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Division of Research

Sponsored Projects

Proposal Preparation

Submission of proposals is decentralized. Contact the appropriate pre-award team well before the proposal submission date. The following colleges have their own pre-award team (and their own deadlines): CLASS, Education, Engineering, Medicine, NSM, Optometry, and Pharmacy. All other colleges are served by DOR’s pre-award team.

While college Research Liaison Officers (RLOs) are authorized to submit proposals, the Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Research Administration (David Schultz) is the authorized signatory for the University of Houston. FACULTY MEMBERS, CHAIRPERSONS, AND DEANS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO OBLIGATE THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.

If you require the help of DOR's proposal team, make sure you send an email with the request to  preaward@central.uh.edu at least five business days prior to the deadline. Allow for more time if the proposal is complex (e.g., multiple investigators or multiple institutions).

Transmittal

All proposals should have a completed transmittal prior to submission. The following resources show how a transmittal is created in the PI WorkCenter:

At least two (2) weeks prior to the proposal due date, an online transmittal should be initiated and routed for approvals. Pre-award Research Administrators will assist PIs with the preparation of the transmittal.

Cost Share

If the grant application requires cost sharing, refer to the Cost Sharing page for guidelines and policies.

Compliance

Refer to the Compliance site to learn about Conflict of Interest, Research Security, Effort Reporting, Animal Care and Use Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Institutional Review Board, Radiation Safety Committee, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), and Research Congruency Review.

Environmental Health & Safety has important information about the Chemical Safety Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee, and the Radiation Safety Committee. Consult those pages and additional information on the Environmental Health & Safety website, as appropriate.

Procurement Integrity

While a proposal for funding is pending at a federal agency, federal regulations prohibit university officials and principal investigators from offering future employment, money, gratuities, or other items of value to agency procurement officials or from soliciting proprietary or source selection information from government officials. This regulation applies to all contracts.

Lobbying

A University faculty member or administrator, while paid from federal funds or traveling on federal grant or contract funds, may not lobby for the award of a specific grant or contract. Additionally, if a university faculty or staff member lobbies using non-federal funds for any specific grant or contract, such lobbying activity must be reported on a quarterly basis via the Office of Contracts and Grants to appropriate federal officials. It is not the intent of these regulations to prohibit the normal interchange between a faculty or staff member and a program or contract officer at an agency. However, UH faculty and staff must be aware that certain discussions of a new or renewal award may be interpreted as lobbying.

Grant Portals

Proposal Budgets

Refer to resources that can help you pull together a budget that supports the extent of the project you seek to conduct.

Institutional Data Sheet

The list provides data necessary for completing sponsor forms.

Institutional Letter of Commitment or Support Request

The Vice President for Research (VPR) is provides an Institutional Letter of Commitment or Support when required by the proposal solicitation or when allowed by the sponsor, to enhance the competitiveness of the application. Letters must be carefully prepared when committing the university to any types of support or deliverable. Letters of support should not commit UH for cost share or other monetary contribution unless required by the sponsor in the solicitation. Contact the VPR at least two weeks prior to proposal submission if such a letter is required. If a letter by the University President is required, allow for at least three weeks prior to proposal submission.

PI/CO-PI Eligibility

The policy of the University of Houston is that only full-time faculty members may routinely serve as PIs or Co-PIs on sponsored programs. Learn more about eligibility.