University Grants Academy

Program Expectations

• UGA participants are expected to develop a complete, submittable proposal during the semester-long program. Participants are expected to submit their external proposals at the next available deadline and within six months of the conclusion of the UGA. Exceptions to the six-month time expectation will be considered on a case-by-case basis; interested individuals should contact ORD at ord@niu.edu to discuss before submitting an application to the program.
• Pre-proposals (aka, white papers, letters of intent) do not satisfy program expectations for proposal submission. Faculty should choose an opportunity that does not rely on approval of a pre-proposal to submit unless they already have secured the approval.
• Each participant's funding opportunity should have a deadline at or after the end of the semester-long spring UGA program.
• Funding sources can be from any federal, state, or local agency or publicly announced funding opportunities from private foundations and corporations.
• Faculty may target single investigator or collaborative grants or individual fellowships for research, scholarship, artistry, or engagement/public service. If targeting a collaborative grant, the UGA participant must be the lead PI and only the UGA participant will receive UGA support.
• Faculty who wish to pursue other types of opportunities should contact ORD at ord@niu.edu to discuss before applying.
• Faculty are expected to participate fully in the program, including:
  • Attending all weekly in-person cohort meetings for the full scheduled time
  • Completing weekly scheduled writing assignments by the deadline set by the facilitator
  • Providing peer review to fellow cohort members' documents

We strongly recommend that faculty applying to the spring UGA discuss the opportunity with their department and college before or as they prepare a UGA proposal. The program requires a significant time commitment, as does writing and submitting a grant proposal generally. In recognition of this time commitment, individuals accepted to the UGA will receive a course release for the spring 2026 semester funded by RIPS. The applicant's department and college must approve their participation and indicate such via NIU's InfoReady system. Up to 16 faculty members may be accepted into the program.

Materials

Materials will be made available to participants and are directly applicable to the interests of the UGA participants in any given session, and may include, but are not limited to:

• Information relating to major funding agencies.
• Information relating to grant submission processes at NIU.
• Articles relating to broader grant getting skills, such as how to structure your grant or speak to a program officer (PO).

Available Funding

Up to 16 participants may be selected for the spring 2026 UGA and are eligible to receive a course release for spring 2026. If a course release is not feasible or is not the best form of support, the applicant and their department/college may negotiate a different type of support with RIPS; however, the support negotiated must provide the faculty member with the time required to fully participate in the program as described elsewhere in this document and to develop a complete grant proposal during the UGA program.

Spring 2026 UGA Grant Application Requirements

The spring 2026 grant application requires several components. Unit head approvals will be requested through the InfoReady platform. Additionally, you should discuss your application plans with your associate dean (or college equivalent) to ensure your readiness for the UGA.

Applications to the spring 2026 UGA program must be submitted via the InfoReady internal competition portal. Applications submitted by other means will not be reviewed.

General Information Required Within the InfoReady Application

• A proposal narrative (maximum three pages).
• A current abbreviated CV or biosketch (four pages max) appropriate for the project you want to apply for.
• List of your previous research or creative grant-funded projects within the last five years as PI, Co-PI, Senior Personnel, or consultant.
• Identification of the targeted source of publicly announced funding and specific request for proposals (RFP) for the funding opportunity, including a link to the live RFP or attachment of a complete copy of the RFP if there is no live link (last year's RFP is sufficient if it reliably repeats annually).
• A preliminary proposal budget estimate.

Proposal Narrative

(Maximum three pages) must contain the following information:

Part 1: Project Concept

• An introduction to the problem or unfilled need targeted by the proposed grant project and why the problem or need is important.
• A brief summary of existing literature, knowledge, or practice in the area of your proposed project/the outlined problem.
• The goal, objectives, and/or specific aims of your project.
• The approach/methodology you propose to meet the goal/aims.
• A discussion of preliminary data or prior works that show the approach, scope, and methodology proposed is feasible and/or that you have the required capability to conduct the project.

Part 2: Justification for Participation in the UGA

Include a description of how you envision the mentoring and support from the UGA program will enhance your ability to complete a competitive extramurally funded proposal and how it will improve your research or creative activity trajectory throughout your career. If you are applying for a public programming, community engagement, or curriculum development grant, please indicate how your proposed project will benefit NIU.

Part 3: Funding Opportunity Alignment

Provide an analysis and explanation of the fit of your project goals with the identified RFP and how your prior research, scholarship, artistry, or engagement will contribute to a competitive proposal submission.

Application Evaluation

Applications will be routed to the department and college for approval to participate prior to review. Application reviews will take place by a committee. Following notice of award, recipients will be given one week to confirm participation in the UGA.

The members of the review committee will be asked to answer the following questions about each proposal they review:

• Project significance and impact:
  • What is the project's significance, impact, or innovation?
  • What are the broader implications of the proposed work?
  • Are the research or creative ideas, approach, and methodology well developed?
• Applicant readiness and program fit:
  • Is the faculty member a good fit for the UGA program, with indicators showing that the applicant will be able to complete a competitive proposal by the end of the program?
  • Does the candidate have sufficient preliminary data/work?
  • Does the faculty member have a strong record of research, scholarship, or creative artistry products and project completion?
  • How well does the faculty's description of the mentoring and support they need to complete a competitive proposal match what the UGA program offers? Is it clear that the UGA program will significantly enhance the faculty member's career trajectory?
  • Is the proposed work a good fit with the identified external RFP?
  • If the faculty member is applying to resubmit a proposal that was denied funding, is the revision of significant scope for the UGA?

Process Timeline

• Application deadline: April 30, 2025, 4:30 p.m. Late proposals will not be accepted.
• Review period: May 1-16, 2025
• Notification Period: May 16-20, 2025
• UGA program period: Spring 2026
• Fall preparation meetings: September through November 2025
• Proposals and all supporting documents must be completed by May 23, 2026 (Proposals can be submitted after program completion, depending on the funding agency).

Dates are subject to change.