Limited Submission Review – Announcements about limited submissions funding opportunities are posted on the Research Development (RD) website and major competitions are distributed by listserv notice to the Mason research community, and are also sent to the university Research Council, which is composed of Associate Deans for Research or others who serve in a similar capacity for their academic unit. These announcements identify the opportunity, give a brief description, provide a link to the funding agency’s site, and indicate all internal and external deadlines.
While RD makes every effort to identify all limited submissions opportunities and notify faculty, it is the responsibility of the faculty to contact [email protected] should a faculty member identify a limited submissions funding opportunity that she/he is interested in, but finds that it is not posted on the RD website. Faculty may not proceed with an application to a limited submission competition without notice of approval from RD
Announcing Limited SubmissionsLimited submission funding opportunities and internal and external deadlines are posted below on this website. In addition, announcements about major limited submission funding opportunities are communicated Research Council, and distributed by listserv notice sent biweekly to the Mason research community. These announcements identify the opportunity, provide a brief description, include a link to the funding agency’s site, and indicate all internal and external deadlines.
Limited submission funding opportunities are listed in the listserv, and below, as either “First Come”, or with an internal application deadline date. Limited submissions with a sponsor application due date of more than 8 weeks requires a Notice of Intent (NOI), and an internal application. An NOI should be sent at least one week prior to the internal application due date. NOI’s should be sent to Sheila Davis at [email protected].
An internal application typically consists of the following (however can vary depending on the review criteria and solicitation):
1-page Cover page with solicitation name, project title and list of investigators and collaborators;
Project Summary of up to 3 pages (references may be included by not required and are excluded from the 3-page limit);
2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI
The internal application should be submitted to [email protected] by the internal application deadline.
“First Come” limited submission opportunities are limited submissions with an application due date to the sponsor that is less than 8 weeks away. “First Come” means the first PI team to submit a request for approval to [email protected] after the opportunity has been posted to this website, will be approved to move forward with the application to the sponsor. Approval will be documented by receiving an approval email from [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE, this is a change effective September 1, 2022. Previously, PIs were asked to submit a request for proposal assistance to OSP or begin a proposal in the Research Administration Management Portal (RAMP). Beginning September 1, 2022, PIs will need to submit a request for approval, with the Funding Opportunity link, to [email protected]. PIs will receive an approval email from [email protected]. Once approved, the PI (or local Research Administrator) may create a proposal in RAMP and upload the approval email to the proposal attachments in RAMP.
To request approval for a limited submission, the PI should provide the following to [email protected]:
- A sentence or two requesting an approval for the opportunity
- PI Name
- Title of Proposal
- Opportunity/Solicitation/Request for Proposals Name and URL
- Funding agency/organization
In cases where the sponsor has indicated a specific number of applications from the institution (GMU) may be accepted (e.g., “An institution may submit no more than 3 applications.”), approvals will continue to be granted until the application limitation has been met.
In the RAMP system, PIs will be asked to indicate whether an opportunity is a limited submission and provide proof of approval (i.e., copy of the approval email received from [email protected]) before being able to continue. It is the PI’s responsibility to read the solicitation carefully to determine if it is a limited submission opportunity. If it is not clear whether the opportunity is limited, PIs should contact [email protected].
Internal review proposals should be submitted to [email protected] by the posted internal deadline. A copy of the proposal should also be sent to the applicant’s Associate Dean for Research.
Faculty planning to submit an internal application for a posted limited submission opportunity are asked to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Sheila Davis at [email protected] at least one week prior to the internal due date. The NOI should include the following: Opportunity Name or Number; PI, Co-PI, and collaborators’ names; and title of proposal. The NOIs allow us to begin the process of creating the ad hoc review committee should an internal review be necessary.
Standard Proposals
- Project title and a list of investigator(s);
- Project Summary (typically 1-3 pages; This varies by application. Please see the Grants Program Deadline Table for specific instructions);
- For large, complex proposals, names of team members at Mason and at partnering institutions;
- If cost sharing (mandatory or voluntary) is involved, applicant should indicate the plan for how the match will be met.
Equipment/Instrumentation Proposals
- Description of the equipment and need justification (1-2 pages);
- A table listing faculty who will be involved in the submission and the estimated number of researchers who will benefit from the use of the equipment;
- Description of project and management plans, including plans for the maintenance, operation, and technical support of instrumentation, and for attracting new users (one page);
- Total budget estimate and total project cost share estimate, if applicable.
