Proposals

The McCormick Research Administration team supports faculty with all aspects of research administration, including proposal development. The department Research Administrator (RA) assists with administrative aspects of a proposal and works with the Office for Sponsored Research (OSR) to submit the proposal.

Find the Research Administrator assigned to each department

Learn more about the important components of the proposal submission process and how the research administration team provides assistance to McCormick faculty and staff.

• Locating Funding Opportunities and Collaborators
• Before You Prepare a Proposal
• Proposal Development
  • Proposal Process
  • Timeline
  • Subawards
  • Cost Sharing

Deadlines

The following internal deadlines apply to all submissions:

Five working days prior to submission deadline 

Budget and administrative materials are recommended to be completed at this time.

Two working days prior to submission deadline

All proposal materials are recommended to be completed at this time.

Read OSR's complete policy on Administrative Review.

Use the recommended proposal timeline to ensure internal deadlines are honored.

Typical Proposal Preparation Timeline

Additional time may be needed for submissions involving foreign ventures, large collaborative proposals, subawards, or cost sharing.

Six Weeks or More

Notify your Research Administrator even if you are simply thinking about a proposal submission.

Four or Five Weeks Prior

Prepare budget; initiate contact with sub-recipient institutions and entities that will provide cost sharing (if applicable).

Two or Three Weeks Prior

Finalize administrative items, including the statement of work, project budget, biographical sketches, current and pending documents, and other sponsor-required forms and/or documents.

Five Business Days Prior

Final administrative items sent to the Office for Sponsored Research for institutional review and approval.

Two Business Days Prior

Final scientific elements due to the Office for Sponsored Research.

Reports

Monthly and annual sponsored research proposals and awards reports are available from Northwestern University and McCormick School of Engineering. Learn how to access reports