Getting Started

There are various funding sources and types of funding for different activities. While Federal departments and agencies are prominent sources of support, alternative sources--such as private and corporate foundations, state governmental agencies and private industry--should not be overlooked. To explore these potential funding sources, you need to begin the process of converting your initial idea into a clear and reasonably detailed project design.

To make your project attractive to a prospective funding source, it is important to demonstrate that you are offering a significant response to a current problem of interest to that source. The goal is to propose a clear, thought-out project with measurable outcomes in a specific area of need.

Evaluate your idea as objectively as possible in terms of its contribution as a response to this problem. The evaluation process may require:

  • reading and citing authoritative sources in the problem area;
  • conversation or correspondence with leading figures in the area;
  • familiarizing yourself with ongoing funded activities in the area;
  • considering the relevance of your idea in light of other approaches.

You should always be open to the possibility of re-focusing the project design as a result of this evaluation.

Keep in mind that most proposals are reviewed by a panel of peer reviewers and the program officer. While they consider the merit of each application they will assess for example:

  • the significance and originality of the proposed research;
  • the adequacy of the methodology;
  • the qualifications and experience of the investigator(s);
  • the suitability of the facilities; and
  • the appropriateness of the budget requested.

Proposal Assistance

Staff members in the Office of Sponsored Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities can help you in a number of ways as you develop a competitive extramural proposal. They are informed about the process of proposal development, agency interests and priorities, and UW-L's institutional procedures for proposal submission. They are also familiar with agency procedures and requirements, and can match your project with the sources that are most likely to fund it.

Obviously, not every proposal is funded the first time. As a matter of fact, the probabilities of successful funding tend to double with re-submissions. Certain agencies expect to see proposals, especially from new investigators, three or four times before they are actually funded. Many successful proposals are funded after multiple submissions. Proposal revisions and re-submissions, therefore, are to be expected. In most cases the results of proposal reviews are either provided automatically by the agency or can be requested by the PI/PD.