Submitting a Proposal

Gifts vs. Sponsored Projects Funding

The Office of the Vice President of Research has established definitions to help differentiate between a “Gift” and a “Sponsored Project”.

Gifts: something of value that is given to the University by a donor who expects nothing of significant value in return, other than recognition of the gift.
Sponsored Project: has a statement of work to be implemented in exchange for something of value, such as data, results, or intellectual property.
Further clarification can be found in this OVPR Policy

In general, Sponsored Projects route through the GoldSheet process in Liquid Office for approval, while Gifts route via a Cardinal Sheet or Gift Form. Your CARES Team Coordinator will assist you in determining the correct submission route for your particular funding request.

GoldSheet

All proposals must be approved by OSPA (Office of Sponsored Programs Administration) before submission to an external sponsor. Your CARES Team Coordinator will route the GoldSheet for you. Please use the CARES PreAward Support Initiation Form to get this process started.

Minimally, your request must include:

Budget – in an OSPA budget form
Budget Justification – in sponsor-required format
Project Abstract/Statement of Work/Proposal Draft
A copy of the Request for Proposals (RFP) (if applicable)

Additional documents could include (but are not limited to):

Sponsor Budget Template
Subrecipient Commitment Form
Transmittal Letter
Federal forms required for submission
Subcontract documents
Other documentation as applicable

As a reminder, make sure you are registered for the agency submission portals needed for your proposal.

Budget:

Regardless of the sponsor budget template, all proposals must include an OSPA Budget form. It is best practice to download a new form each time a proposal is drafted, as these templates are updated regularly. If the sponsor requires their own budget template for the submission, include both the OSPA Budget form and the sponsor budget template with your GoldSheet.

Be sure your budget follows any sponsor guidelines and/or limits as stated in their RFP, including those around indirect costs, and that budgeted items are appropriate and allowable for the work proposed. Your CARES Team Coordinator can assist you with determining allowability of costs.

Budget Justification:

A budget justification should be included in the sponsor-required format. If the sponsor does not require a specific format, your CARES Team Coordinator can provide you with an appropriate template. The budget justification should explain/describe each category included in the proposed budget. This could include (but is not limited to):

Personnel salaries and fringe
Equipment
Tuition for graduate student employees assisting with the project
Materials and supplies
Publication costs
Facility Usage Fees/Per Diems/Equipment Rental costs
Other items as appropriate

Project Abstract/Proposal Draft/Statement of Work:

At the time of GoldSheet routing, a draft of the Project Abstract, Proposal, or Specific Aims page should be included so reviewers know what type of work will be conducted under the grant. While the final version is not required at this time, the draft should be complete enough that reviewers understand what will be done, and whether it is something the university can approve.

When ISU will be a subcontract, a Statement of Work should be provided that outlines the responsibilities of the ISU PI towards the overall project goals.

Request for Proposals (RFP):

Most competitive proposals will be in response to a sponsor’s RFP. This can go by other names, depending on the sponsor, and will outline what the sponsor is looking for in submitted proposals. Specifically, an RFP will discuss critical items related to the proposal submission including:

Budget requirements: total project limits, allowable/unallowable costs, indirect cost limits (if any)
Deadlines for submission
Project Duration
Steps to obtain application materials
What supplemental documents are required
Naming conventions and document formatting requirements

Additional Documents:

There are many situations which may require additional documents be included with a GoldSheet:

Sponsor Budget Template: a sponsor may require that budget information be provided in a specific format. Include both the OSPA budget form and the sponsor-specific form with the GoldSheet.
Subrecipient Commitment Form: when ISU will be a subaward on a proposal, the lead institution may request that ISU complete their subrecipient commitment form.
Transmittal Letter: when ISU will be a subaward on a proposal, it is standard practice to include a transmittal letter, or letter of commitment, that OSPA will sign and return to you upon GoldSheet approval. This serves as institutional agreement to serve on a project.
Federal Forms
Subcontract Documents: when ISU will issue a subcontract to another entity upon award, the subcontract institution should provide supporting documents at the time of proposal including their: budget, budget justification, statement of work, and letter of commitment signed by an authorized representative.
Other Documentation as Applicable: this could include emails related to approval of specialty agreements, cost share documentation, IDC waivers, etc.

