uconn health

Limited Submissions – Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the Limited Submissions FAQ page. This resource is designed to help faculty and staff navigate the limited submission process.

At UConn, the OVPR coordinates internal competitions to ensure compliance with sponsor limits and to support the strongest possible submissions. Below you'll find answers to common questions about eligibility, timelines, internal review procedures, and more.

What is a limited submission?

  • A limited submission is a funding opportunity offered by federal agencies or private foundations that restricts the number of applications an organization is allowed to submit. Limited submissions require an organization to select or nominate candidates before any proposals or applications can be submitted. At UConn and UConn Health, the selection process for limited submission awards is facilitated by the OVPR.

How does the process work?

  • Program Advertisement
    • When the OVPR identifies a limited submission funding opportunity, a notice is issued to inform the University community. This notice will be:
      • Posted on the OVPR website
      • Shared via the Storrs Daily Digest and UConn Health Lifeline email digest
      • Distributed to key administrators and faculty who have opted in via listservs
  • Stage 1: Notification of Intent to Submit (NOI)
    • Once the opportunity is disseminated, faculty can submit their NOIs.
    • NOIs are required for all limited submissions unless otherwise specified.
    • They help gauge interest and identify potential reviewers.
    • It involves completing two brief forms, and information is not used in the selection process.
    • It will be submitted through the Quest Portal
  • Stage 2: Internal Review of Pre-Proposals
    • If there are more NOIs than spots allowed for a particular mechanism, all interested NOI participants must submit a pre-proposal (via the Quest Portal)
    • Pre-proposals are reviewed by an ad-hoc faculty committee with expertise in grant submission and relevant research areas. External reviewers may be involved when necessary.
    • Pre-proposal due dates are listed in the Quest Portal link and on the limited submission opportunity page.
  • Final Steps
    • All participants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review.
    • Selected investigators will be given the go-ahead to complete proposals according to sponsor guidelines.
    • Final proposals must be submitted to Sponsored Program Services (SPS) at Storrs or UConn Health for final internal review at least 5 business days before the sponsor’s deadline. SPS will conduct a final review and provide instructions for submitting the proposal to the sponsor.

What documents are needed for the pre-proposal?

  • For limited submission opportunities requiring an internal competition, pre-proposals must be submitted via the Quest Portal. Unless otherwise stated in the limited submission announcement, pre-proposals should include:
    • Project Summary (max 2 pages) – Overview of the project, demonstrating alignment with program criteria and institutional research or educational goals.
    • Budget & Justification (max 2 pages, if applicable) – Summary of costs, including any required cost-sharing commitment. If cost-sharing is needed, a support letter from the Dean/Department Head is required.
    • Investigator List (max 2 pages) – Summary of credentials and roles in the project (brief CVs or biosketches are acceptable).
    • Optional Attachment (max 2 pages) – Any additional relevant information, such as comments/reviews from a resubmission.
  • If a sponsor requires specific guidelines beyond the typical requirements, they will be provided via email.

Who are the reviewers?

  • Pre-proposals are evaluated by an ad-hoc faculty committee organized by the OVPR.  This committee consists of faculty members with grant submission experience and expertise in the relevant research area.
    • When necessary, external reviewers may also be involved.
    • Final selections are made by the OVPR, based on faculty review results.
    • Interested in being a reviewer? Contact research@uconn.edu

What if I come across a limited submission opportunity but it’s not listed on our page?

  • If you come across a limited submission opportunity that is not listed on the website, email research@uconn.edu with the program details and a link to the announcement. The OVPR will review and determine the next steps.

    What if I want to resubmit for a limited submission opportunity?

    • The OVPR recognizes that securing funding often requires multiple attempts. To support this, a balance is maintained between allowing resubmissions and providing opportunities for new applicants. These are the guidelines:
      • Mechanisms that allow multiple UConn applicants: PIs may resubmit the same project once within two years without re-competing, provided promising feedback is received from the sponsor. Projects with missing elements or eligibility concerns cannot be automatically resubmitted.
      • Mechanisms that allow a single UConn applicant: PIs must re-compete unless strong feedback is received and communicated to OVPR before a new internal competition opens.
      • Mechanisms that are judged on PIs record of accomplishment: Applicants must re-compete.
      • Nominated Applicants: Those selected by deans or senior administrators are not guaranteed resubmission.
      • Future Opportunities: If a mechanism’s cycle includes resubmitting applicants, other strong candidates that were not selected from that cycle may be allowed to submit in the next cycle without competing again.
    • Resubmission intent should be communicated promptly to the Limited Submission Coordinator (research@uconn.edu)

      How do I find out about limited submission opportunities?

