The Steps for Submitting an Application for External Funding
This internal review process applies in ALL cases where a UMW employee (faculty member, staff member, or administrator) or student seeks to make any application to receive funding for any project from any external source – a government grant, foundation grant, contract, agreement to provide a workshop or course to an external group, etc. These procedures should be followed in all cases, including instances where UMW persons are involved as collaborators on a proposal being submitted by another institution.
FIRST, the person intending to seek external funding should obtain permission from her/his immediate supervisor (e.g. department chair). The immediate supervisor must be notified before proceeding to step 2.
SECOND, faculty members make initial contact with the Associate Dean in their College to indicate the intention to submit a proposal to an external funding source. Staff members should make initial contact Julie Smith, Associate Vice President for Finance. This initial contact will enable the relevant offices to be aware of the potential project and to indicate any adjustments that are needed BEFORE details are firmed up and either submitted in an application to the external funding source or offered as an agreement to an outside funding group. Proposers must make this initial contact as soon as feasible and before the “deadline dates” indicated below
THIRD, obtain the necessary approval to submit the application. ALL APPLICATIONS FOR EXTERNAL FUNDING MUST BE PRE-APPROVED BY UMW OFFICIALS BEFORE THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED.
- In order to be cleared to submit the proposal, you must complete the External Funding Cover Sheet and Checklist (and submit it with the required attachments: (1) project narrative and (2) the budget outline. The External Funding Cover Sheet and Checklist were revised in February 2025. Please be sure to use the current form.
- Faculty Proposals — Send all materials to your Department Chair (CAS only) and Associate Dean; Staff Proposals, send to the direct supervisor.
- Submit these materials at least one week before the online submission deadline (if the grant is to be submitted electronically), or two weeks before a “received by” deadline (if the application is to be mailed). Be sure that both the principal investigator and supervisor/department chair have signed the External Cover Sheet and Checklist before you submit it.
- When the proposal is under review, you will be notified of any changes recommended or required before it is submitted. Once the proposal receives all required approvals, it will be cleared for submission. In most cases, with the exception of those grants that must be submitted by the Authorized Organizational Representation (AOR), the principal investigator/project director is responsible for submitting the proposal. In the case of federal grants that must be submitted via Research.gov (NSF grants), eGMS (NEH grants) or other federal grants (via Grants.gov), Julie Smith (the UMW AOR) will submit them.
FOURTH, stay in touch while the proposal is under review.If the proposal is funded, or if you receive other written notification from the funding source, please send a copy of the award notification to the following: immediate supervisor, College Associate Dean (faculty grants), and Anthony Dahm, Director of Accounting (all grants). If the project is rejected, contact the same persons so that the application file may be closed.
FIFTH, understand the fund management and reporting responsibilities (should the project be funded). After receiving an award (or contract or other funding assurance), the project director will be contacted by the Director of Accounting regarding specific procedures required to set up the accounting procedures required to administer and support the award or contract or agreement.
The project director is responsible for completing all substantive project reporting that the funding organization/group may require. For financial reporting, the project director is expected to work closely with Tony Dahm (UMW Accounting) to ensure that all required financial reports are submitted accurately and in a timely fashion.
Contact the Provost with questions about any of these procedures.