Q: What types of funding opportunities are available at Boise State University?
Faculty can apply for internal, state, foundation, industry, and federal grants. There are a variety of opportunities, and we can help identify what might be the best fit for your research.
Q: What is the process for applying for a grant?
- Identify a funding opportunity.
- Contact the College of Health Sciences Office of Research (COHS-OR) for budget and administrative guidance.
- Work with the associate dean of research and Center for Research and Creative Activity (if desired) for proposal content development.
- Finalize required documents and route the proposal through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) Pre-Award using InfoEd.
- Submit the application to the sponsor.
Q: Are there internal deadlines for grant submission?
Yes. Proposals must be routed through OSP at least 5 business days before the sponsor deadline to allow time for review and approvals. Some opportunities may require earlier internal deadlines.
Q: What documents are typically required for a grant application?
This varies widely depending upon the type of grant. Typically, internal and foundation grants will require less paperwork than a federal grant. At a minimum, most sponsors will require:
- Project summary or narrative
- Budget and budget justification
- Biosketches or CVs
- Current & pending support
- Institutional approvals (IRB, IACUC, IBC, COI)
- Letters of support or collaboration
Q: Can you help with my grant budget?
Yes. COHS-OR assists with budget preparation, justification, and compliance review.
Q: Can I apply for multiple grants at once?
Yes, but you must ensure that effort commitments and project scopes do not overlap. COHS-OR can help confirm that your budgets and effort reporting remain compliant.
Q: Who do I contact with post-award questions?
Start with COHS-OR. We serve as your liaison to OSP Post-Award and Sponsored Agreements, and can help resolve questions about allowable expenses, contract modifications, reporting deadlines, and closeout procedures.
Q: What is the difference between COHS-OR and the Center for Research and Creative Activity (CRCA)?
Our office primarily provides administrative, budget, and compliance support for research projects, while CRCA supports proposal content development, scholarly narrative writing, and creative project support. Many faculty use both offices during the grant process.
Q: When should I contact COHS-OR if I’m considering submitting a proposal?
As soon as possible. Even if you are still developing your project idea, early contact ensures timelines are met, budgets are accurate, and all approvals (IRB/IACUC/IBC/COI) are in place before submission.
Q: Do I need to contact COHS-OR if I’m applying for a fellowship or small grant?
Yes. All external proposals—regardless of size or sponsor—must be routed through OSP for institutional approval. This ensures compliance with sponsor and university policies.
Q: What if my project involves collaborators at another institution?
We can assist with preparing subawards and subrecipient documentation, as well as ensuring budgets and compliance requirements are coordinated across institutions.
Q: Who is responsible for effort reporting and cost share commitments?
Faculty principal investigators (PIs) are responsible for meeting effort and cost share commitments. Our office provides guidance and reminders to help ensure compliance.
Q: Can graduate students or staff serve as PIs?
In most cases, only faculty may serve as PIs, but exceptions can sometimes be made with departmental and institutional approval. Additionally, there are NIH grants designed specifically for PhD students (e.g., F31’s), and these require collaboration with a faculty mentor.
Q: What should I do if I receive an award notification directly from the sponsor?
Forward it immediately to COHS-OR. We will coordinate with OSP to ensure proper account setup, budget loading, and compliance tracking.
Q: How are indirect costs (IDC/F&A) handled?
Indirect costs are applied according to Boise State’s federally negotiated rate agreement or sponsor requirements. We can assist with calculating and applying the correct rate in your budget.
Q: What happens if my proposal is not funded?
COHS-OR can help you archive the submission, prepare for resubmission, and ensure all compliance documents are updated.