      • To stay informed about limited submission opportunities, we encourage you to sign up for our listserv and regularly check our limited submissions opportunities page. Additionally, we recommend staying connected with relevant departments and faculty members, as they may have insights into upcoming opportunities.

      What happens if I miss an internal deadline?

      • Limited submission opportunities often have tight turnaround times due to sponsor constraints. If you miss an internal deadline, please reach out to research@uconn.edu as soon as possible. While we will do our best to accommodate late submissions, we cannot guarantee that it will always be possible.

      How do I know if a funding opportunity is limited?

      • A funding opportunity is limited if the sponsor restricts the number of applications that can be submitted by an institution. These opportunities require an internal selection process before submission to the sponsor.
      • To check if an opportunity is limited:
      • If you’re unsure, contact research@uconn.edu for clarification.

      Who should I contact if I have questions about limited submissions?

      I was selected, but I need help with my proposal. What services does UConn offer?

      • UConn offers free proposal development services to support faculty in crafting competitive funding proposals. Provided by OVPR, these services include:
        • Consultation & strategy – Guidance on proposal planning
        • Proposal review & editing – Enhancing clarity and impact
        • Grantsmanship support – Strengthening funding applications
        • Project management – Assistance for large and complex proposals
      • These services are designed to help UConn/UConn Health investigators maximize their success in securing funding.

      Limited Submission Competitions

      The OVPR is pleased to announce these limited submission funding opportunities/awards.

      PIs who wish to be considered for these opportunities must submit a notification of intent to submit form through the UConn Quest Portal by the due date listed in the NOI deadline column in the table below. If the NOI deadline has passed, the opportunity is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. PIs must be selected and approved by the OVPR to be eligible to submit.

      Questions? Check out our FAQ Section.

       

      Need help understanding this table?

      • This table details all available limited submission opportunities. These limited submissions are updated weekly.
      • To view the table in full screen, select "View larger version" in the bottom right-hand corner of the embedded table.
      • Select any cell and click the arrow icon to view full details, including eligibility, submission instructions, and deadlines.
      • Use filters or sorting to narrow results by sponsor, deadline, or keyword.

         

        All Available Opportunities

        Please allow a few moments for the data table to load.

        Limited Submission Overview

        Limited submissions are funding opportunities that restrict the number of applicants an institution can submit. To manage these opportunities, UConn has a policy in place to ensure a fair and competitive selection.

        The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) oversees the management of limited submission opportunities and is responsible for selecting the official applicants from UConn and UConn Health, which may involve conducting an internal competition when necessary.

        For details on the process and other related questions, visit our FAQ page. To explore current opportunities, visit the limited submissions opportunities page.

        For further assistance, contact the limited submission coordinator, Kaylei Arcangel at research@uconn.edu

        flow chart of limited submission process

        Research Development

        The goals of the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) Research Development programs are to:

        1. help faculty in all disciplines move into a better position to generate external funding for their scholarly and creative activities
        2. enhance the research climate at the University of Connecticut by promoting faculty research

        The OVPR provides Research Development Services through:

        1. proposal development services
        2. grant writing seminars and workshops
        3. internal funding seed programs
        4. limited submission funding opportunity management
        5. research communications

        Partnering with Industry

        The OVPR is your home for all industry-sponsored research activities.

        We would like to work with you and your industry partners to ensure that our collaborative research discussions are productive, that negotiations are successful, and that both parties’ needs are met.  We also ensure that agreements are in accordance with University policies and procedures as well as federal regulations and requirements.

        We’ve prepared a document that outlines our philosophy and that may be useful to share with your industrial partners.

        Contact us.  Bring us in early. We are here to help!

        Export Control Agreements

        Export control laws are federal regulations that govern how certain information, technologies, and commodities can be transmitted overseas or to a foreign national on U.S. soil. The scope of the regulations is broad: they cover exports in virtually all fields of science, engineering, and technology and apply to research activities regardless of the source of funding. Failure to comply with these laws can have serious consequences, both for the institution and for the individual researcher. Potential penalties include fines and possibly imprisonment. It is thus critical for UConn researchers to understand their obligations under these regulations and to work with Research Compliance Services to ensure that the University is in compliance.

