Proposal Development Services

Partnering with faculty to simplify the proposal process and reduce administrative burden.

How We Support You

Our proposal development team partners with faculty to reduce administrative burden. We support you through every stage of development and submission. We provide assistance with:

  • Finding Funding Opportunities
  • Compliance Review
  • Budget Development
  • Proposal Materials Review
  • Submission Management

Quick Links

The Proposal Submission Timeline

Follow this step-by-step timeline to ensure a smooth, on-time submission:

8-12

Weeks Out

Identify your funding opportunity and notify your grant proposal officer of your intent to apply.

6-8

Weeks Out

Create your project outline and begin building your budget with OSP guidance to ensure institutional rates are applied correctly.

4-6

Weeks Out

Refine your budget justification and project narrative while securing necessary letters of support from partners.

2

Weeks Out

Submit your full proposal and budget draft to OSP for a formal compliance review to address any formatting or eligibility issues.

Final

3–5 Days Out

Submit all final documents to OSP. Our office will compile the final package & complete the authorized submission.

Institutional “Cheat Sheet”

Use these verified identifiers for all grant applications and sponsor forms.

ENTITY INFORMATION DETAIL
Legal Name Weber State University
Address 3850 Dixon Parkway, Dept. 1027, Ogden, UT 84408-1027
UEI (Unique Entity ID) ZAVDUCLBZG77
DUNS Number 73000895
Authorized Official Brooke Lindgren, Director
Indirect Cost (F&A) Rate 35% (Salaries, Wages, and Benefits)

Budget Templates & Information

Use the official OSP budget template to build an accurate and compliant project budget. The template includes required institutional rates and helps ensure all costs are properly calculated and aligned with sponsor guidelines.

Budget Tips

Official Template

Glossary of Proposal Elements

Project Summary or Abstract

This is your one-page “elevator pitch.” It provides a concise overview of your project’s goals, methodology, and expected outcomes. Grant reviewers often use this summary to decide if your proposal fits their program’s specific mission

Project Description or Technical Concept

This is the core "science" or strategy of your proposal. It is where you detail your plan of action, measurable objectives, and evaluation methods. It must strictly follow the sponsor's formatting rules regarding font size, margins, and page limits.

Budget Justification

This narrative explains the “why” behind your budget numbers. Every line item in your spreadsheet — from student wages to travel — must be justified here to show that the costs are necessary, reasonable, and directly support the project’s activities.

Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources

This section describes the infrastructure available to support your work. It proves to the sponsor that Weber State has the necessary laboratory space, specialized equipment, or office resources to successfully carry out the project.

Federal-Specific Requirements (NSF/NIH)

For major federal grants, you may also need a Biographical Sketch (a 3-page CV focused on relevant expertise) and Current & Pending Support (a list of active projects to ensure you have the available "person-months" to complete the new work).

Important Policies & FAQs

Signature Authority & Portals

Per PPM 4-27, individual faculty are not authorized to sign grant agreements. Only OSP can officially bind the university to a proposal or submit a proposal for external funding.

External Portals: If a submission requires an online system (e.g., Research.gov), the Principal Investigator must grant access to the OSP team for final review and submission.

When should I contact OSP about a proposal? + −

As early as possible. Ideally 8–12 weeks before the deadline so we have plenty of time to help with budgets, requirements, and submission planning. We want to help you create the most convincing proposal as possible so that you get funded.

When should I send my proposal draft to OSP? + −

We ask that full proposal drafts be shared at least two weeks before the sponsor deadline so we can complete a compliance review.

Who actually submits the proposal? + −

OSP submits proposals on behalf of Weber State University. Our office handles the final submission through systems like Research.gov, Grants.gov, or sponsor portals.

Can OSP help with my budget? + −

Absolutely! We can help build your proposal budget and make sure things like fringe benefits and indirect costs are calculated correctly.