RD&C explains external grant proposal guidelines In order to expedite processing of grant proposals, Research Development and Compliance (RD&C) requests that the following guidelines be followed: 1) The transmittal form, which can be found on the RD&C webpage at http://www.und.edu/dept/rdc/InternalForms.htm,, should be used for all proposals to external funding agencies. 2) Federal and UND regulations require that Conflict of Interest forms be on file for Principal Investigators (PI) of proposals submitted to external funding agencies. UND has recently approved a new policy on Conflict of Interest. The policy and forms can be found at http://www.und.edu/dept/rdc/ConflictForms.htm.. PIs must also submit form 1, the “Financial Interests Disclosure Document” to the Division of Research annually, or more frequently if their status changes during the year. 3) In order to ensure that correspondence from granting agencies is received by the Division of Research in a timely manner, regardless of changes in personnel, please use the following e-mail address for Barry I. Milavetz, associate vice president for research and economic development, on all external grant proposals: rdc@mail.und.nodak.edu. 4) As part of its commitment to research development at UND, the Division of Research frequently provides matching funds for proposals to external funding agencies. In order to properly monitor the amounts and sources of matching funds provided for these proposals, principal investigators requesting matching funds for proposals to external funding agencies must complete a “Division of Research Matching Funds Request Form,” which can be found on the Division of Research webpage at: http://www.und.edu/dept/research/docs/matchingfundsrequestform.doc.. This form is to be used when requesting matching funds from the Vice President for Research and Economic Development or Research Development and Compliance. Please note that matching funds will be provided by only one of these offices. All requests for matching funds should be submitted to Research Development and Compliance. 5) Lead time of no less than five working days prior to the proposal deadline is required for internal processing in Grants and Contracts Administration (GCA) and RD&C. This lead time is especially important at this time due to a significant increase in the number of proposals submitted and awards received, an increase in workload since implementation of ConnectND, an increase in oversight responsibilities concerning federal and state regulations on a variety of issues, and the time required to successfully submit proposals electronically (especially those submitted via Grants.gov or fedconnect.net). We understand that occasionally this policy cannot be honored, and we will continue to process all proposals as efficiently as possible with the intent of meeting deadlines. 6) Two copies of the proposal in final form must be presented to GCA for processing. One of those copies will be retained in RD&C, the other will be returned to the Principal Investigator (PI) for submission to the funding agency (i.e., the PI will then not be required to send a copy to RD&C after the proposal is processed). The proposal must not be modified after it is processed through G&C and RD&C. 7) Proposals to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or other portals may be delivered to RD&C physically on a CD or flash memory drive, or they may be sent electronically as an email attachment. In the latter case, send the email to both barrymilavetz@mail.und.nodak.edu and rdc@mail.und.nodak.edu. This will ensure that RD&C staff have access to the proposal when B. Milavetz is unavailable. 8) Grant proposals involving multiple Principal Investigators and Indirect Costs, particularly if the Principal Investigators are from multiple colleges and departments, must include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) indicating how Indirect Costs will be distributed. A template MOU can be found on Research Development and Compliance’s website (http://www.und.edu/dept/rdc/Forms/Template%20for%20Indirect%20cost%20Memo%20of%20understanding.doc). Following these policies will help UND maintain compliance with state and federal regulations concerning sponsored programs, and allow the Division of Research staff to better assist Principal Investigators with applications, particularly with electronic submission of proposals. If you have any questions, contact RD&C at 777-2890 or rdc@mail.und.nodak.edu. -- Barry I. Milavetz, Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Research Development and Compliance, barrymilavetz@mail.und.nodak.edu, 777-4278