Submission Process

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Overview of Application Process and Timeline

  • Two-stage process: 1) Pre-proposal, reviewed internally by the CSBS Research Development Team, and 2) Full proposal, reviewed by a panel of Illinois faculty. 
  • Pre-proposals are accepted on rolling basis up to August 15th for the fall cycle and January 15th for the spring cycle.
  • PIs are permitted to submit one pre-proposal per funding cycle.  
  • Successful pre-proposals will be invited for full proposal submission. Full proposal deadlines are bi-annual: March 1st and October 1st. 
  • Full proposals must be submitted within two funding cycles following the invitation of pre-proposals. After two cycles have passed, the PI can submit a new pre-proposal. 

Pre-Proposal

Applicants are required to submit the following documents through the online submission form.

  • A 1-page pre-proposal using this template
  • Current CVs of PI and Co-I’s 

The 1-page pre-proposal must include the following sections:

  • Background & Significance: Describe the importance of the project and the motivation for the research. 
  • Goals & Objectives: Outline the specific aims and what you seek to accomplish with your project. 
  • Methods: Detail your methodological and analytical plan. 
  • Requested Funds: Indicate the total amount requested (up to $30,000) and how the funds will be allocated. 
  • Research Team: Explain the suitability of the assembled team to conduct the proposed research. 
  • External Funding Path: Describe the connection to a specific external funding opportunity and include a link to the funding announcement. 

Please include references or any additional information as a separate document and upload it under the appendices section.  

You should hear back within 10 business days concerning the submission of your pre-proposal. If the pre-proposal is deemed viable by the CSBS team, you will be eligible to submit a full proposal for the next two cycle deadlines. 

Full Proposal

The following documents are required to submit a full proposal: 

  • A 6-page full proposal*  
  • A project summary  
  • A budget and budget justification  
  • A plan for applying for external funding 
  • A project timeline

*Note: Based on the funding mechanism indicated in the pre-proposal, please use the template provided to you to prepare the 6-page full proposal. 

The next deadline for full proposals is March 1, 2025. The full proposal will be evaluated by a faculty review panel, which consists of senior social and behavioral science researchers from across the campus.

Review Criteria

The CSBS Small Grant Program unites researchers to develop ambitious and innovative projects that advance social and behavioral science and demonstrate potential for external funding. Proposals are reviewed based on three criteria:

  • Importance and significance. Does the proposal address an important issue (e.g., a pressing societal challenge or substantive gap in knowledge)? Will the research advance scientific understanding of the issue? Is a new and promising solution to a problem proposed?
  • Methodological and analytical strength. Will the proposed methods and analyses answer the research questions and/or hypotheses? Is there an appropriate and strong methodological and analytic plan? Is the plan viable given logistical factors (e.g., funding)?
  • Clear path to external funding. Is there a clear connection to a viable external funding opportunity? Priority is given to proposals that have the potential for federal funding (e.g., NIH or NSF).

Post-award Support

CSBS will provide close follow-up support on the grants it funds. CSBS research management team is available to assist with project administration and management, as well as external funding searches and applications.

If unforeseen problems arise in the implementation of the research, CSBS will do everything possible to help address the situation. However, CSBS reserves the right to recoup monies from projects that cannot be completed as outlined in the original proposal. The decision to recoup monies and the determination for when monies will be recovered will be made at the sole discretion of CSBS.

Investigators are expected to provide an annual project status update and a brief (1-page) final report upon completing the project describing the results, impact of the project, and plans to leverage the project in seeking future external funding. These efforts allow us to track and report outcomes as well as monitor the success of our small grant program.

If investigators wish to make changes to the project team, description, design, or budget over the course of the project, they should send a request to CSBScience@illinois.edu with the details of these changes. Any such changes will be considered on a case-by-case basis and should not be made without prior approval from CSBS.