Graduate student led teams from English 488-689 (Advanced Proposal Writing) will provide feedback on near-final or previously submitted proposals in terms of how the proposal meets the requirements of the proposal solicitation. Please provide the proposal, and the proposal solicitation by March 11. For previously reviewed proposals, you could also provide the reviewer comments. Feedback and edits will be provided no later than May 15th. All applications will be kept confidential. This program is free, but capacity is limited. Participants will be notified by email, if selected to participate. Sign up here
Copy Editing Services
Research Development Services is pleased to provide copy editing services for faculty wishing to receive input on the grammar, syntax, layout and overall presentation of their grant applications. This work will be performed by graduate and advanced undergraduate students who are receiving technical editing training at Mason. The rate is $15 per hour. All submissions must be provided at least 2 weeks before the Mason Internal submission deadline. Please note, this editing will not provide commentary on scientific, technical or research merits of the proposal. All applications will be kept confidential. Sign up hereMinority Serving Institution (MSI) Designation and Resources
George Mason University recently received designation by the United States Department of Education as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). This enables Mason investigators to apply to a subset of MSI funding opportunities. Please read eligibility criteria carefully, as Mason will not be eligible for all MSI programs.
Department of Education Letter 2023 (Use for Grants with Start Dates July 2023-June 2024)
Department of Education Letter 2024 (Use for Grants with Start Dates July 2024-June 2025)
Sample Language for Select Proposal Sections
The Research Development Services (RDS) offices has crafted sample language for standard external funding application components such as Facilities and Resources, Data Management and Sharing, etc.Letters of support from senior Mason leadership (e.g. Vice President for Research, Provost) must be requested through your academic unit Associate Dean of Research well in advance of submission deadline. For more information and resources see: Letters of Support
Associated GMU Offices
Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)
The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) supports external funding for research, scholarly and creative pursuits while ensuring the university’s financial, contractual and regulatory exposures are minimized. OSP provides guidance and support to the university’s community in its research efforts. Faculty should contact OSP as soon as possible if they are considering submitting an external funding application.
Corporate and Foundation Relations
When considering foundation or corporate funding for research and scholarship, please contact Corporate and Foundation Relations. The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations is the first stop in the development of long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between philanthropic organizations and George Mason University.
College Resources – Links to college research sites
- Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution
- College of Education and Human Development
- College of Engineering and Computing
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Public Health
- College of Science
- College of Visual and Performing Arts
- School of Business
- Schar School of Policy and Government
Mentoring Postdocs – Overview of resources for developing required NSF mentoring plans
Data Management Plan
Researchers who are applying for grants that require data management plans (DMP) can use the DMPTool to help them with writing the plan. Based on the information they enter, the tool will generate a customized DMP for them to submit with their grant application. When accessing DMPTool, researchers should click on “My Plans,” then select George Mason University from the list and use their GMU username and password to login. George Mason University Libraries’ Data Services provides help with locating and utilizing numeric, statistical, geospatial, and qualitative data; provides access to Federal and Virginia depository publications as well as the map collection; and offers consultation services for funding-mandated data management plans. Please contact Data Services at datahelp@gmu.edu with questions.
National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) has a Primer Series on information management technology issues with the publication of its primer on Research Data Management, which includes insight about data management plans and documenting research data.
Useful Links – Academic, federal and other sites to assist faculty / grad students in preparing grant proposals
UC Berkeley Dissertation Proposal Resources – In addition to an overview of grant elements and planning, this site provides examples of successful grant proposals
University of Michigan Graduate Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans – Comprehensive listing of a wide variety of funding sources including relevant books of articles.
New Faculty Guide to Competing for Research Funding – Second Edition, 2022 Update by Mike Cronan and Lucy Deckard includes strategies to help new faculty get off to a successful start in identifying and competing for grants to support their research. GMU faculty can request a free digital copy by emailing Leslie Frieden at lfrieden@gmu.edu.
NIH Sample Grant Applications and Summary Statements – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) makes available examples of funded R01, R03, R15, R21, SBIR/STTR, K, and F applications, summary statements, sharing plans, leadership plans, and more.
NCI Collaboration and Team Science Field Guide. For over a decade, the Field Guide has served as a valuable resource for scientists participating in or leading a research team. It has also been used by those considering becoming involved in or building a research team.
NSF 101. NSF 101 answers commonly asked questions for applicants who might be new to applying for NSF funding opportunities and want to know more about how to communicate with NSF.
NIH Reporter Matchmaker. Use NIH Reporter Matchmaker to compare your research abstract to funded awards.