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 limited@gmu.edu 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 sdavis46@gmu.edu.
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 limited@gmu.edu 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 limited@gmu.edu 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 limited@gmu.edu. 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 limited@gmu.edu. PIs will receive an approval email from limited@gmu.edu. 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 limited@gmu.edu:
- 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 limited@gmu.edu) 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 limited@gmu.edu.
Internal review proposals should be submitted to limited@gmu.edu 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 sdavis46@gmu.edu 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 Two Applications Accepted | National Science Foundation | NSF 24-608: Safety, Security, and Privacy of Open-Source Ecosystems (Safe-OSE) | 1/14/2025 (Preliminary Proposal); 4/22/2025 (Full Proposal) | GMU Internal Application Deadline: November 1, 2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open One Application Accepted | Department of State/Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement | OFOP0001637: Raising Awareness and Building Cooperation to Combat Corruption and Money Laundering | 11/18/2024 | First Come |
| Open Two Applications Accepted (College of Science and CEC can each submit one) | National Science Foundation | NSF24-511: NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (S-STEM) | 3/4/2025 | 11/8/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | VentureWell | VentureWell Ecosystem Futures Fellowship | 10/23/2024 | 9/27/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open One Application Accepted | National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) | 20241211-RAI: NEH Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence | 12/11/2024 | 9/30/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Four Applications Accepted: Track 1: Two Applications Accepted; Track 2: One Application Accepted; Track 3: One Application Accepted | National Science Foundation | Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI): Instrument Acquisition or Development | 11/15/2024 | 9/20/2024 Submit to limited@gmu.edu PLEASE NOTE: Special emphasis will be given to internal applications that include multiple academic units (Colleges/Schools) or that would be a resource for multiple academic units and enhance/support growth areas of research. Internal applications should include the following: • Project title and Track Number • List of investigator(s) and collaborators • Project Summary (up to 3 pages). Please include, as appropriate, specific external funding opportunities that the new equipment would support. Please address the following review criteria when submitting the summary: • The extent to which the proposed activity has the potential to advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit)? • The extent to which the proposed activity benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)? • The extent to which the instrument will improve organizational capabilities. • The extent to which the instrument is used for multi-user, shared-use research and/or research training. • Whether the research to be enabled is compelling and justifies the instrument request. • For instrument acquisition proposals of $1 million or above, the potential impact of the instrument on the research community of interest at the regional or national level, if appropriate. • Potential for the resource to provide infrastructure for future funding opportunities. |
| Open Three Applications Accepted | National Science Foundation | NSF 24-594: Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships | 11/20/2024, 5:00 pm EST (Preliminary Proposal); 6/2/2025, 5:00 pm EST (Full Proposal) | 9/20/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation | The 2024-25 Moore Inventor Fellows | 11/15/2024, 5:00 pm PT (Nominations Due); 12/13/2024, 5:00 pm PT (Application Due) | 9/18/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) | Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards | 1/8/2025, 12:00 pm EST | 10/2/2024 Include the following: Faculty Name and Discipline Project Summary (up to 2 pages) to include: Research goals and objectives and relevant background. Expected research outcomes and relevance; Research design and methodology; Competence of the applicant to perform the proposed research. Description of how the 1:1 Match will be met. 2-page Biosketch (any style) for PI Submit to limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Four Concept Papers Accepted - 1 per topic area | Department of Energy/Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy | DE-FOA-0003329: Smart Manufacturing Technologies for Material and Process Innovation | 8/22/2024, 5:00 PM ET (Concept papers); 11/18/2024, 5:00 pm ET (Full proposals) | First Come |
| Open Twelve Applications Accepted | Commonwealth Research Board | Commonwealth Health Research Board (CHRB) Grant | 9/19/2024, 4:00 PM EDT (Concept Paper); 2/6/2025 (Full Proposal) | First Come |
| Open One Application Accepted | National Science Foundation/Directorate for STEM Education | NSF 24-577: National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program | 10/1/2024 | 7/29/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open One Application Accepted | National Science Foundation | NSF 24-583: Advanced Computing Systems & Services: Adapting to the Rapid Evolution of Science and Engineering Research 2.0 | 10/29/2024 (Category 1) | 8/2/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | National Science Foundation | NSF 24-558: Focus on Recruiting Emerging Climate and Adaptation Scientists and Transformers | 1/29/2025 (Track 1) | 7/6/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Two Applications Accepted | National Science Foundation | 21-536: NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program | 11/14/2024 | 5/6/2024 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 limited@gmu.edu |
| Open Twenty-five Applications Accepted | Walmart Foundation | Walmart Foundation Spark Good Local Grants Program | 12/31/2024 | 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