Ask Chris Archive

Timelines are one of the most important tools we have for ensuring the smooth and successful submission of a sponsored research proposal. At Boston University, proposals must move through both departmental/institute preparation and Sponsored Programs review before they can be submitted to the sponsor (i.e., funder). That process takes time, coordination, and careful attention to sponsor and institutional requirements.

The ideal time to notify your grants administrator is 30 days before the sponsor due date. That advanced notice allows time to review the funding opportunity, confirm eligibility, build a

compliant budget, collect institutional information, identify subaward or consultant needs, and plan for any special approvals. It also gives the investigator time to focus on the science without last-minute administrative surprises.

BU’s internal review schedule is designed to make sure proposals are complete, accurate, and ready for submission. Administrative materials should be provided for review by the sponsored programs pre award officer at least five business days before the sponsor deadline. These materials typically include the final budget, budget justification, sponsor forms, internal

approvals, subaward documentation if applicable, and other institutional components. The technical and scientific components are due at least three business days before the sponsor

deadline, allowing time for final checks of items such as the project narrative, abstract, bibliography, specific aims, milestones, and related scientific attachments.

These deadlines are important because even strong proposals can run into preventable problems when submitted too close to the deadline. Sponsor systems may reject forms, federal submission portals can be slow or overloaded, and errors may require correction before the application can be accepted. Internal review time also helps confirm compliance with sponsor instructions, University policies, budget rules, formatting requirements, and required approvals.

A good proposal timeline also improves collaboration. Sponsored research submissions often

involve principal investigators, department administrators, collaborators, subrecipients, chairs,

deans, and central Sponsored Programs staff. When everyone knows the timeline early, responsibilities are clearer, documents arrive in the right order, and there is enough time to fix

issues before they become urgent.

Best practice is to treat the sponsor deadline as the final destination, not the starting point. Work backward from that date, notify your grants administrator 30 days in advance whenever possible,

and build in BU’s five-business-day administrative review period and three-business-day technical review period. A well-planned timeline gives your proposal its best chance to flow

through the process smoothly.

• 30 days before deadline. Notify grants administrator

• At least 5 business days. All proposal materials (exc. science) submitted to grants administrator
• At least 3 business days. Complete proposal (including science) submitted to grants administrator.

Yes, there have been some updates to the Proposal Summary Form (PSF), the principal cover sheet required for submitting research proposals at Boston University. The updated form can be found here: https://www.bu.edu/research/2025/06/26/proposal-summary-form-psf-updates/ .

One of the most significant changes is enhanced support for multidisciplinary research teams. In response to BU’s growing emphasis on collaborative science and cross-departmental initiatives, the form now includes expanded signature boxes for Principal Investigators (PIs). The form allows multiple investigators from multiple disciplines to be clearly represented. This change is a nod to the increasingly interconnected nature of modern research, making it easier for teams to collaborate across fields and formally acknowledge shared leadership. In parallel, the department chair signature section has been expanded. This adjustment acknowledges that multidisciplinary projects often span multiple departments or schools, each with unique oversight requirements.

Other updates to the Proposal Summary Form (PSF) are aimed at improving compliance and clarity for specialized submissions.

• A new field for Voluntary Uncommitted Cost Share type has been added specifically for CRC NIH training and fellowship grants, allowing teams to properly indicate this funding type when applicable.
• The language in the “Other” section regarding specialized IT requirements now includes updated email addresses for both CRC and MED to ensure accurate and efficient communication.
• Certification Language on the PSF now reflects the requirement for CITI Research Security training, helping to ensure that all investigators are compliant with current research security standards.

These updates are intended to simplify the proposal process and ensure compliance with regulatory and institutional requirements. It is essential to prepare the PSF as early as possible in the submission timeline. With a stronger focus on multidisciplinary research teams, administrative involvement will increase. Effectively managing the PSF’s routing and approval process across departments, schools, and institutional levels will be crucial for a successful submission.