Cardinal Sheet

Cardinal Sheets route through the Iowa State University Foundation (ISUF) for approval. Cardinal Sheets are needed:

Prior to submitting a proposal/making an ask to a foundation, corporation, or other nongovernmental source to request a gift or grant of $5,000 or more.
For letters of intent (LOIs), preproposals, letters of inquiry as described below:
- Any preliminary proposal (letter of intent, preproposal, etc.) or application requiring line item or categorized budget requires a Cardinal Sheet.
- Any preliminary proposal (letter of intent, preproposal, etc.) or application requiring institutional approval (provost, vice president for research, president, dean) should be routed with a Cardinal Sheet. Applications requiring institutional approvals and signatures are coordinated by the ISU Foundation..
Gifts and grants not requested through an application process and requested or received directly by a university unit require a Cardinal Sheet in order to process the gift and allow access to the funds.

Your CARES Team Coordinator can route the Cardinal Sheet for you. Please use the CARES PreAward Support Initiation Form to get this process started.

If you are requesting a Cardinal Sheet for a pending or received gift, your request should include the following attachments:

A copy of the gift letter/memo and check
A copy of any compliance protocols and their approval dates (if applicable)

If you plan on routing your own Cardinal Sheet, keep in mind that it must be finished in one sitting, as the form will time out. It cannot be initiated and saved for later like the GoldSheet.

Additional answers to Cardinal Sheet FAQs are found at the ISU Foundation Webpage. Your CARES Team Coordinator can assist you with navigating the process.

In some cases, certain proposals are routed through the Cardinal Sheet process in place of the GoldSheet process. Work with your CARES Team Coordinator to initiate the Cardinal Sheet, and ensure your documents are compliant with sponsor guidelines for these proposals. The ISU Foundation requests the Cardinal Sheet be routed a minimum of 5 business days prior to the sponsor deadline.

Internal Proposals

Certain internal funding opportunities may not require a GoldSheet prior to submission (or at all). Your CARES Team Coordinator can assist you with document review and budget development, even when a GoldSheet is not required. Please use the CARES PreAward Support Initiation Form to get this process started.

Minimally, your request should include:

Budget – in RFP specified template
Proposal Draft
A copy of the RFP or link to the opportunity announcement

Additional documents could include (but are not limited to):

Subrecipient Commitment Form
Letters of commitment from industry partners
Other documentation as applicable: personnel forms (biosketch, current and pending support, summary of prior internal funding)

Budget:

Follow any sponsor guidelines and/or limits as stated in their RFP, and ensure that charges are appropriate and allowable for the work proposed. Your CARES Team Coordinator can assist you with determining allowability of costs.

Proposal Draft:

Follow any sponsor guidelines and/or limitations as stated in their RFP.

RFP:

Similarly, to external sponsors, most internal funding opportunities have an affiliated RFP or funding opportunity announcement, which will discuss critical items related to the internal proposal submission including:

Requirements for a Letter of Intent (LOI) or pre-proposal
Budget requirements: total project limits, allowable/unallowable costs, indirect cost limits (if any)
Deadlines for submission
Link or email address for submission
Supplemental documents (If required)
Naming conventions and document formatting requirements

Additional Documents:

Supplemental documents for internal proposals will be dependent on the office providing the funding and type of work proposed. Carefully review the RFP for any document requirements. Additionally, your CARES Team Coordinator can assist with reviewing the RFP and providing a checklist:

Sponsor Budget Template: the funding office may require that budget information be provided in a specific format
Personnel Forms: these are often requested in a format similar to federal agencies, confirm with the RFP
Subcontract Documents: when ISU will issue a subcontract to another entity upon award, the subcontract should provide supporting documents at the time of proposal including their: budget, budget justification, statement of work, and letter of commitment signed by an authorized representative
Other Documentation as Applicable