Submission Guidelines

Proposals for Sponsored Funding

The University of Central Florida’s Office of Research Pre-Award team supports faculty and staff in the review and submission of proposals for sponsored funding as well as the interpretation of Pre-Award guidelines and regulations. 

As the applicant organization, UCF has an institutional responsibility to ensure the accuracy, validity, compliance, and eligibility of all proposals submitted on its behalf. This responsibility is shared among several stakeholders, including the Principal Investigator (PI), the PI’s Chair or Director, the unit research administrator, and the Office of Research. 

As UCF’s Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR) (see UCF Policy 4-214), the Office of Research Pre-Award team reviews all proposals for sponsored funding to ensure compliance with university policies and applicable sponsor, state, and federal requirements. The AOR serves as UCF’s official institutional signatory and is responsible for approving and submitting all sponsored funding proposals on the university’s behalf. 

Proposal review, routing, and approval are managed through the Huron Grants. 

Proposal Review Process

All proposals, supplemental funding applications, and pre-proposals with detailed budgets must be submitted to the Pre-Award team through Huron Grants five (5) full business days before the sponsor’s deadline, in accordance with the 5-Day Rule. Additional information is available in the 5-Day Rule FAQs. 

Pre-Award conducts two compliance reviews: Initial Review and Final Review. 

Initial Review (5 Business Days) 

During Initial Review, the Office of Research Pre-Award team evaluates the proposal for compliance with sponsor requirements, university policies, and applicable state and federal regulations. Specialists also review budgets, required approvals, subrecipient documentation, and other administrative components to identify issues early enough for correction before the sponsor deadline.

To begin, the PI or business unit must create and submit a Funding Proposal (FP) record in Huron Grants. For step-by-step instructions, click here. Once submitted, proposals are reviewed by OR Pre-Award Specialists. Specialists will provide feedback through the FP record within 48 hours. 

Required documents at Initial Review stage include: 

• • • Sponsor guidelines (Direct and Prime Sponsor) 
    • Sponsor-required forms and documents 
    • Draft Technical Narrative / Scope of Work 
    • Detailed budget and budget justification 
    • Required approvals or requests for approval 
    • Subcontractor documentation (if applicable) 
    • Consultant Commitment Form (if applicable) 
    • Portal application printout (if applicable)

Final Review (2 Business Days) 

After addressing feedback from the Initial Review, the PI or business unit must return the FP record to the OR Pre-Award Specialist for Final Review at least two (2) business days before the sponsor’s deadline. This action certifies that any issues identified during Initial Review have been addressed, and the proposal is complete and ready for submission. Once approved, the proposal is submitted or authorized for submission by UCF’s Authorized Organizational Representative. 

Required documents at Final Review stage include: 

• • • All items from Initial Review 
    • Final Technical Narrative / Scope of Work

At a Glance Timeline:

• • • Initial Review: 5 Business Days
    • Final Review: 2 Business Days
    • Submission: Sponsor Deadline

Institutional Approvals 

Certain projects require review or approval from other UCF offices for items such as:

• Mandatory Cost Share underwriting 

• Limited Submissions 

• Conflict of Interest 

• Terms & Conditions  

• International Activities / Export Control 

Pre-Proposals

Pre-proposals are used to assess project viability or gauge sponsor interest. 

• If a pre-proposal includes a detailed budget, it must be submitted to the Office of Research via Huron Grants five (5) business days before the sponsor’s deadline. 

• If a pre-proposal requires AOR signature or AOR submission but does not have a detailed budget, email it to the assigned Proposal Specialist three (3) business days before the deadline.  

• If it does not include a detailed budget or AOR signature, it may be submitted directly by the Investigator. 

When submitting directly to a sponsor, include this statement:

“UCF requires that all final proposals be submitted through the UCF Office of Research.”