The UMBC DPS Grant Lifecycle

Navigating external funding within the UMBC Division of Professional Studies (DPS) requires coordination between Principal Investigators (PIs), the DPS business team, and UMBC’s Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). The UMBC-DPS Grant Lifecycle provides a roadmap to guide faculty and staff through every phase of the sponsored project process—from initial opportunity discovery through long-term award stewardship. By following this path, project leads can ensure compliance with university policies, meet critical submission timelines, and secure the administrative support needed to build high-impact proposals.

 

Stage 1: Finding Opportunities & Determining Eligibility

Image of a magnifying glass next to a sheet of paper that displays "DPS Pre-Award Planning Form.

  • Opportunity Identification: PIs and others can locate potential external funding opportunities through databases such as Grants.gov, Grant Forward, and Candid, or schedule consultations with the Office of Research Development (ORD) via ord@umbc.edu.
  • Collaborative Opportunity Sharing: Opportunities that do not fit a specific program but may benefit another unit should be logged in the Possible Grant Opportunities sheet.
  • Institutional Eligibility Verification: Because UMBC is not a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, proposals requiring non-profit status cannot be submitted directly (though limited collaborations with the USM Foundation may occur). Eligibility must be formally checked by submitting the DPS Pre-Award Planning Form.
  • Institutional Single-Submission Clearances: For opportunities that limit UMBC to a single institutional submission, PIs must contact the OSP designee (Cameron McAdams) and check the Corporate and Foundation Relations Active Prospects and Clearance List to prevent internal submission conflicts.

 

Stage 2: Proposal Development

Image of a pen on top of a sheet of paper next to an image of the letter K over a stack of circular disks.

  • PI Qualification & Certification: Lead investigators must complete the PI Research Administrative Training & Education (PIRATE) program to obtain certified PI status. Non-standard PIs (e.g., adjuncts,non-tenure track faculty, staff) must submit a PI Eligibility Form. If you are not interested in being a PI but have a sponsored project you want to pursue, contact Trisha to be matched with a potential partner PI.
  • Narrative Creation: PIs are responsible for writing the project narrative, statement of work (SOW), and compliance protocols (e.g., IRB, IACUC).
  • Budget Creation: The DPS Business Team assists PIs with editing and finalizing the budget and detailed budget justification drafted by the PI.  Specialized Budgeting Considerations:
    • Indirect Costs (F&A): Federally negotiated F&A rates must be included in the budget unless the sponsor has an explicit written policy limiting overhead, in which case an F&A Cost Waiver must be approved.
    • Cost Sharing / Matching: Any mandatory cost-share or matching funds require prior institutional approval via the Cost Sharing Statement & Approval Form.
  • Subaward Oversight: If the project includes external subrecipients, the PI must complete proper classification (using the Subrecipient vs. Vendor vs. Consultant Checklist), collect Subrecipient Commitment Forms, and submit Subaward Request Forms to issue subcontracts.
  • System Entry (Kuali): Trisha Wells enters the project details, budget data, and preliminary files into Kuali —UMBC’s official proposal management system.

 

Stage 3: Approval & Submission

Image of three check marks in circles over PI, Chris Steele, and OSP.

  • Internal Routing & Sign-off: The proposal must undergo sequential digital approvals, adhering to strict internal deadlines (see Proposal Timeline & Deadlines):
    1. Trisha Wells submits the proposal in Kuali.
    2. The PI approves the package.
    3. Vice Provost (Chris Steele) approves the package.
    4. OSP conducts final administrative, compliance, and legal reviews.
  • Submission to Funder: Only the Office of Sponsored Programs is authorized to submit proposals on behalf of UMBC. PIs may only submit directly if explicitly instructed in writing by OSP.

 

Stage 4: Post-Award Management

Image of a certificate with NOA written on it, next to a yellow sheet of paper with Reports written on it.

  • Award Acceptance & Setup: Upon receiving a Notice of Award (NOA), the PI must immediately forward all award documents to OSP for formal university review, signature,  and acceptance. OSP must be the signatory, not the PI. The Office of Contract and Grant Accounting (OCGA) creates a PeopleSoft project number for tracking project expenditures.
  • Financial & Operational Management: The PI manages project funds, technical progress, and scope execution within approved budget limits in coordination with the DPS business team.
  • Subaward Oversight: If the project includes a subaward, PI ensures the subawardee sends periodic invoices to OCGA.
  • Reporting Responsibilities: Reporting is a shared duty; PIs prepare technical progress reports, while financial summaries and formal closeout filings are handled in collaboration with OCGA and the DPS Business Team.
  • Extensions & Renewals: Non-competing multi-year continuations require annual progress reports via OCGA. Competing renewals require a full proposal re-submission. Time-only extensions can be requested in advance via the No-Cost Extension Request Form.