Below is an archive of grant related questions shared in the CISS Weekly Digest. If you do not find your question below the CISS grants administrator, Chris Chiofolo, is happy to answer your question/s regarding grant applications and funding. Please send it to cjc@bu.edu. Answers to your questions will appear anonymously in a future Weekly Digest and be posted on this page shortly afterward.
Proposal Submission
Dear Chris, The NIH Biosketch rules often change. Can you suggest some best practices for ensuring our biosketches are up to date?
Dear Chris, I am a postdoctoral associate at BU and would like to apply for an external grant. Are there particular rules I should know about? Please provide some information on Post Docs applying for grants?
Dear Chris, Can you describe the division of labor when preparing a grant proposal? For instance, what do investigators do, and what tasks are carried out by you and your team in Sponsored Programs?
Dear Chris, Can you provide some concrete advice on grant submission deadlines. For instance, how early would I need to submit my grant proposal to BU’s office of Sponsored Programs, before submitting to the funder?
I am a faculty member with a well-established research program, but I have little experience with grant applications. There is an administrator who supports my home department with various tasks. What type of support does the Grants Administrator at CISS provide? How does this differ/intersect with my department support?
I have questions about subcontracts. In talks with colleagues I've heard some varying definitions. Could you clarify exactly what subcontracts are?
I've identified a funding announcement I would like to apply to and am wondering what's my first step? What processes should I be aware of at the outset?
At a recent workshop, my colleagues were discussing the process of review and approval of grant proposals and the signatures required from BU administration. Could you tell me more about those requirements?
I'm new to proposal submission. The funding call notes that the PI is required to submit in the Sponsor's online portal. Do I still need to submit through Sponsored Programs?
I am required to include a Facilities and Other Resources page as part of my grant proposal. What is it, and what should I include in my description?
Budget Questions
Could you give us some information on best practices for budget development?
Could you help me understand the complicated BU Budget Templates?
