Submission Process

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Pre-proposal

CSBS accepts and reviews proposal submissions on a rolling basis.

Applicants will upload a one-page pre-proposal via the online submission form. Please use this template (Word) (PDF) for your pre-proposal.

The one-page pre-proposal should include:

  • Background & Significance (Describe the importance of the project and motivation for research)
  • Goals & Objectives (Describe what you seek to accomplish in your project)
  • Methods (Describe you methodological and analytical plan)
  • Requested Funds (Include the total amount, up to $25,000, that you are requesting and how you will spend such funds)
  • Research Team (Describe fit of the assembled team to do the proposed research)
  • External Funding Path (Describe your proposal’s connection to a specific external funding opportunity, and include funding announcement if appropriate)

A current CV from each team member should be submitted along with the pre-proposal.

If the pre-proposal is deemed viable by the CSBS team, a full proposal will be requested.

Full Proposal

Based on the funding mechanism indicated in the pre-proposal (e.g., NIH or NSF), a template will be provided for the 6-page full proposal. In addition, the following information is required: (1) a project summary, (2) a budget and budget justification, and (3) a plan for applying for external funding.

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

Proposals are reviewed 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?
  • Innovation. Is a new and promising solution to a problem proposed? Is a useful novel methodological and/or analytic approach planned?
  • 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.