Frequently Asked Questions for Early Investigators

Yes, a few are listed below.

New Investigator Guide to NIH Funding, by the NIAID
Early Stage and Early Established Investigator Policies, by the NIH
Tips for New NIH Grant Applicants, by NIGMS
Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER), by the NSFa
NASA Science Directorate How-To Guide, by NASA

Generally, proposals to external sponsors require institutional review. If in doubt, contact Sponsored Projects and Contracting Services for clarification.

There are several portals and databases that can be used to search for potential collaborators. For more information on these as well as collaboration spaces, centers and institutes, core facilities, and other tools and resources, visit the Collaboration section of the Research Gateway.

Visit the Build a Budget section of the Research Gateway to get started, and contact your departmental/unit business office for assistance.

We recommend that you take a proactive role in identifying relevant funding opportunities. To assist you, we have provided helpful resources including a list of hand-curated funding opportunities for Early Investigators, and a compilation of search databases, funding sources, and distribution lists.

The UA provides both distributed and centralized assistance for proposal administration and development. When planning to develop and submit a proposal, please contact your departmental/unit business office for budget, routing, and submission. To enhance the competitiveness of your proposal, consider contacting RDS. RDS staff provide a range of (free) services from consultation regarding fit with solicitation to proposal management, including document review, technical editing, and more. RDS staff work hand-in-hand with you and your departmental/unit business office to ensure the complete and on-time submission of your proposal.

More information on college and departmental, as well as campus-wide assistance is described in the Institutional Capacity section of the Research Gateway.

Sponsored proposals are submitted for review and approval through the UA’s electronic research administration system, UAccess Research. Work with your departmental/unit business office for routing and submission of the proposal to Sponsored Projects & Contracting Services (SP&CS). SP&CS will submit the proposal on behalf of the institution. For more information visit the Proposal Submission section of the Research Gateway.

RDS offers several programs on an annual or biannual basis.

Visit the Seminars and Workshops section to learn more about these programs and other training opportunities.

Principal Investigator (PI) eligibility is described in the Getting Started section of the Research Gateway.

Frequently Asked Questions for Early Investigators