Dear Chris,

I’m preparing a grant proposal and have noticed that both my institution and the sponsor require budget templates in different formats and requirements. Why is this the case, and does using Boston University’s template help?

Dear Applicant,

The budget process can feel like a maze of forms and requirements. While it might seem redundant or unnecessarily complex, there are good reasons why both Boston University and your sponsor require their own budget templates.

BU has its own set of administrative, compliance, and financial tracking requirements. Their template is designed to:

• Ensure all institutional policies (including fringe benefits, indirect costs, and salary caps) are applied consistently.
• Help the research administration team review the budget efficiently and accurately.
• Integrate your proposal smoothly with internal accounting and record-keeping systems for both current management and historical archiving.

Each funding sponsor, whether a federal agency, foundation, industry, or even another university? has their own rules, categories, and priorities. Their template ensures:

• Applicants present budgets in a format that aligns with the sponsor’s review and funding processes.
• Compliance with sponsor-specific limitations or requirements (e.g., maximum allowable costs, specific cost categories, cost-sharing expectations).
• Simplified comparison across proposals submitted by many institutions.

Boston University’s budget template isn’t just a hoop to jump through. It’s a powerful budget development tool designed to help you build an accurate, compliant, and comprehensive budget before you move on to the sponsor’s form. By starting with the BU template, you can:

• Calculate all components of your project budget, including fringe benefits and indirect costs, according to the latest institutional rates.
• Create multiple versions of your project budget to arrive at the most efficient by allocating funds according different cost scenarios.
• Take advantage of the auto-calculating features in fringe and indirect cost application

Note also that budget templates from both sources are subject to change. It can be frustrating when a template you just mastered is suddenly updated. However, these updates serve important functions:

• Reflect updated rates: Fringe benefit and indirect cost rates may change annually. Templates must be updated to ensure budgets reflect the correct rates for the period of the proposal.
• Adapt to policy changes: Changes in federal, state, or institutional policies may require new data fields or budget justifications.
• Improve clarity and compliance: Feedback from users and auditors often leads to template improvements that make them easier to use or more compliant with regulations.

While managing multiple budget templates can be challenging, each serves a critical and distinct purpose. By using Boston University’s template as your starting point, you ensure your budget is thorough, institutionally compliant, and ready to be translated into the sponsor’s format.

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Sponsored research administration is always evolving, and universities must adapt to stay compliant with federal regulations and safeguard their finances. These updates are protective measures designed to shield the department and the university from financial issues if agreements are delayed or not finalized.

Advance Account Policy Updates. Investigators are often eager to start spending as soon as they learn their grant is funded. However, there can be a delay – sometimes as long as several months – until the funds are available for use. In such cases an “advance account” can be  requested.

• Advance Accounts Set Up at $0: All new advance accounts will be established with a $0 budget. This means that while expenses can be charged to the account, the balance will show as negative until the official funding agreement is executed by BU and the funder, and the award budget is entered.
• Six-Month Limit: Advance accounts are now limited to a maximum of six months. That means that you cannot charge expenses to an as-yet funded account for longer than six months. After six months, the advance account will be closed and departments will be notified to move expenses off the account.
• Negative Balance Until Award: Expenses charged before the agreement arrives will result in a negative balance, which will be resolved once the budget is approved.

To accommodate the advance account changes, the IPAR form has also been updated. The form has removed fields for direct, indirect, and total costs, as well as the requested end date. This streamlines the process and focuses on key information like the discretionary source the department designates to back up the expenses. New statements have been added to highlight the six-month limit and clarify departmental responsibility for expenses.

These updates do not affect advance accounts that are already in place or those currently in the setup queue. Only new advance account requests will follow this updated policy. If you have existing accounts, no immediate action is needed unless you wish to close them.

Best practice is to stay proactive and communicate regularly with your grants administrator. Investigators should also track the agreement timelines closely. If you’re approaching the six-month mark, start planning for alternative funding or expense transfers to avoid disruption.