Frequently Asked Questions

This section provides answers to frequently asked questions about research advancement.

What is the difference between Research Advancement and the Office of Sponsored Programs?

Research Advancement and the Office of Sponsored Programs are both units in the Division of Research and Innovation. Research Advancement supports the strategic and proactive growth of research on campus by providing targeted research and proposal development support. Research Advancement also manages research data for the University. The Office of Sponsored Programs assists investigators with the process of submitting proposals and managing awards. OSP provides guidance to faculty and students in preparing proposals and expending awards in accordance with the regulations of federal and state governments and other funding agencies. OSP also provides general information regarding sponsored program activity at the University of Arkansas.

Research Advancement (RA) consists of

  • Electronic Research Administration (ERA): Electronic provides support for all electronic research administration systems on campus, including Streamlyne, InfoReady, GrantForward, and PowerBI.
  • Research Development (RD): works with investigators in all disciplines to prepare and submit large and complex proposals. RD can also help investigators plan their research goals, search for funding opportunities, identify collaborators on campus, and suggest external services for project evaluators and proposal editing.
  • Industry Research Partnerships (IRP): provides support to investigators working on proposals that involve industry partners, such as industry-sponsored projects or jointly funded federal projects (e.g., SBIR/STTR, GOALI, IUCRC, PFI, I-Corps, etc.). IRP can also identify and facilitate necessary contracts and agreements managed across various campus units andprovide project management support to PIs throughout the entire life cycle of their industry-sponsored projects to enhance contractual compliance.

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) consists of:

  • Pre-Award: coordinates, manages, and approves the submission of proposals to external funders; reviews all proposal documents, including budgets and budget justifications, to ensure compliance and appropriate allocation of funds; works with investigators on all pre-award requests, such as JIT requests.
  • Award Setup: sets up sponsored research awards in Streamlyne and Workday; creates amendments, continuations, carry forwards, supplements to existing awards; creates grant worktags and assigns appropriate F&A rates and senior personnel and administrators in Workday; requests new information such as F&A rates, sponsors, and subrecipients to be added to Workday as needed.
  • Post-Award: maintains, analyzes, interprets, and manages financial accounting data for sponsored research awards. This includes the preparation and posting of journals, ledgers, and accounts; analysis of financial data, financial statements, and expenditure reports; and presentation of financial data.

I have an idea for a research project but need subject matter expertise outside of my usual area of focus. Can you help me build a research team?

The Research Development team can help identify proposal team members both within and outside of the University. We are happy to help you build your research team! Contact us today to discuss your ideas.

How does Research Development define a “large” and “complex” proposal?

We define “large” using one of two thresholds based on your reporting unit:

  • $1.5M budgets for Engineering and some Arts and Sciences units (AEAB, BISC, CHBC, GEOS, PHYS, SCSW, and SOCI)
  • $150K budgets for all other units

We define “complex” as:

  • highly interdisciplinary
  • includes multiple collaborators (e.g. investigators, subawards, other organizations, etc.)
  • non-standard proposal components (e.g., limited submission process, inclusion of cost share, official University commitment)

I need help with proposal editing and writing. Are there services available to help?

The Research Development team can provide some proposal editing and writing assistance. Additionally, the Department of English offers Editing and Consulting Services. Please consult the website for more information about services provided, rates, and contact information. If you would like additional options, please contact the Research Development team.

I need an evaluator for my proposal. How do I find one?

First, consult with others in your department or relevant field and ask for recommendations. Research Development can also assist you with finding an evaluator for your project. For more information, please contact Research Development.

How do I find new sources of funding?

Researchers can identify research funding sources in many ways. Here are some common ways to find funding:

  • Talk to your colleagues at the U of A and at other institutions.
  • Consult newsletters and websites produced by relevant professional societies.
  • If your interests coincide with a federal agency (NSF, NIH, NEH, NASA, DoD), then search these websites for solicitations and review abstracts of funded projects.
  • Use a funding search tool such as GrantForward.
  • Consult InfoReady this is a good resource for limited submissions or internal funding opportunities.
  • If you are searching for a funding opportunity that will afford you the ability to engage multiple subawards or will cover a large interdisciplinary team, please reach out to the Research Development team for assistance.

What are Limited Submissions?

Limited submissions are funding opportunities in which the funding agency only accepts a certain number of applications from an organization. The Division of Research and Innovation manages limited submission opportunities for the university. These opportunities are posted to InfoReady. Interested applicants must first apply for the opportunity internally via the InfoReady portal first, meeting internal deadlines well in advance of the funding agency deadline. Reviewers selected from across campus evaluate the application and select the proposal(s) that will move forward to submit a full proposal to the funding agency. If you identify a limited submission funding opportunity that has not been posted to InfoReady, please contact the Division of Research and Innovation so that this opportunity can be announced broadly and to ensure that others have not been previously selected (i.e., the internal deadline for applying has passed).

I’ve been contacted by a company that is interested in funding my research project or is interested in partnering with me as a sub-recipient for a federal funding opportunity. What should I do?

Contact Industry Research Partnerships (IRP) as soon as you become aware of the opportunity to partner with a company. IRP can serve as a liaison between you and the company throughout the entire process to ensure all requirements, contracts, etc. are ready at the time of submission. Visit our Industry Research Partnerships page for more detailed information on the services the team can provide.