Forms

OU Email - Enter your OU Email address.  Banner available data will self-populate.  If results are not current and require a change, you should contact your unit administrator for personnel matters to initiate the correction.  You must have an OU Email address to electronically use this form for a proposal submission.   Contact a Grant Officer if you need to submit a paper form.

OU Position Title – Enter your Oakland University official job title, i.e., Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor.

Grizzly ID – Enter your OU Grizzly ID.

Administrative contact for questions regarding this application – Enter the name of a person who can answer questions on the administrative details of this proposal, including budget line items, personnel named, equipment, status of regulatory approvals, research space/location, etc.

Contact Email – Provide the email address of your administrative contact for this proposal.

Sponsoring Agency/Organization – Enter the name of the sponsoring organization.  Use the organizational level that will review your proposal submission, i.e., NIH National Eye Institute, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.  Do not use overall agency titles, i.e., DHHS.

Solicitation reference or website – Provide a reference for the proposal solicitation, i.e., ED-GRANTS-072108-003, PA-08-174.  If a website has been provided by the sponsor list the location where details are provided on the proposal requirements.

Project Title - Enter the title of the proposal.  If using an SF-424 application for submission through Grants.gov, enter the same title as used in Box #11, “Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project”.

Project Period Start Date - Enter the anticipated start date of the project. 

Project Period End Date - Enter the anticipated end date of the non-competitive project cycle.  If a competing renewal application is required, do not include the period that is subject to renewal.

Type of Application/Proposal/Agreement/Activity:  Choose a funding source from one of the below types.  Multiple funding sources for a single project should complete a separate budget page for each type.  You should indicate multiple funding sources in the comments section of the application approvals.  If awarded, a separate account will be established for each funding source.

Funding Sources:

Federal – Choose this option for funds that are federal sourced, regardless of whether funds are directly received from a federal sponsor.  Any portion of federal funding is considered federal sourced.

State/Local – Choose this option for funds that are State of Michigan and its local governments, including any funding received from local school districts.

Industry – Choose this option for funds that are sourced from private or publicly traded for-profit businesses.

Non-Profit – Choose this option for associations, foundations, community organizations (non-governmental) and other types of organizations that are organized for other than for-profit purposes.

International – Choose this option if the funding source is a non-U.S. entity of any organization type, including governmental.

Proposal Type:

New – Choose this option for an initial proposal to a sponsoring agency.

Renewal – Choose this option for any type of renewal application, whether competing or non-competing.

Revision – Choose this option for a proposal that has already been submitted as new, but has undergone substantial revisions.  Use the comments section of the application approvals to summarize need for revision and changes made for the internal reviewer.  You may alternatively refer to the cover letter for the revision application.

Supplement – Choose this option for a proposal that has already been submitted as new, but requests additional funding or scope of work under the originally approved application.

Agreement Type:

Grant – Choose this option for an assistance agreement that accepts best effort as proposed.  Most federally sponsored and non-profit source funds are grant agreements.  A sub-awarded grant from other institution should be classified as a contract agreement type.

Contract – Choose this option for an agreement that outlines terms and conditions for performance.  A prescribed scope of work requiring deliverable reports or other items, containing any provision for indemnification, intellectual property, warranty, confidentiality, or other potential obligations to perform is a contract.  Contracts require review of OU Legal Affairs prior to acceptance.  Allow adequate time for review of a proposal containing a condition of acceptance of terms in the event of an award.

Activity Type:

Research – Choose this option for externally funded activities specifically organized to create new knowledge or to apply existing knowledge with expected outcomes, even if the expected outcome is to test specific knowledge within the field.  The activity includes basic, applied, research & development and any activity applying scientific methodology to add knowledge or to solve a defined problem.

Instruction – Choose this option for externally funded educational activity that is designed to achieve pre-identified goals. Examples include summer institutes, professional or technical services, development and introduction of new or expanded courses and similar instruction-oriented activities that are intended to predominantly benefit student(s) whether for credit or non-credit.

Public Service – Choose this option for externally funded activities established primarily to provide non-instructional services to individuals and groups external to Oakland University. Among these activities are programs typically designated as community service.  Non-credit instruction, professional certification programs for non-Oakland University students, non-research related conferences or professional advisory services and/or activities established primarily to provide services beneficial to individuals and groups external to OU.

Fellowship – Choose this option for activity carried out in support of vocational service programs for students, scholarships, fellowships, and research training including support for dissertations and other scholarly endeavors under the direction of a mentor. 

Other Sponsored Activity – Choose this option for activity not defined by other types, i.e., facilities/construction, planning or travel grants, etc.

Project Summary – Describe the project/program in a few sentences including information on the need for the research or program, the issue that is being investigated or solution implemented and the anticipated enhancement of the state of current knowledge.  The information provided here is used to populate funding search databases and in research reporting within OU, its constituents and the public.

Summary information on the budget must be provided in this area.  For proposals that do not require a detailed budget, an attachment is not required.  If the proposal requires a budget in a prescribed format or contains any item that is restricted for direct costing, i.e., general office supplies, computers, administrative support as a direct charge, a budget justification must be provided. 

You may contact a Grant Officer for assistance with developing a detailed budget or a person in your department familiar with university financial processes, i.e., budget manager, grant administrator, assistant dean.  Key budgetary information and templates are provided on the OU Research Preaward website.

Name – Provide the first and last name of key personnel.

Project Role – Provide a title based on the sponsor’s understanding of the job duties for the person named.

Academic Effort – Use a person months equivalent for the time commitment during the academic term(s).  Faculty are committed to work an eight person-month (8) period of service during the full academic year.  A full person month’s of effort would equate to 1 month divided by 12 months or 8.33% FTE=1 person month; 2 person-months equates to 16.67% FTE; 8 person-months equates to 66.67% FTE for an academic year appointed employee. 

