Proposal Submission Policy and Procedures
REASON FOR POLICY
The timely submission of proposals ensures sufficient time for
the thoughtful consideration and review of project descriptions and
budgets for compliance with University and sponsor policies,
practices and priorities. Adequate time for review allows the
School and University administrators to identify potential
administrative, financial, or programmatic challenges or
improvements that can determine the success of the proposal or
project.
Faculty principal investigators and researchers across the
University engage sponsors and co-investigators as collaborators
through sponsored programs to invigorate discovery and to
participate in the intellectual communities of their disciplines.
The University is committed to facilitating and enabling this
engagement while providing responsible stewardship of University
commitments and resources.
Only certain University officials within the five submitting
offices have the authority, delegated by the Chief Financial
Officer, to submit proposals on behalf of Lesley. The University
reserves the right to retract any proposal submitted by individuals
who lack this institutional authority.
POLICY STATEMENT
The complete and final proposal, accompanied by the necessary
School-level approvals, as well as any other attachments or
approvals required by the sponsor or the University, must be
received by the submitting office at least five (5) full
business days prior to the sponsor's due date (or, for
electronic submission, due time). The sponsor's due date is defined
as the date and time after which the sponsor will no longer accept
proposals. In cases in which Lesley is a subcontractor, the
sponsor's due date will be determined by the submitting
institution.
School's may impose additional requirements regarding review and
approval by School-specific committees of sponsored program
proposals, including international proposals.
If Lesley internal deadlines are not met and the submitting
office does not have sufficient time for a thorough review, the
proposal will not be submitted. In cases of serious extenuating
circumstances, a request for exception to this policy must be made
by the submitting office to the Provost. Exceptions are not
anticipated.
WHO SHOULD COMPLY
All Lesley faculty and staff who submit sponsored proposals
should comply, by following the routing procedures and utilizing
the Preliminary and Final Grant Approval Forms (below).
RESPONSIBILITIES
Principal Investigators are responsible
for knowing and understanding the five (5) day submission deadline
under this policy. They are responsible for engaging research
administrators in their Schools as early in the process as possible
and for preparing proposal narratives in sufficient detail and
sufficiently in advance to allow adequate review. Principal
investigators are responsible for understanding that proposals
require their collaboration with departmental personnel for the
development of project budgets and administrative elements of
proposals, such as curricula vitae, reports of other
commitments of the investigator, and the documentation of
commitments from co-investigators or collaborators at other
institutions. Principal investigators also are responsible for
knowing the elements of proposals that could necessitate review and
approval by their Dean, the Provost and for consulting with the
Dean's Grants Management Administrator to determine if a proposal
under development will require such review.
Grants Officers from the Office of Grants
and Sponsored Projects and the Office of Advancement, as
applicable, are responsible for knowing and understanding this
policy. Grants Officers are responsible for knowing the elements of
proposals that could necessitate review and approval by the Offices
of the Deans and the Provost and for consulting with the Dean's
Office Grants Management Administrator to determine whether a
proposal under development will require such review. They are
responsible for knowing whether their School requires internal
review separately or in addition to review by the Provost and for
leaving additional time for such a review, if applicable. They are
also responsible for communicating to investigators that these
reviews are required. In cases in which investigators are
unresponsive to deadlines, the departmental staff is responsible
for notifying the Dean's Office Grants Management Administrator of
the problem.
Dean's Office Grants Management
Administrator along with School Deans, or
equivalents, are responsible for ensuring that their members abide
by this policy.
The Submitting Grants Officers are
responsible for developing and communicating this policy regarding
timely submissions to ensure that the research community
understands that continued productive engagement with our sponsors
requires the broad administrative coordination of multiple School
and University offices and oversight committees. The submitting
officers are responsible for presenting to the Office of the
Provost proposals requiring Provost approval at least five
(5) days before the sponsor due date.
Please see Documents and Forms for the following forms: Preliminary Grant
Approval Form Worksheet, Preliminary Grant Approval Form, Final
Grant Approval Form.
PROCEDURES FOR GRANT REQUESTS
I. Initiation of a Grant Proposal
The following guidelines will promote conversations necessary to
determine how the proposed project relates to the teaching,
scholarship, creative activities and/or service goals of Lesley
University and if the project is financially and operationally
feasible.
A. The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for writing
the intellectual content of the proposal and for the administration
of the grant, if awarded.
B. The Grants Officer (GO) assists in the proposal preparation
process by researching funding sources, interpreting guidelines,
providing application attachments, reviewing/editing drafts, and
submitting the final proposal.
C. The Dean's Office Grants Management Administrator (DOGMA)
works in conjunction with the PI and the Grants Officer to prepare
the budget and quantify cost sharing, if any.
II. Preliminary Grant Approval Process
A. The initial stage begins with the Preliminary Grant Approval
Form (PGAF) (see attachment). This form is accompanied by a
worksheet designed to help the PI describe their proposal, the
goals and objectives, and estimate a budget that identifies all
University resources needed for the project, if funded. The PGAF is
initiated by the PI and requires the PI, Dean and Provost's
signatures.
B. When the PGAF is signed by the Provost, the form is returned
to the GO who will notify the PI.
III. Proposal & Budget Development
A. The PI will schedule a meeting with project participants to
review the proposal guidelines, discuss the project and create a
timeline that assigns roles and responsibilities for proposal
deliverables.
B. The PI is responsible for writing the intellectual content of
the proposal. The DOGMA coordinates with the PI to complete the
budget and budget narrative. The GO assists with proposal
narrative, scope of work, timeline, general institutional
information, and assures that deadlines are met.
IV. Proposal Approval & Submission
A. The PI and GO collaborate to complete and begin the routing
of the Proposal Submission
Checklist (PSC). The routing for the PSC is as follows: PI, Dean,
Provost, GO, and Finance for final approval.
B. The GO will submit the proposal to the funder once the PSC
has been fully approved and all materials are finalized.
V. Grant Acceptance & Project Implementation
A. If a proposal is funded, the GO will collaborate with the PI
to complete and begin routing the Grant Acceptance Checklist
(GAC).
B. The DOGMA reviews the award document or contract to identify
any modifications to the budget and prepare any additional contract
documentation.
C. Finance receives the completed GAC from the Grants Officer,
reviews, and executes contract, if needed.
D. The PI and GO collaborate to create a project timeline and
work plan. Once completed, the DOGMA integrates the work plan into
the school's existing administrative systems.
E. The DOGMA completes and submits an Account Request Form to
Finance who will create an account in Colleague.
If a proposal is not funded, the Grants Officer will meet with
the University personnel involved in the project to plan
appropriate inquiry calls to the funder and formalize future
proposal attempts.
VI. Award Management
A. The GO will ensure that project timelines are met and that
all reporting requirements are submitted.
B. Post-award financial management is the direct responsibility
of the PI in collaboration with the DOGMA. Substantive progress
reports are the responsibility of the PI. All communication
relevant to the awarded grant must be approved and/or filed with
the Grants Officer.
C. The DOGMA will prepare and submit expenses, financial
reports, and contract modifications to Finance who will review and
approve.