FDU Proposal Toolkit

Proposal Development Authorization (PDA)

Submit your request via an Online Portal for grants. As guidance, you may download and reference the annotated instructions on how to complete the form Instructions for Preparing the Proposal Development Authorization Form.

All extramural proposals planned with the support of the Grants and Sponsored Projects (GSP) office must be authorized by various institutional officials prior to submission using a new online PDA process to secure signatures.  The Principal Investigator (PI) is required to initiate the PDA process not less than two weeks prior to the sponsoring agency deadline, as this may result in missing a critical deadline.  

All institutional data will be self-populated based on the PI and Co-PI’s departmental affiliations; other required data is more specific to the targeted sponsoring agency and program to which you are applying.  PIs and key personnel, i.e., faculty and staff involved in the design and conduct of the proposed work, must complete CITI training of one or more modules, to be determined by the nature of your proposal, e.g., CITI training in Human Subjects activities, Conflict of Interest.  Please contact Kim Diccianni, Compliance Coordinator at dicciann@fdu.edu, for guidance and access to CITI training modules. 

The PI will be required to upload a Project Narrative draft, the GSP will upload the budget, and the Compliance Coordinator will verify that all training is completed and up to date, and that Significant Financial Interest (SFI) Disclosures are provided.  Should you have any questions, please contact the Carolynn Julien at c.julien@fdu.edu.

Budget Templates

Use the Budget Templates (pre-formulated and password protected excel spreadsheets) to build project costs, i.e. a line-item budget that conforms and identifies with project goals/objectives, and is explicitly justified in the budget narrative section of the proposal.

  • Begin by entering the Project Title, Project Period, Sponsor Name and Principal Investigator Name.
    • Note that the number of years is automatically selected upon entering dates.
  • Academic and/or summer compensation may be requested but must conform with sponsor limits.
  • Cost-of-living projections are pre-populated by the GSP, e.g., 3% annually.
  • Fringe Benefits and Indirect Cost rates are pre-populated by the Grants office. See Rate Agreements.
  • Data/information can be entered in all Green highlighted cells.
  • Some budget categories have additional data calculation features, e.g, Travel, Tuition, Hourly Wages.

Project Evaluation and Assessment Materials/References

Extramural proposals may require the inclusion of Program Effectiveness, Performance Measurement and Outcome Assessments. Advanced planning, and consultation with an external evaluator may be necessary. To get started:

Institutional Data Requests

Your proposal may require institutional data, e.g., student enrollment, yield rates, retention/grad rates, course information, and/or other specialized requests.  The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment Request (OIRA) can be contacted for support by submitting an online request for services as early in the process as possible at the following link. 

Literature Searches

FDU Librarians are information professionals who are trained and experienced in literature search methodologies, and curators of abundant online resources and multi-disciplinary databases. They are available for professional consultation and can assist you in conduct your literature search utilizing best practices for structured inquiries. The results are timely and relevant, and the citations can serve as the foundation of your proposal.

For more information, contact Ana Fontoura, University Librarian, at 201-692-2276 or email afontoura@fdu.edu.

Research Technologies

The following Institutional technology licenses have been secured and are accessible in support of research. These products represent the latest innovations for large-scale collaborations, and data-driven research collection, security and analytics.

  • Qualtrics is available to faculty, staff and students to develop, distribute, track responses, collect and analyze online data. It offers advanced security and confidentiality through password protection, secure connections, and firewalls. Learn more about Qualtrics here. To get started, you can create your FREE account to Qualtrics using your FDU email credentials at the following link: https://fdupsych.co1.qualtrics.com
  • WebEx Technology provides an integrated suite of specialized web collaboration applications for a convenient and cost-effective alternative solution for online meetings with multiple participants. Can be used for robust research training initiatives and collaborative exchange, sharing reliable video content, presentations, etc.