Our Research Development service within the Pre-Award team helps faculty and researchers pursue complex, large-scale, and high-priority funding opportunities of *$4M+. We can provide strategic guidance, project management, resources, and expert feedback throughout the application process.
Researchers interested in this level of support are encouraged to Submit a Request at least 2 months in advance.
*Our team may support proposals of less than $4M depending on team bandwidth and proposal strategy.
- Drafting and editing non-scientific, non-technical, and administrative proposal components
- Guidance on proposal strategy, including non-financial agreements and letters of collaboration
- Coordinating peer reviews of proposals
- Support with budget development and justifications
- Assistance obtaining subaward and consultant documents (e.g., Letters of Commitment, SOWs)
- Access to graphic design support for proposal figures
- Guidance on project management and document-sharing tools
Looking for something else?
Our Pre-Award team partners with you to develop and submit competitive, compliant proposals for external funding.
Once an award is issued, projects transition seamlessly to our Post-Award team for financial setup and ongoing management.
Resources for Proposal Development
Repository of funded proposals from both Climate School PIs and external sources.
Save time on proposals with ready-to-use plans, templates, and boilerplate language for the non-technical components of your application.
(More coming soon!)
Links to resources to help you think about and prepare your Broader Impacts statement.
Links to Columbia-wide resources to help Climate School researchers and administrators navigate the research environment.
A central location for many of the tech development initiatives, entrepreneurial activities, external industry collaborations, and more across the university.
Explore NORDP's research development resources, including team science toolkits, collaborative funding mechanisms, and sample presentations on finding funding.
Have a question? We are here to help!
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ADVICE & GUIDANCE
Drawing from our experience with over dozens of center grant proposals, we have gained valuable insights. The three most crucial lessons are detailed below.
**Last Updated: December 2024. For more current guidance, please contact the Climate School's Office of Research.
Broader Impacts are a fundamental part of the mission of most funding agencies and seek to demonstrate how the proposed research will benefit society beyond the research community. Making broader impacts a priority is essential to demonstrate the relevance and importance of your research, to satisfy funding agency requirements, to increase the impact and visibility of your research, and to foster collaborations that can lead to innovative solutions to real-world problems.
A red team review is a peer review process where external experts evaluate a proposal. Proposal writers should do a red team review to identify weaknesses, improve the quality of the proposal, increase competitiveness, and gain perspective. The review can help identify unclear or incomplete sections, lack of alignment with the funding agency's priorities, and missing information. Overall, a red team review can increase the likelihood of success in securing funding.
The RFP outlines the specific requirements and guidelines for proposal submission. Following the RFP ensures that the proposal meets the expectations of the funding agency, addresses the priorities and goals of the funding opportunity, and increases competitiveness.