        Please visit this section in the Research Integrity & Regulatory Affairs area of the website for more information.

        Storrs-UConn Health F&A

        Because Storrs and UCH are two separate entities both from the standpoint of the state and for federal grants (and have different financial systems), this places us in a situation similar to the University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts and Cornell University. We used the Cornell model to develop guidelines to promote intercampus collaborations between Storrs and UCH and placed them on our website earlier this year. This has assisted researchers in understanding the procedures at the other campus and resolved issues that in the past have been a concern.

        We currently have a global MOA between Storrs and UCH and create individual agreements for each project. They are simple and are put in place quickly.

        Additionally the current practice is for the prime recipient to waive F&As on the first $25K of the sub-award if including them would diminish proposed direct costs.

        In situations where amount of project cost funding is capped and the subrecipient’s F&As are included in the total direct costs, the subrecipient organization will not include its F&As in the budget. Once awarded, the prime recipient will share its F&As with the subrecipient proportionately to the awarded direct costs. This will be implemented for all future grants.

        Contact Research IT Services

        eRA Help Desk
        860.486.7944
        eRA-support@uconn.edu
        Self-Service Help Desk Portal: https://it.research.uconn.edu/SelfService/

        Name Title/Role Phone Email
        Matthew J. Cook, MPH, MBI Director 860.679.3075 matthew.cook@uconn.edu
        Support eRA Help Desk 860.486.7944 era-support@uconn.edu
        Paula Engler Reporting Services & Help Desk Support paula.engler@uconn.edu
        Kristin Keane Business Systems Analyst & Help Desk Support keane@uchc.edu
        Jennifer Lamontagne Reporting Services & Effort Reporting jennifer.lamontagne@uconn.edu
        Andy Rittner Information System Administration & Desktop Support 860.486.1864 andrew.rittner@uconn.edu
        Charles Tuttle Oracle PL/SQL Developer, Senior Programmer/Analyst & Help Desk Support charles.tuttle@uconn.edu

         

        InfoEd Portal

        The InfoEd eRA portal represents the entire InfoEd enterprise suite that houses all of the various modules. Effective 1/1/24, the v13 portal will no longer be supported by InfoEd Global and Research IT. All users should switch to the Enable Portal as Default in your Profile > Settings > Portal Preferences.

        How To Materials

        Listed below are various self-service handouts and instructional sheets with simple instructions on how to perform various functions within the InfoEd eRA portal tool such as login, change your password, or edit preferences within your user profile.

        For technical issues with InfoEd, please email era-support@UConn.edu or call 860.486.7944.

        InfoEd Portal

        The InfoEd eRA portal represents the entire InfoEd enterprise suite that houses all of the various modules.

        How To Materials

        Listed below are various self-service handouts and instructional sheets with simple instructions on how to perform various functions within the InfoEd eRA portal tool such as login, change your password, or edit preferences within your user profile.

        For technical issues with InfoEd, please email era-support@uconn.edu or call 860.486.7944.

        Cross-Campus Subawards

        • Issuance, Review and Execution of the Project Agreement: Because UConn Storrs and UCH are separate fiscal entities, a project agreement needs to be executed before funds can be transferred between the two campuses. After the lead organization has received its award, a subaward agreement is prepared by the lead institution: Sponsored Program Services (UConn Storrs) or the Procurement Office (UCH Farmington). This agreement is emailed to the subawardee’s sponsored programs office for review and execution.
          Note:
          Subaward agreements must be signed by authorized signatories of both parties. PIs are not authorized to sign.
        • Award/Fund Setup: Separate project accounts are set up at the lead and subawardee’s campuses. Prior to account set-up, all compliance-related approvals should have been obtained, e.g., Institutional Review Board IRB)/Stem Cell Research Oversight (SCRO)/Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)/Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
        • Invoicing: Before invoices can be paid, they must be approved by the lead campus’s principal investigator.
        • Amendments: Competitive project periods often span multiple budget years. If the sponsoring agency awards funds on a budget year basis, issuance and execution of amendments will be necessary to next year’s funding after it has been released to the lead organization by the sponsor.
        • Carryover of Funding and No-Cost Extensions: Carryover of funds and no-cost extensions (NCE) are not authorized without the lead awardee’s written approval. If needed, at least sixty (60) days prior to the end date of the current budget period the PI(s) should seek approval for any carryover or NCE requests.
        • Award Closeout: So that awards may be closed out in accordance with sponsor requirements, final invoices will normally be required no later than 45 days following the termination date of the award project period.