Only use this space to report academic time.  Calendar year appointed employees should not use this area to report a time commitment.

Time that is committed must agree to budget amounts provided, unless cost sharing is committed.  Cost sharing commitments require a funding source prior to final approval of a proposal submission.

Summer Effort - Use a person months equivalent for the time commitment during the summer term.  Faculty are committed to work an eight person-month (8) period of service during the academic year and may work up to four person (4) months in the summer term.  A full month of time would equate to 1 month divided by 12 months or 8.33% FTE=1 person month; 2 person months equates to 16.67% FTE—4 person months equates to 33.33% FTE.  Summer term pay is based on service performed during the summer.  Summer term pay also includes all other activity, teaching and other university commitments.  All compensation sources from OU during the summer are limited to 45% of academic base salary or an equivalent of 4 months, given a week less on average for a summer term calendar.

Only use this space to report summer commitments.  Calendar year appointed employees should not use this area to report a time commitment as no additional pay may be earned during the summer term.

Time that is committed must not exceed the base salary for a comparable period during the academic year.  Salary proposed at less than the comparable amount is considered voluntary uncommitted cost share, only if performed during the summer term.  Voluntary uncommitted cost sharing does not require a funding source.

Calendar Effort - Use a person-months equivalent for the time commitment during the calendar year.   A full month of time would equate to 1 month divided by 12 months or 8.33% FTE=1 person-month; 2 person-months equates to 16.67% FTE—12 person-months equates to 100% FTE for a calendar year appointed employee.

Only use this space to report calendar year appointment commitments. 

Time that is committed must agree to budget amounts provided, unless cost sharing is committed.  Cost sharing commitments require a funding source prior to final approval of a proposal submission.

Total Direct – All proposed costs exclusive only of indirect costs.  Direct costs include personnel costs (salary/wage, fringe), supplies, equipment, travel, and other costs.

Total Indirect – Indirect costs are assessed on components of direct costs, typically using a base of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) or other base depending on sponsor requirements for the calculation of indirect costs.  MTDC base excludes equipment/capital expense, tuition remission, rent/facilities, patient care and subawards in excess of $25,000 for each contract.   Indirect costs may also be a fixed amount or use other bases for application, i.e., salaries and wages only, total direct costs, stipends only.

The research on-campus rate for MTDC is currently 48%.  The research MTDC off-campus rate is 26% and covers activity that is less than 50% conducted at OU.  Use of an off-campus rate must be reasonable according to the scope of work and may require supporting documentation for validation.

Cost Share – The portion of funding that is not planned to be recovered under a sponsored agreement.

Indirect Waiver – It is the policy of Oakland University to recoup the full costs of sponsor funded activity, including the cost of facilities and administration (indirect or F&A).  A proposal not requesting full costs at the applicable rate for the activity requires the prior approval of the Vice Provost for Research.  Documentation of approval should be uploaded as an attachment to the online form.

ORA Research Support – Funding for cost share committed by the Vice Provost for Research must be prior approved.  Documentation of approval should be uploaded as an attachment to the online form.  Graduate research assistantship tuition requests require an application after an award has been accepted.  Only mandatory cost sharing requirements will be considered prior to an award.  Mandatory cost share is a cost that is formally required to be funded by the applicant in the sponsor’s request for proposal and is part of the sponsor’s review criteria.

Approved by – A person’s name should be input in this area.  The person indicated must also be in the approval process for the online form and have the authority to commit the funding (authorized signatory).  If the person indicated has not approved the cost share commitment, the form will be forwarded for their approval.  For timely processing, you should obtain the approval prior to your submission to the ORA Office.

A response to each question in this section is required.  If the response is appropriately, “not applicable”, choose “no”.

A location must be input for the activity.  If a specific room or building is not known, use the office location of the principal investigator/project director.  Off-site activity should be indicated as “off-campus” with a brief description.

Conflict of Interest – the certification of this application requires that the principal investigator/project director asserts that Conflict of Interest Policy #406 has been read and understood within the context of this project.  The application assertion requires reporting of any financial interest, however, a conflict of interest is required to be reviewed by an institutional official if during the performance period of this project, a financial interest of $5,000 or more within 12 months preceding or an existing equity interest, arises for the investigator/project director, a family member or any personnel involved in the design, conduct, or reporting of the project.  Prior to release of any awarded funding, a disclosure to the Oakland University Research Administration Director of any conflict of interest is required and a management plan may be necessary.  Additional information regarding conflict of interest is provided on the research website.  If there are any questions regarding a potential conflict of interest or general information is requested, contact the Research Administration Director for information.

Principal Investigator – The principal investigator initiates the approval process and is responsible to compose a complete application, disclosing all known information relative to the proposed research, compliance and financial information provided.  The certification should be thoroughly read and understood prior to its acceptance by the principal investigator/project director. 

Budget Approver – Responsible to review the budget for reasonableness, accuracy and completeness prior to submitting for approval of the Chair.  The principal investigator/project director has primary responsibility for the budgetary estimates provided.

Department Chair – Responsible to review the research for scientific content and compliance considerations prior to submitting for approval of the Dean or Director.

Dean/Director – Responsible to approve the resource commitments and relevant compliance considerations prior to submitting for institutional authorization.

Grant Officer – Responsible to ensure that all other relevant institutional approvals have been obtained and the application is compliant with sponsor requirements for submittal.  ORA is responsible to submit a complete and compliant application to the sponsor.

Vice Provost for Research – In the case of a proposal that represents a contractual offer, the approval of the Vice Provost for Research is required.