Preparing Proposals
Learn how to prepare proposals for submission at UC San Diego.
Institutional Information
- Institutional Codes and Information (often referred to as “Vital Information”) are codes most commonly needed on proposals (incl. Institutional Legal Name, DUNS numbers, taxpayer identification, sponsor identification codes).
- Research Equipment Resources - A list of current research facilities that are accessible to UCSD faculty, fellows, staff, and students.
Kuali Proposal Development System
Proposal Development using UC San Diego’s Kuali Research
Refer to Kuali Research Training Guides for preparing and routing proposals in campus enterprise system. Proposals must be created and processed through Kuali Research in order for the designated Sponsored Research Office to review and submit to the sponsor.
Proposal Submission Timelines
Refer to important Proposal Submission Timelines guidance to ensure your proposal receives institutional review by the SPO and is submitted accurately and by the sponsor deadline.
It is important to follow these guidelines to ensure researchers have the best chance of having their research projects funded by identifying inaccuracies or errors that can be fixed before proposals are submitted for review by funding agencies. By meeting these guidelines, UCSD is ensured to be in compliance with ever critical and changing regulations.
Budgets
- Direct Costs are those costs specifically identifiable that can be charged directly to the contract or grant (incl. Salaries, Fringe Benefits, Tuition Remission, Consultants, Equipment)
- Indirect Costs (IDC), also called Overhead or Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs, are those costs not specifically identifiable for any one project or program, but which are valid expenses of conducting research, instruction, and other sponsored activities at UCSD.
- Cost Sharing represents that portion of the total project costs (direct and/or indirect) of a sponsored agreement borne by the university, rather than by the sponsor.
Compliance
- PI Eligibility: Not all employees of the university are eligible to serve as Principal Investigator on contracts and grants. Find out which employee job titles (appointment titles) are automatically eligible and which titles are not eligible for the PI Exception request process.
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Office: IACUC oversees the university's animal care and use program and is responsible for reviewing all animal use protocols, ensuring compliance with federal regulations, inspecting animal facilities and laboratories, and overseeing training and educational programs.
- Human Research Protections Program (HRPP): HRPP is responsible for review research protocols involving human subjects, human specimens, and related data and evaluate risk and protection against risk for subjects.
- Export Control: Export Control identifies and manages export risks and provides export licenses in support of the research activities of university faculty, staff, and students.
- Conflict of Interest (COI): COI ensures campus compliance with UC policy, State law and federal regulations and provides expertise to avoid conflicts of interest so that the best interest of the public and the University are served.
- Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S): EH&S provides a number of services including resources for managing Controlled Substances and Research Safety for research and laboratories.
- Gifts vs. Grants - Find out how to determine if an award should be considered a gift or a grant.
- Compliance Overview - Links to research compliance offices.
- International/Foreign research collaborations at UC San Diego: Learn about anticipating and working with foreign/international sponsors and collaborators, including federal regulations associated with such collaborations.
Strategic Proposal Guidance
- Research Development: Helps researchers find and pursue funding opportunities, produce compelling proposals, and compete more successfully for research funding.
- Foundation Relations: focused on building strong, long-lasting relationships between UC San Diego investigators and the philanthropic organizations that share your vision for your field of study.
Sponsored Research Activities
- Clinical Research and Trials - Links to information on PI-initiated clinical trials.
- Outgoing Subawards and Subrecipients - Find information and links about outgoing subawards.