Reading Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunity announcements are sometimes called a Request for Proposal (RFP), Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Program Announcement (PA), or Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), etc. They are the guidelines and directions sponsors provide for completing and submitting the grant application.

Guidelines to Consider

Before starting your proposal, it’s important for you to thoroughly review the funding opportunity announcement and take a few things into consideration:

• Eligibility Requirements

  Funders often have specific eligibility requirements, be sure to carefully review the document to ensure that both the PI and Illinois State meet all eligibility requirements. (Illinois State is an "Institution of Higher Education")

• Deadlines

  While creating your proposal, deadlines can include proposal submission deadlines, letter of intent deadlines, and pre-proposal deadlines.

• Program Description

  Always take a look at the program description to determine if your research fits the funding agency’s research objectives. Review of websites, publications, and reports referenced in the funding announcement will provide an understanding of the agency's vision and research focus.

• Document Specifics

  Some proposals will need to follow some document specifics. These can include page limits, outlines, specific sections, fonts, and other required formatting.

  Please note most sponsors require additional documents to be submitted with the application.

• Narrative Structure

  Funding agencies will sometimes give required standard sections for your proposal narrative. Always use the agency's proposed format when completing your narrative.

• Special Sections

  Please note some proposals require additional sections beyond the main narrative.

• Budget

  Budgeting guidelines can include budget caps and limits, cost sharing requirements, required budget template, required costs, and requirements for subaward budgets.