Proposal Development UnitProposal Development Unit

Created June ‘04 Created June ‘04 Mission:Mission:

To increase research funding To increase research funding through support for faculty through support for faculty producing proposals for producing proposals for graduate fellowships and graduate fellowships and multidisciplinary research.multidisciplinary research.

Proposal Development Unit Services

Proposal Development Unit Services

Criteria:Criteria: Multidisciplinary research >$1MMultidisciplinary research >$1M Graduate fellowships > $500KGraduate fellowships > $500K

Level of support from PDU Level of support from PDU depends on amount of advance depends on amount of advance notice.notice.

Since the last retreat…Since the last retreat…

Hired 2 new proposal developersHired 2 new proposal developers Moved to offices in Venture IIMoved to offices in Venture II Brochure mailed to all facultyBrochure mailed to all faculty Website: Website: ncsu.edu/research/pduncsu.edu/research/pdu Training program in development Training program in development

with URC.with URC. Began Mid-Atlantic Systems Biology Began Mid-Atlantic Systems Biology

InitiativeInitiative

PDU Proposals SubmittedPDU Proposals Submitted

8 preproposals ($161M)8 preproposals ($161M) 7 full proposals ($18.1M)7 full proposals ($18.1M) 5 full proposals ($36.2M) in progress.5 full proposals ($36.2M) in progress. Only one decision so far.Only one decision so far. Awaiting invitations resulting from 7 Awaiting invitations resulting from 7

preproposals/preproposals/ Most announcements expected in Most announcements expected in

Feb/Mar 05.Feb/Mar 05.

Agency RequestsAgency Requests

11 NSF ($70.2)11 NSF ($70.2) 5 NIH ($32.1M)5 NIH ($32.1M) 1 DOED ($5M)1 DOED ($5M) 1 EPA ($5M)1 EPA ($5M) 1 DOD ($3M)1 DOD ($3M) 1 Alfred Mann Foundation ($100M)1 Alfred Mann Foundation ($100M)

Provost’s Office PartnershipProvost’s Office Partnership

Diversity-Related:Diversity-Related:

Completed:Completed:

8 proposals $55.7M8 proposals $55.7M

In progress:In progress:

6 proposals $28.856 proposals $28.85

International Programs:International Programs:

Completed:Completed:

3 proposals $9.2M3 proposals $9.2M

In progress:In progress:

3 proposals $4.15M3 proposals $4.15M

Tough OddsTough Odds

High risk/high reward when seeking High risk/high reward when seeking awards over $3M.awards over $3M.

Programs making awards over $15M Programs making awards over $15M typically make only 1-2 awards typically make only 1-2 awards nationally/year.nationally/year.

Goal:Goal: Awards ofAwards of 10% of dollars 10% of dollars proposed (~$20M)proposed (~$20M)

…And Getting Tougher…And Getting Tougher

Limited Submission Programs Limited Submission Programs

and their increasing demands on and their increasing demands on our research infrastructure our research infrastructure

Limited Submission ProgramsLimited Submission Programs

Between 35 and 40 yearlyBetween 35 and 40 yearly National Science Foundation sponsors National Science Foundation sponsors

about 50% of themabout 50% of them Private foundations sponsor about 45%Private foundations sponsor about 45% National Institutes of Health, ORNL and National Institutes of Health, ORNL and

1 commercial sponsor support the rest1 commercial sponsor support the rest..

Two Portals for Limited Submission Programs Website

Two Portals for Limited Submission Programs Website

PDU: PDU:

www.ncsu.edu/research/pdu/coordinate.htmlwww.ncsu.edu/research/pdu/coordinate.html

Click on Limited Submission ProgramsClick on Limited Submission Programs

SPARCS: SPARCS:

www.ncsu.edu/sparcs/funding/ltd/ltd.htmwww.ncsu.edu/sparcs/funding/ltd/ltd.htm

Increasing Restrictions on Limited Submission Programs

Increasing Restrictions on Limited Submission Programs

Website is one tool in dealing with Website is one tool in dealing with new restrictionsnew restrictions

Most new restrictions coming from Most new restrictions coming from NSFNSF

What new restrictions mean to NC What new restrictions mean to NC State UniversityState University

