Limited Submissions — Office of Research and Innovation

Some grant opportunities limit the number of possible applications comping from a specific department or university. To determine who from UofL may submit, our office manages an internal competition process to ensure the strongest proposal moves forward. You can view current opportunities on our Competitions, powered by InfoReady, platform here.

For general inquiries, or to request a listing of a limited submission opportunity that should be but is not already listed on the Competitions platform, please email our Research Development & Strategic Initiatives service account. To have your name added to our limited submissions opportunities mailing list, please register here.

What are limited submissions?

Frequently federal agencies and foundations offer grants, awards and fellowships that limit the number of applications that can come from one institution. In order to increase the chances of the University of Louisville succeeding in such “limited submission opportunity” applications, the Office of Research and Innovation has established a procedure to review pre-proposals in a timely fashion.

What is the internal competition process?

Limited submissions proposals must first go through a preproposal and internal competition process managed by the Office of Research Development and Strategic Initiatives. The strongest ones will be selected to move forward by a Selection Committee. The process for submitting and selecting proposals for limited submissions consists of:

a deadline for an internal preproposal written as a condensed version of the actual proposal and based on the review criteria noted in the sponsor’s solicitation
a ranking and subsequent meeting or review by a Limited Submission Review Committee to recommend projects moving forward to a sponsor
a notification to the candidate(s) and SPA identifying the candidate(s) recommended to move forward
a final proposal which will be forwarded to the sponsor through SPA

Investigators who identify a grant, award or fellowship program that restricts the number of applications that can be submitted from an Institution should immediately contact their Chairperson, Associate Dean for Research (or Dean, if no ADR) and the Office of Research and Innovation if they intend to prepare a response. Failure to do so, or to meet the deadlines for submission of pre-proposal, may preclude submission of the application through the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (OSPA).

In the event the internal deadline passes and the total number of preproposals submitted is below the sponsor limit, interested PIs will be authorized to proceed with their proposals pending approval of their research dean. However, if the number of preproposals is higher than the sponsor limit, the Office of Research Development and Strategic Initiatives will assemble a Selection Committee made of other faculty at the university with experience submitting similar proposals.

The Committee will review each pre-proposal and then choose the proposal(s) that the Committee believes will have the greatest chance of being funded, and will have the greatest positive impact on the university if it is funded.

Note: Pre-proposals must to be submitted to InfoReady by 5:00 p.m. (ET) of the stated deadline date to be eligible. Please send questions to the Office of Research Development & Strategic Initiatives service account.

What if the opportunity I want to apply to isn't listed?

If you want to submit to a limited submission opportunity that has not already been identified/posted by the Office of Research and Innovation, notify us immediately by emailing the Office of Research Development & Strategic Initiatives service account. Time permitting, the stated process will then be initiated. In rare instances, such as when a sponsor’s deadline is too short to allow for internal review, the office may allow an interested participant to move forward without the full internal review process based on a “first to notify” basis.

How are limited submissions proposals selected to move forward?

Limited submission preproposals are reviewed by a Selection Committee, who is charged with selecting the strongest ones to move forward. The Committee ensures that selected pre-proposals:

Meet all eligibility requirements specified by the funding organization RFP
Are scientifically and technically strong
Promote the greater University research mission

Each pre-proposal is carefully evaluated against the selection criteria provided by the sponsor. Once the decision as to which pre-proposal(s) will go forward has been made, all applicants are notified of the Committee’s decision. Occasionally, the Committee may provide feedback and recommendations.

Deadlines for electronic submission of preproposals will be established as soon as the solicitation for a limited submission program becomes available. The deadlines will be posted on the Office of Research and Innovation website when possible, announced via e-mail to appropriate Deans and Directors for distribution as the college, institute or center sees fit.

Faculty should notify us by emailing the Office of Research Development & Strategic Initiatives service account immediately in the event they intend to submit to a limited submission opportunity that has not already been identified/posted by the Office of Research and Innovation as a limited submission on this page. Time permitting, the stated process will then be initiated. In rare instances, such as when a sponsor’s deadline is too short to allow for internal review, the EVPRI may allow an interested participant to move forward without the full internal review process based on a “first to notify” basis.