Industry Proposal Preparation & Submission

While you may have written plenty of grant proposals before, proposals for industry are very different. In general, they may require fewer technical details and more emphasis on outcomes. 

If the sponsor has published application guidelines, it’s imperative to read and follow them fully, each and every time, in the event of change. Sponsor application guidelines may also contain contractual terms and conditions if awarded, providing the opportunity to plan ahead to address non-standard or restrictive requirements which may require advance review and approval. 

The Office of Research Development and Strategic Initiatives also can help you navigate these guidelines and determine the proper format and content for your proposal. General proposal development and submission guidance is available here.

Regardless of the funding source, proposals should be prepared in accordance with all sponsor guidelines/expectations (including careful adherence to the federal program announcement/solicitation and instructions for subcontractors, if applicable) and with University Policies and Procedures.

Submitting Your Proposal

In general, funding proposals for non-clinical industry-sponsored projects are prepared and submitted to the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (OSPA) for internal review in very much the same way as proposals to government and non-profit agencies. General proposal development and submission guidance is available here. 

As with any other proposal, industry-sponsored projects must be submitted using the university's iRIS platform. Guidance on submitting using iRIS is available here.

The office also handles proposals for the university to participate as a subawardee to companies (e.g., defense contractors, small business applicants to SBIR/STTR) who are applying to a government agency. OSPA staff are knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations related to sponsored projects, potential compliance issues, and terms and conditions applicable to the award whether it is a grant or contract.

Quite often, university and industry investigators have already discussed and agreed on a project of mutual interest prior to proposal development. In such cases, the proposal should be submitted to OSPA with a request to initiate negotiation of an appropriate funding agreement.