| Status | Agency | Title | Sponsor Due Date | Internal Review Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open One Application Accepted | US Department of State/US Mission to Malaysia | SMY300-FY2025-PASKL: US Embassy KL PAS 2025 Annual Program Statement | 9/10/2025 | First Come |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research | The Mark Foundation Endeavor Award | 9/3/2025 | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | Department of State/US Mission to Ukraine | PDS-UKRAINE-FY25-03: US-Ukraine University Partnerships for Peace and Security | 7/25/2025 | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | Department of State/Bureau of Counterterrorism | DFOP0017298: Counter ISIS Ideologies in Returnee Populations from Northeast Syria | 8/4/2025 | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | American Heart Association | 2026 Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training | 9/10/2025 | 7/7/2025 Include the following: Cover Page (1 page) to include: Solicitation Name Project title List of investigator(s) and collaborators Project Summary (up to 3 pages). Please consider the review criteria when preparing the project summary You may include references, but they are not required and are excluded from the 3-page limit. 2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI Submit to [email protected] |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | Kaiser Permanente | Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education 2025 Funding Opportunity | 9/3/2025 | 7/14/2025 Include the following: Cover Page (1 page) to include: Solicitation Name and Category (1 or 2) Project title List of investigator(s) and collaborators Project Summary (up to 3 pages). Please consider the review criteria when preparing the project summary You may include references, but they are not required and are excluded from the 3-page limit. 2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI Submit to [email protected] |
| Open One Application Accepted | Department of State/US Mission to Libya | DOS-LEO-PD-APS-2025: US Mission to Libya Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program Annual Program Statement (APS) | 8/15/2025 | First Come |
| Open Three Applications Accepted (1 per program area) | Department of State/US Mission to United Arab Emirates | APS-2025-01: Annual Program Statement_UAE_2025 | 8/18/2025 | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | Department of State/US Mission to Kyrgyzstan | STATE-BISHKEK-PDS-25-0006: Public Diplomacy Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program | 7/15/2025 | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | Department of State/US Mission to Jordan | PAS-JOR-FY25-003: Empowered Parents in Charge (EPIC) | 7/14/2025 | First Come |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | National Science Foundation (NSF) | 24-597: NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program | 9/8/2025 | 6/2/2025 Include the following: Cover Page (1 page) to include: Solicitation Name Project title List of investigator(s) and collaborators Project Summary (up to 3 pages). Please consider the review criteria when preparing the project summary You may include references, but they are not required and are excluded from the 3-page limit. 2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI Submit to [email protected] |
| Open One Application Accepted | National Science Foundation (NSF) | NSF 23-536: Scholarships in STEM Network (S-STEM-NET) | 8/14/2025 | 5/22/2025 Include the following: Cover Page (1 page) to include: Solicitation Name Project title List of investigator(s) and collaborators Project Summary (up to 3 pages). Please consider the review criteria when preparing the project summary You may include references, but they are not required and are excluded from the 3-page limit. 2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI Submit to [email protected] |
| 4/29/2025 CLOSED - Per NSF, this opportunity is no longer available | National Science Foundation (NSF) | NSF 23-574: CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service (SFS) Defending America's Cyberspace | 7/15/2025 | 4/29/2025 CLOSED PER NSF |
| Open One Application Accepted | The Conservation, Food and Health Foundation | 2025 Grants Program | 6/15/2025 (Concept Application); 8/15/2025 (Full Proposal) | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | National Science Foundation (NSF) | NSF 25-532: Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) | 6/23/2025 (preliminary proposal); 11/24/2025 (full proposal) | 4/18/2025 Include the following: Cover Page (1 page) to include: Solicitation Name Project title List of investigator(s) and collaborators Project Summary (up to 3 pages). Please consider the review criteria when preparing the project summary You may include references, but they are not required and are excluded from the 3-page limit. 2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI Submit to [email protected] |
| Open Two LOI's (Exceptional and/or Young Investigators) Accepted | Breast Cancer Alliance | Exceptional Grants Projects | 3/31/2025 (LOI); 7/19/2025 (Full Proposal) | First Come |
| Open Two LOI's (Exceptional and/or Young Investigators) Accepted | Breast Cancer Alliance | Young Investigator Grants | 3/31/2025 (LOI); 7/19/2025 (Full Proposal) | First Come |
| Open Twenty Five Applications Accepted | Walmart Foundation | 2025 Walmart Foundation Community Grants | 12/31/2025 | First Come |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | National Science Foundation | NSF 24-599: Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes (QLCI) | 2/7/2025 (LOI); 3/7/2025 (Prelim. Proposal); 9/17/2025 (Full Proposal) | First Come |
If the number of internal review proposals exceeds the sponsor limit, the internal proposals will be sent to selected reviewers. The reviewers will identify the proposal(s) with the best chance of success in the overall external competition by evaluating the application against the program guidelines and established review criteria and then recommend these proposal(s) to the Vice President for Research. The internal review process can take approximately three (3) weeks, not including holidays and weekends.
The Vice President for Research has the final authority for selecting a proposal(s). When reviews require additional research expertise not reflected by the composition of the review panel members, the Vice President for Research will select ad hoc reviewers based on their expertise.
Exceptions:
While every effort is made to adhere to the procedures listed above, there are instances when the time between becoming aware of a limited solicitation and the time for submission of materials to the funding agency makes it impractical to follow the process outlined above. In those cases, broad announcements may not be made, expedited reviews with limited or no feedback comments may be performed, and/or submission slots may be awarded on a first-come first served basis.
There will also be an exception to this process for programs that make awards to individuals as an acknowledgement of their academic or professional achievement. These programs frequently target junior faculty who have demonstrated significant contributions early in their careers. An example of this program is the ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Achievement Award. Internal applicants for these awards shall be nominated by the Associate Dean for Research in the applicant’s unit. The nominees identified in this manner shall then be reviewed and selected as described above.
If RD is notified of a limited submission RFP that has not previously been announced or posted on the RD site and, if there are at least two months until the agency deadline, an announcement will be sent out and the standard review process will apply. If there are fewer than two months until the agency deadline, the Vice President for Research shall determine which proposal will be selected as an institutional submission (if more than one team wishes to submit a proposal) or the opportunity will be considered a “first come” opportunity. If any proposals come in after the University has reached the maximum number of submissions permitted, those proposals will not be eligible for submission