        For assistance with cross-campus subawards:

        Storrs Graduate Students on UConn Health Projects

        There is a mechanism in place that allows Storrs graduate students, both US and international, to be paid directly by UCH as graduate assistants; there is furthermore a mechanism to allow them to have their tuition waived at Storrs. It is not necessary to use the subaward/project agreement mechanism for use of graduate students on grants.

        All graduate students (including those at UCH) are enrolled through the Graduate School at Storrs. The only significant issues in the past had been obtaining tuition waivers for graduate assistants at UCH because of the different financial systems at our campuses. UCH’s Human Resources department provides the HR Database of Graduate Assistants to the Bursar’s Office at Storrs a list of all graduate assistants at UCH and they get an automatic tuition waiver similar to graduate assistants at Storrs.

        International Students at Storrs are vetted through their International Office while UCH International Students are vetted by Ms. Jaishree Duggal in UCH HR. Both offices work in concert to ensure compliance with applicable immigration laws. International Students are registered through the SEVIS system operated by the Department of Homeland Security, INS, which recognizes the two campuses as separate entities.

        Cross Campus Proposal Development

        State-of-the-art research is carried out in the twelve schools and colleges and the more than 80 research centers and institutes at the University of Connecticut. The annual expenditures at the University exceed $250 million.

        Enhancing interdisciplinary research is a strategic goal for the University. An important component of this is the strengthening of the inter-campus collaborations between Storrs and the Health Center. We can assist faculty in preparing and submitting externally funded inter-campus proposals and awards.

        Because UConn (Storrs) and UConn Health (UCH) are two separate fiscal entities, proposals seeking extramural funds are administered similar to sponsored activity involving any other inter-institutional collaborations – where one institution serves as the lead applicant and the other consortium partner acts as the subawardee.

        At the proposal stage, the external funding agency will typically require a statement of commitment from each collaborating organization to ensure that there is appropriate programmatic and administrative support and oversight.

        In order for Sponsored Program Services (SPS) at Storrs and UCH to approve a Letter of Intent/Consortium Statement, both the lead organization and subawardee proposals need to be routed, reviewed and approved by the respective academic and administrative offices.

        • Lead Organization: One campus is the lead organization; the other campus participating in the project is the subawardee. The decision regarding which campus serves as the lead applicant typically is dictated by the scope of the project – the lead organization performs a substantive role in conducting the project and maintains appropriate oversight of all scientific, programmatic, financial, and administrative matters related to the grant.
        • Budgets: The subawardee’s proposed costs (direct and F&A) get rolled-up into the lead organization’s budget. Each site (Storrs or UCH) applies and receives its respective F&A costs. The lead organization waives F&As associated with the first $25K of inter-campus subaward.  Subawardee personnel cannot be included as personnel in the lead organization’s budget.
        • Internal Review/Approval by the Subawardee Organization: At least 10 business days before the funding agency’s deadline, the subawardee principal investigator needs to submit internal forms (Storrs or UCH routing and significant financial interest, scope of work, budget and budget justification plus any additional documents requested to the subawardee’s sponsored programs office [Storrs SPS or UCH ORSP]). After review and approval by that office, the subawardee investigator will submit the approved consortium statement, scope of work, budget and budget justification plus any additional requested documents to the lead organization’s principal investigator.
        • Internal Review/Approval at the Lead Organization: The principal investigator for the lead organization should route the complete application to his/her respective sponsored programs office, using the normal review, compliance, and approval processes and by that office’s stated deadline.

        Staff Contacts

        Roles and Responsibilities

        Subawardee Pre-Award

        • Prepares budget that includes all subawardee costs (direct and F&A), budget justification, scope of work, internal forms, and consortium statement.
        • Routes sub’s proposal for internal review/approval (dept., dean) and submits to SPS/ORSP for review and approval.
        • Submits sub’s proposal (consortium statement, scope of work, budget/ budget justification, etc.) to lead ’s PI for inclusion in lead’s proposal to be submitted to sponsor.

        Lead Applicant Pre-Award

        • Prepares the entire application budget — all lead organization costs, including the sub’s budget and lists subawardee as consortium partner.
        • Routes proposal (including sub’s budget and consortium statement) through SPS/ORSP for review and approval.
        • Submits proposal to sponsor.
        • Notifies subawardee of sponsoring agency’s funding decision.