Getting Started

Register for Submission Portals

Are you new to submitting proposals at ISU? Then you’ll need to register for the ISU proposal system and other submission portals. Start the registration process at least 15 business days prior to the proposal deadline.

  • Streamlyne - ISU’s electronic routing and submission system which routes proposals for approval to the Office of Sponsored Programs.  Administration (OSPA). Streamlyne is also used for all application submissions to Grants.gov. Send an email to streamlyne@iastate.edu to make the request - your net-id is used to register you. 
  •  NIH eRA Commons - an online interface between NIH and applicant organizations for sharing administrative information relating to research grants. Register through OSPA’s Registration Portal.

OSPA generally responds to registration requests within one business day.

For the following agencies, researchers initiate the registration process and then OSPA completes the process.

The following are identification enrollments required by some organizations:

  • E-Authentication
    • A USDA eAuthentication account provides USDA employees/contractors secure access to multiple USDA applications, websites, programs, and benefits they are authorized to use for work purposes. USDA partners with Login.gov for eAuthentication.
    • Currently, the following USDA systems require users to have an eAuth account:
      • ezFedGrants
      • NRS (NIFA Reporting System)
      • Other systems may require use of eAuth in the future
    • The CARES Team can provide guidance on setting up your eAuth account.
    • Update: USDA is moving authentication to Login.gov. Register here: https://login.gov/. 
  • Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) 
    • Provides a persistent digital identifier that you own and control, and that distinguishes you from every other researcher.
    • Currently, NIH requires ORCID registration for some fellowship applications.
    • Additional organizations may require an ORCID ID.

For the following submission portals, the researcher completes the registration process.

Plan to Submit Proposal with Sufficient Time

 

Proposal routing through the Streamlyne Proposal Development (and submission) system includes the following:

There are three firm deadlines for submission of key proposal components to OSPA. Proposals not meeting the firm deadlines will not move forward unless in exceptional circumstances, approved in advance by the VPR office.

In order to meet these internal deadlines, we ask that you contact your CARES coordinator at least 15 working days prior to the deadline for regular proposals - longer if you have proposals where you are going to be a subcontractor to another institution, if your proposal includes sub awards, cost share or complex budget requirements.

  • 8 working days prior to sponsor deadline:
    • Budget and associated components submitted to OSPA, including approved F&A waivers and cost share documents (if applicable),
      • NOTE: Please work with your CARES coordinator on your budgets in advance of this due date – allow for some extra time for your budget development prior to the routing deadline
    • If you have subcontractors, you only need to have the final amount to be allocated in the budget at this time.
      • Please contact your subcontractors in advance to give them time to complete their institutional approval process
    • Once reviewed and approved by OSPA, changes can’t be made
  • 3 working days prior to sponsor deadline
    • Draft SOW/narrative, all documents from subcontractors, final ISU letters of support, any documents needing institutional or OSPA signatures, completed system to system forms
    • NOTE: Work on attachments such as Project Narrative, Facilities, Equipment, Personnel Documents, etc. can be ongoing during this time
  • Noon, day of sponsor deadline
    • All proposal documents must be finalized and uploaded for any portal submissions.

To reiterate, the earlier you begin working with your CARES Team Coordinator, the more assistance they will be able to provide. Last minutes requests may only receive a minimum of assistance due to lack of available time. We're typically working on several proposals at once.

Contact your CARES Team Coordinator by filling out the CARES PreAward Support Initiation Form. If you don’t yet know all the details, just enter your best guess and we’ll update the information as we move through the proposal process.