UF
College of Education
Office of Educational Research Pre-Award Proposal Support

Proposal Support

The OER Pre-Award office comprehensively supports faculty throughout the grant proposal process—from initial planning to final submission. Pre-Award staff provide expert guidance in identifying relevant funding opportunities, developing competitive budgets, and coordinating proposal components across multiple stakeholders.

The first step in the proposal process is to complete an Intent to Submit Form. This form initiates internal coordination, allows OER to allocate appropriate support resources, and ensures alignment with university and sponsor deadlines. Faculty are encouraged to engage OER’s Pre-Award office early to fully leverage available resources and to facilitate timely, compliant proposal submissions.

Intent to Submit Form

About Proposal Support

The OER Pre-Award office at the University of Florida’s College of Education provides structured, start-to-finish support for faculty seeking external funding. The pre-award process is a collaborative effort that requires proactive engagement from Principal Investigators (PIs), OER Pre-Award staff, and various university offices to ensure timely and compliant proposal submissions.

Principal Investigator (PI) Key Responsibilities

Faculty serving as PIs are responsible for managing several critical steps in the proposal development process, including:

  • Confirming eligibility and identifying appropriate funding opportunities.
  • Securing school director approval before proposal preparation begins.
  • Submitting an Intent to Submit Form at least 10 business days prior to the OER’s internal deadline to initiate proposal support.
  • Utilizing OER Pre-Award’s proposal resources, including boilerplate documents, budget justifications, and templates.
  • Assessing project needs, such as personnel, equipment, travel, and other costs.
  • Following sponsor and university guidelines carefully during proposal preparation.
  • Meeting all internal deadlines and promptly responding to OER communications.
  • Certifying the final proposal in UFIRST after a thorough review for accuracy and completeness.
  • Updating OER on proposal status (awarded, withdrawn, or pending) after submission.

OER Pre-Award Life Cycle Overview

The process involves a sequence of coordinated steps:

 

  1. PI identifies the funding opportunity.
  2. PI secures school director approval.
  3. PI submits the Intent to Submit Form.
  4. OER assigns a Research Administrator (RA) and Research Coordinator (RC) to assist.
  5. PI prepares required documents.
  6. PI certifies the proposal in UFIRST.
  7. Director and Associate Dean provide final approval.
  8. RA submits the proposal to the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP).
  9. DSP submits the proposal to the sponsor.

Critical Deadlines

  • Intent to Submit Form: Must be submitted at least 10 business days before OER Pre-Award’s deadline.
  • Additional Proposal Support Requests: Also required at least 10 business days prior to OER Pre-Award’s deadline.
  • OER Pre-Award Proposal Deadline: Submit-ready proposals must be provided to OER Pre-Award by 9:00 AM at least 3 business days before DSP’s deadline.
  • DSP Deadline: Proposals must be submitted to DSP by 9:00 AM one business day before the sponsor’s deadline.

For large-scale submissions (e.g., IES or NSF), OER Pre-Award may establish earlier deadlines to accommodate volume and ensure timely review.