
You and your departmental administrators are responsible for managing costs associated with the project in a timely manner. You can access your award and account on Grants Management Toolkit (GMT), a reporting tool that allows you to view the status of your awards and contracts, including your budget, how much you've spent of it, and how much is left.
It can take a while to negotiate and finalize the details of your award. If you need the funds sooner than your award start date, you can request an advanced account. An advanced account allows you to charge expenses to your pending award, so that you don’t have to move the expenses later. An advanced account works just like a normal grant account.
Familiarize yourself with IU's award management policies and guidelines:
The Office of Research Administration will guide you through the account closeout process. About 90 days before your account expires, you will receive a notice that the final reporting process should begin. After you do a final review, detailing how you spent the funds in your account and any residual balances, the Office of Research Administration will prepare a final report and submit it to the funding agency. When all account activity has been resolved, the account will be closed.
Summarize your study
When you close out your account, the Office of Research Administration may ask you to provide information related to patents or inventions created during the course of your award, along with other necessary information about your study.
Find award-related training
Your research relies on careful managing of your budget and expenditures. IU offers seminars and workshops for managing your awards. You can also get online training for award management systems.
Before publishing, licensing, or commercializing your idea, read the university’s intellectual property policy to understand how your work will be credited, patented, and copyrighted.
Commercialize your research
Commercialization brings your research to the attention of companies and investors with the resources to bring it to market. If you are interested in licensing or commercializing your research, start by contacting a technology manager.
Start a company
You may choose to work with IU commercialization experts to start a company based on your new idea or invention. IU has helped launch a number of successful startups, and our innovation and technology managers will work with you to make the best decision for your discovery.
Please note:
All projects will be reviewed from all disciplines with prioritizing service provision when necessary to projects that:
View all events for additional offerings throughout the year.
Don’t see what you need? Send an email to pdshelp@iu.edu.
Requirements for ALL IU Faculty Proposals
To ensure compliance with university and sponsor requirements, proposals must be routed for internal approvals using a KC Proposal Development document.
Need help initiating routing in the KC system? Fill out the RDS request form now!
Routing Steps Quick View:
Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI Approvals: The PI and any Co-PIs must electronically approve the proposal in the KC system.
Department and Unit/Responsibility Center Approvals: All associated departments and unit/responsibility center leadership must approve the proposal in the KC system.
ORA Review: Once approvals are completed, the proposal is assigned to an ORA Grant Consultant who will review to ensure all required documents are complete, provide comments, and approve the proposal for submission.
It is a requirement that ALL proposals from IU faculty to any external funding source be reviewed, approved and then submitted by ORA.
If you have questions contact pdshelp@iu.edu.
Looking for Research Collaborators?
Get help identifying collaborators to build customized, multidisciplinary research teams to pursue external funding by engaging:
