Grant Life Cycle
Pre-Award Phase
At this stage, your idea does not need to be fully developed or polished.
Start by identifying the core goal of your project—what problem you want to address, what question you want to answer, or what outcome you hope to achieve. Your idea should generally align with Southern Utah University’s mission and priorities, but you do not need to figure this out on your own. SPARC can help determine whether your idea is a good fit for the university and for potential funding sources.
As you begin drafting your idea, focus on clarity rather than length. Including specific details early—such as who will benefit, what you plan to do, and why it matters—helps strengthen your concept and makes it easier for others to understand and support your project.
You can contact SPARC at this stage, even if your idea is only a few sentences or bullet points.
Ready to get started?
Submit a Grants Request Form to connect with SPARC early, even if your idea is still in development
Once you have a general project idea, the next step is finding funding opportunities that align with your goals. Successful proposals come from a strong match between the interests of the applicant and the mission of the funding agency.
Start by reviewing funding program descriptions carefully—especially sections labeled Objectives, Purpose, Uses of Funds, or Restrictions. These sections help you determine whether a funding opportunity is appropriate for your idea. Related or similar programs may also be worth considering, even if they are not an exact match.
SPARC can assist you in evaluating whether a funding agency’s priorities align with your project and help you avoid pursuing opportunities that are unlikely to be a good fit.
GrantForward
GrantForward is a powerful grant-search tool that helps SUU faculty, staff, and students identify funding opportunities that align with their research interests. It aggregates and continuously updates thousands of grant opportunities from a wide range of sponsors and uses advanced search filters and personalized recommendations to surface the most relevant matches. By creating a researcher profile, users can receive tailored funding recommendations based on their interests and experience.
At this stage, you will begin turning your idea into a formal proposal. While specific requirements vary by funding agency, most strong proposals include the core elements listed below. SPARC can help you interpret sponsor guidelines and ensure these components are clearly and effectively presented.
- Proposal Summary: A concise overview of the project, including its purpose, significance, and expected outcomes
- Institutional Context: A brief description of your department, college, and Southern Utah University, demonstrating institutional capacity and support
- Problem Statement or Needs Assessment: A clear explanation of the issue your project addresses and why it matters
- Project Objectives: Specific, measurable goals the project intends to achieve
- Project Methods: A description of how the project will be carried out, including activities, timelines, and responsibilities
- Evaluation Plan: An explanation of how project success will be measured and assessed
- Sustainability or Future Funding Plan: An outline of how the project may continue after the grant period ends, if applicable
- Budget and Budget Narrative: An itemized budget with justification for each expense, aligned with sponsor and university guidelines
You do not need to finalize every section at once. Proposal development is an iterative process, and SPARC can review drafts, assist with budget development, and help ensure compliance with sponsor requirements before submission.
An effective review focuses on:
- Clarity and logical flow of ideas
- Alignment between the problem statement, objectives, and methods
- Whether required components are present and complete
- Strength and persuasiveness of the proposed outcomes
- Identification of assumptions that may need stronger evidence or explanation
Independent reviewers can provide valuable feedback that improves readability, strengthens arguments, and helps ensure your proposal meets sponsor expectations before submission.
This review stage helps catch issues early and significantly increases the quality and competitiveness of the final proposal.
Tip: Build time for at least one external review before SPARC’s internal deadline. Rushed reviews often lead to avoidable revisions or delays.
All proposals must be coordinated and submitted through the SPARC office. As the authorized office for sponsored programs, SPARC is responsible for final review, approval, and submission on behalf of Southern Utah University. Individual applicants should not submit proposals directly unless explicitly instructed by SPARC.
Proposal deadlines set by funding agencies are strict and non-negotiable. To avoid last-minute issues, proposals must be completed and provided to SPARC by the established internal deadline. Proposals submitted after the sponsor’s deadline—or after SPARC’s internal deadline—cannot be accepted and will not be reviewed by the funding agency.
Advance planning and early coordination with SPARC are essential to ensure a smooth and successful submission process.
Post-Award Phase
Once your proposal is funded, your role as the Principal Investigator (PI) shifts to managing the project and its resources effectively. Key responsibilities include:
- Understanding the award: Review the finalized scope of work, approved budget, any cost-share requirements, and program income.
- Compliance requirements: Note reporting deadlines, travel restrictions, human subjects (IRB) or animal care (IACUC) requirements, and any other sponsor regulations.
- Know your support team: Identify SPARC staff, department contacts, and other resources available to assist you throughout the project.
How SPARC Supports You
The Post Award Facilitator in the SPARC office will guide you through the start of the post-award process. This includes:
- Walking through key award documents and ensuring you understand your responsibilities
- Coordinating communication between you and the sponsor
- Setting up a plan for ongoing project oversight
Throughout the award period, the Post Award Facilitator will meet with you quarterly to monitor progress. These meetings typically include:
- Reviewing program expenses to ensure they are allowable, reasonable, and aligned with the budget
- Discussing any programmatic, budgetary, or administrative adjustments, such as scope changes, budget revisions, or No-Cost Extensions
- Providing guidance on reporting requirements and other compliance matters
At the conclusion of your project, all required financial and technical/programmatic reports must be completed and submitted to formally close out the award.
The SPARC office requires copies of all final reports and deliverables specified in the award agreement. If any planned deliverables were not completed, appropriate justification and documentation must be provided.
Reporting Responsibilities
- Principal Investigator (PI):
- Responsible for submitting all technical or programmatic reports to the sponsor
- Must also provide copies of these reports to the Post Award Facilitator at SPARC
- Grant Accountant:
- Responsible for submitting final financial reports
- Post Award Facilitator:
- Reviews all project expenses to ensure they are allowable, allocable, and reasonable
- Confirms that reporting and closeout requirements are fully met
Reporting Deadlines
Federal regulations require that final financial and technical/programmatic reports be submitted within 90 days of the project’s official end date (the period of performance end date listed in the award).
Some awards—particularly those in which SUU is a subrecipient—may have shorter reporting deadlines, such as 60 or 45 days. In these cases, SUU must submit reports earlier so the prime recipient can meet the federal 90-day requirement.
Your Post Award Facilitator will help identify applicable deadlines and ensure reports are submitted on time.
Why Closeout Matters
Timely and accurate project closeout:
- Ensures compliance with sponsor and federal requirements
- Protects SUU's eligibility for future funding
- Maintains positive relationships with funding agencies
- Allows projects to conclude cleanly and successfully
Important: Final reporting deadlines are firm. Missing or late reports can delay closeout, affect future funding opportunities, and place the university out of compliance.
Funding agencies increasingly expect projects to demonstrate measurable results and broader impacts beyond the original research team or institution. Sponsors are looking for ideas that can be transferred, scaled, and adapted by other instructors, programs, and institutions.
Sharing results through a project website or conference presentation is still valuable, but these approaches are often considered passive and may not be sufficient on their own. Agencies are now seeking more strategic and intentional dissemination plans that clearly explain how project outcomes will reach broader audiences and create lasting impact.
An effective “Share Research” plan should:
- Go beyond passive dissemination methods
- Include both local and national dissemination activities
- Identify specific partner institutions, organizations, or networks
- Target broader participation goals, including underserved or underrepresented groups
- Explain how project outcomes can be replicated, adapted, or scaled by others
Examples of strategic ways to share research include:
- Collaborating with partner institutions to implement or pilot project outcomes
- Developing reusable curricula, toolkits, or training materials
- Hosting workshops, webinars, or professional development sessions
- Publishing open-access resources or implementation guides
- Integrating findings into existing professional or educational networks
SPARC can assist in developing a dissemination plan that aligns with sponsor expectations and strengthens the overall competitiveness of your proposal.