Submission Process

Overview of Application Process and Timeline

The Small Grant Program uses a two-stage process:

Pre-proposals are reviewed internally by the CSBS research team who will decide if the project meets the criteria of the Small Grant program.

  • Pre-proposals are accepted from July 15th to August 15th for the fall cycle and December 15th to January 15th for the spring cycle.
  • Decisions on pre-proposals are communicated within approximately two weeks of the pre-proposal submission deadline.
  • PIs are permitted to submit one pre-proposal per funding cycle.

Invited full proposals are reviewed by three social and behavioral science researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; these reviews guide the decisions of the CSBS research team in selecting the funded projects.

  • Full proposal deadlines are bi-annual: March 15th and October 15th with the submission portals opening a month before the deadline.
  • Full proposals must be submitted within two funding cycles following the invitation. After two cycles, 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 contributions of each member 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.  

Notifications
Applicants for the fall cycle will be notified of their pre-proposal status by September 1, and spring cycle applicants will be notified by February 1. If a pre-proposal is deemed viable by the CSBS team, the applicant will be eligible to submit a full proposal for the next two funding cycles.

Full Proposal

The following documents are required to submit a full proposal: 

  • A 6-page full proposal (Please use the template provided to you by CSBS, which will be based on external funding mechanism you specify in your pre-proposal.)
  • A project summary  
  • A budget and budget justification  
  • A plan for applying for external funding 
  • A project timeline

Review Criteria

The CSBS Small Grant Program supports ambitious and innovative research that will advance social and behavioral science to solve societal problems related to at least one of CSBS’s three grand challenges. Given that solutions to most societal problems require an integration of diverse conceptual and methodological approaches, the program prioritizes interdisciplinary research. Projects should show promise for external funding.

Full proposals are reviewed by three social and behavioral science researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign based on four 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?

Interdisciplinary collaboration

  • Is this research conceptually informed by and/or use methods and/or analyses from more than one discipline with the PI and Co-I(s) from more than one discipline?

Post-award Support

At CSBS, we are committed to supporting the success of the projects we fund. Our Research Development (RD) staff offers guidance on project administration, management, and the pursuit of external funding opportunities.

Ongoing Support
All small grant recipients are matched with a dedicated RD staff member who provides individualized support for the duration of their project.

Support includes:

  • A kickoff meeting with the RD staff and CSBS Director
  • Progress check-ins at 6, 12, and 18 months
  • Additional check-ins by request

These check-ins offer an opportunity to address any complications or unexpected developments (e.g., recruitment, data acquisition, etc.) and to begin planning for next steps beyond the current project.

Final Reporting
At the end of the grant period, recipients must submit a closeout report outlining:

  • Project results and impact
  • Future plans for leveraging the work to pursue external funding

These reports help us track outcomes and evaluate the success of the small grant program.

Project Changes & Issues
If challenges arise during the project, CSBS will work with you to resolve them. However, CSBS reserves the right to recover funds from projects that cannot be completed as proposed.

To request changes to your project (e.g., team, scope, design, or budget), please email CSBScience@illinois.edu. All changes must be approved in advance and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.