UTRGV requires that all proposals and letters of intent (LOIs) for sponsored projects must be reviewed and approved for submission by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). This policy is designed to provide sufficient time for thoughtful consideration and review to ensure each proposal/LOI complies with University and sponsor policies and procedures prior to submission. OSP is the only office with delegated authority to submit proposals for sponsored projects to external funding agencies on behalf of UTRGV. Proposals and LOIs may not be submitted directly to the funding source without the prior approval of these offices. 

At least 10 business days before the submission deadline, complete the online ARGO form. Submitting the ARGO form provides the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and the Office of Development (for private funding opportunities) with the details of your upcoming proposal or LOI. 

You will receive a list of deadlines for each step of the proposal submission. This timeline aims to drastically reduce (if not eliminate) the stresses of last-minute submissions. Please keep in mind that the more notice that can be provided in advance of the sponsor deadline, the smoother the submission process will be for all involved. 

Once approved by the assigned OSP Coordinator, the ARGO form is routed for approval along with required documents:  
• Final budget, having passed review by OSP 
• Budget justification 
• Scope of work 
 
During the review process, the PI may be asked to provide additional information. 

Please note that the Office of Sponsored Programs or Development Office may require additional time to review and approve prior to submission. 

For questions about the SOM process for submitting grant proposals, please contact: 

• SOM Research Office at SOMsubmissions@utrgv.edu

• Dr. Jennifer Cahn, SOM Director of Research Administration, Jennifer.Cahn@utrgv.edu, (956) 296-1707 

• Edith Ramos Kolahdouz, Grant Research Officer, Edith.Ramos@utrgv.edu, (956) 296-1765

The SOM Office of Research is responsible for reviewing all SOM proposals submitted for external funding. SOM approvals are requested from: Investigators’ Division Lead or Supervisor, ISU Chair, SOM Director of Research Administration, SOM Finance Director, and SOM Dean if the proposal is over $1 million. For proposals to non-governmental organizations, the Office of Sponsored Programs will work together with the UTRV Development Office to ensure all information is complete at the time of submission.

ARGO 

To begin the process of applying for external funding, SOM faculty need to complete the online ARGO form at least ten (10) business days before the sponsor deadline. This alerts the UTRGV Office of Sponsored Programs to assign an OSP Coordinator who will assist with the budget and other grant requirements, including institutional Letters of Support and obtaining signatures from UTRGV’s Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). See  the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). Questions can be directed to the Office of Sponsored Programs at sponpro@utrgv.edu and 956-665-3249.  

Please note that submitting the ARGO form is not binding. If the PI/PD decides not to submit the proposal, he/she is entitled to do so without any repercussions. 

For questions on non-governmental funding opportunities, please email corporatefoundation.relations@utrgv.edu or contact 956-665-5301 to speak with the Assistant Vice President for Development, Kelli Quin, or Grant Development Manager, Juana "Lilly" Trevino.

Limited Submission Funding Opportunities 

When a funder restricts the number of proposals an institution may submit for a funding opportunity, the University will follow a protocol for selecting and submitting only the allowed number of proposals to the funding agency, a process called limited submission. UTRGV’s Office of Research Enhancement is responsible for the internal solicitation and screening of limited submission pre-proposals. To evaluate which proposal/s will be most competitive, faculty are asked to submit a pre-proposal including a short project summary/abstract, budget, budget justification, list of collaborating institutions, if any, and biographical sketches for all UTRGV key personnel and, if applicable, from key personnel at collaborating institutions. Be sure to carefully read each limited submission opportunity for instructions on merit criteria and other requirements. See a listing of limited submission opportunities at: https://utrgvlimitedsubmission.submittable.com/submit.

The Pivot-RP database provides access to a current listing of global funding opportunities, which can be reached at Pivot (Proquest). Select “Sign Up” to register, using Institutional Login Credentials and UTRGV’s name from the drop-down list. 

For instructions on Pivot features, click on the link below: 

Quick Start Guide (Instructions on how to get started) - COS Pivot 

Faculty Insight is a comprehensive database of global funding opportunities with customizable search options. See Research Enhancement’s Funding Opportunities page for for training videos and access. 

For more information and resources on proposal development, compliance and grant contracts, visit the UTRGV Division of Research website.