Website is one tool in dealing with Website is one tool in dealing with new restrictionsnew restrictions

Most new restrictions coming from Most new restrictions coming from NSFNSF

What new restrictions mean to NC What new restrictions mean to NC State UniversityState University

New NSF RestrictionsNew NSF Restrictions

NSF Partnerships for International NSF Partnerships for International Research & EducationResearch & Education

Both lead-partner and non-lead partner Both lead-partner and non-lead partner proposals are limited per institutionproposals are limited per institution

Result: All partners must select that Result: All partners must select that proposal in their internal reviews before it proposal in their internal reviews before it can be submitted to NSFcan be submitted to NSF

NSF Restrictions, continuedNSF Restrictions, continued Nanoscale Science and Engineering Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Education (Informal Science Education Education (Informal Science Education component)component)

One lead OR one non-lead proposal allowed One lead OR one non-lead proposal allowed per institution per institution

Result: Both the lead the non-lead partner Result: Both the lead the non-lead partner must select the same proposal in their must select the same proposal in their internal reviews before it can be submitted to internal reviews before it can be submitted to NSF. (Lead-partner institution with a second NSF. (Lead-partner institution with a second lead-partner proposal to review would have to lead-partner proposal to review would have to prefer a non-lead proposal over its own lead-prefer a non-lead proposal over its own lead-partner proposal.)partner proposal.)

NSF restrictions, third exampleNSF restrictions, third example

Major Research InstrumentationMajor Research Instrumentation Previous limit: 3 lead-partner proposals + 1 Previous limit: 3 lead-partner proposals + 1

consortium proposal = 4consortium proposal = 4 New limit: 3 lead-partner proposalsNew limit: 3 lead-partner proposals Result: One less proposal allowed from NC Result: One less proposal allowed from NC

State State

Other NSF changesOther NSF changes

The end of cost-sharing requirements The end of cost-sharing requirements Result: Risk that Deans, Associate Result: Risk that Deans, Associate

Deans and research personnel may not Deans and research personnel may not be aware that a limited submission be aware that a limited submission proposal is going forward from their proposal is going forward from their collegescolleges

Risk that a “guerilla proposal” may be Risk that a “guerilla proposal” may be submitted to NSF, causing all NC State submitted to NSF, causing all NC State proposals, lead or non-lead, to be rejected proposals, lead or non-lead, to be rejected without reviewwithout review

Potential for causing rejection of a partner Potential for causing rejection of a partner institution’s proposals as wellinstitution’s proposals as well

Impact on NC State UniversityImpact on NC State University

To Keep Moving Up, We Need:To Keep Moving Up, We Need: To read NSF program announcements very To read NSF program announcements very

carefully and analyticallycarefully and analytically To be sure to notify Carol Ashcraft about any To be sure to notify Carol Ashcraft about any

NC State co-PIs on another institution’s NC State co-PIs on another institution’s proposal, lead AND non-leadproposal, lead AND non-lead

To ask questions about limited submission To ask questions about limited submission program requirements and ask for help in program requirements and ask for help in coordinating with partner institutions, lead or coordinating with partner institutions, lead or non-lead. non-lead.

To remind faculty that a multi-inst. proposal must To remind faculty that a multi-inst. proposal must be chosen in each U.S. partner institution’s be chosen in each U.S. partner institution’s internal reviewinternal review

To Help Us, We Have:To Help Us, We Have:

A website listing current limited submission A website listing current limited submission programs, including:programs, including:

A link to internal deadlines, the sponsors’ A link to internal deadlines, the sponsors’ program deadlines, internal specifications and program deadlines, internal specifications and the sponsor’s full program announcementthe sponsor’s full program announcement

A list of all NC State limited submission A list of all NC State limited submission programsprograms

A description of the internal review processA description of the internal review process

Additional helpful resourcesAdditional helpful resources

Highly professional, aware and Highly professional, aware and experienced research staff members experienced research staff members

Open and effective communication to Open and effective communication to and from research staff about limited and from research staff about limited submission programssubmission programs

Deans, Associate Deans and faculty Deans, Associate Deans and faculty dedicated to a rigorous and fair selection dedicated to a rigorous and fair selection processprocess