Find Your Proposal or Grant Manager SPA Policies Cayuse Research Suite
General
General

Proposal Managers (PMs) assist faculty in applying for external funding by reviewing proposals, creating potential budget scenarios, and facilitating the Ball State approval processes for potential grant work.

Grant Managers (GMs) work with faculty and administrative staff once a grant is awarded to the University to monitor budgets, ensure regulations applicable to the grant are followed, and complete invoicing for project expenses and financial reporting.

Examples of when to contact a Proposal Manager

  • You want to apply for a new grant
  • You are planning on reapplying for funding you have had in the past
  • You have questions about a submitted proposal that Ball State has not been awarded
  • You receive news that your proposal was awarded

Examples of when to contact a Grant Manager

  • You have questions about how to charge an expense to a grant
  • You want to know if an expense is allowable on a grant
  • You have questions about personnel charging to a grant (Faculty, GAs, or Students)
  • You are considering if you will need an extension to a grant
  • You need to complete reporting for a grant

Cost sharing refers to a portion of a project or program not supported by the sponsor. It is the University's share in the cost of conducting the project/program. Cost sharing occurs either when a sponsor requires, or the University commits, funds beyond those awarded by the sponsoring agency to support a particular grant or contract. Your Proposal Manager will be able to assist you with constructing a budget that meets both sponsor guidelines and University policy. Please note: a budget that requires cost share needs more time to process so reach out to your PM early.

Cost sharing commitments are to be limited to meeting sponsor requirements. Voluntary use of departmental or collegiate funds, as authorized by department heads or deans, in support of a sponsored  project or program, which is not required by the sponsor is not treated as sponsored project cost sharing. 

The sponsor guidelines normally address this issue. Unless sponsor guidelines state otherwise, facilities and administrative (F & A) costs should be requested at the full federally negotiated rate. 
No, fringe benefits are considered separate. Sponsored Projects budgets fringe benefits at personnel actual rates. Your Proposal Manager will assist in identifying what those current rates are, as well as current salary and daily rates, and what any escalation would be needed for multi-year proposals.
A rate of 36% is used for TBD faculty and staff. Benefits for summer and supplemental salaries are calculated at 19.92%. 

These are costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefited. For example, the cost of the electricity in the Foundational Sciences Building benefits all work in the building (sponsored projects, classes, administrative work), and is not readily assignable to a specific objective (Prof. Nightingale’s NIH grant).

In contrast, direct costs are incurred for a specific purpose (e.g., to carry out the work of a single sponsored project) and readily assignable to the objectives that are benefitted (the collection tubes purchased on Prof. Nightingale’s NIH grant are readily assignable to the objective of storing blood samples). For Institutions of Higher Education, the term facilities and administrative (F&A) cost is often used to refer to indirect costs.

MGR refers to Matching Grant Reserve funds. Departments may provide matching funds or additional dollars in support of grant projects out of their fiscal year budgets. However, sometimes there is still a need for an additional source of funds. Requests may be made to SPA for MGR monies as necessary. Please discuss this need with your Proposal Manager when seeking budget development assistance.

Participant support costs are program specific expenses such as stipends, subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants in connection with meetings, conferences, symposia or training projects.  

Research incentives for surveys and studies are generally not considered participant support costs.  

Stated another way, participant support costs are payment to those who participate in a program, not payments to those who are research particpants/research subjects. 

Typically, sponsors will post previously funded grantee information on their websites. If you have trouble finding this information, contact SPA for assistance. 
SPA can offer examples of successful applications to both federal and non-federal sponsors. Your Proposal Manager will be able to assist with these resources. 
This documentation can be found in Cayuse under My Proposals>Submitted Proposals. The Proposal Routing Status screen includes a small PDF icon that allows you to download the Clearance (IPF) summary document for a proposal. If you have trouble locating this, please contact your Proposal Manager for assistance. 
Pre Award
Sponsors will indicate what documentation they require with applications in the guidelines.  

Guidelines will outline a broad range of items, such as letters of support, charts and diagrams, or references cited. A proposal should only include those items that a sponsor requests.
Your Proposal Manager will assist in the preparation and review of the budget. You may set up an appointment or email your budget request to your PM for review and development. If you want to be ahead of the game, have a list of potential needs to get started! 
Congrats! Please email your Proposal Manager this notification and they will instruct you on your next steps. 

The sooner, the better! Work with your Proposal Manager (PM) early and often. For known deadlines, Principal Investigators should send draft application materials to their PM at least three weeks/15 business days for priority processing. Refer to the Proposal Submission Policy for complete guidance. 

Proposals with the following elements require at least 4 weeks’ notice to SPA, in order to undergo required additional review: 

  1. Project-based international travel 
  2. Dedicated effort of more than 25% in any one semester 
  3. Required cost share 

Sponsors will outline exactly how they want to see your narrative/project description in their guidelines. Read these carefully for this type of information and evaluation criteria. Your Proposal Manager can help you interpret complicated guidelines and sponsor requirements.

In the Proposal Components section of our website, we have brief descriptions of commonly requested sections of a proposal narrative, such as the Problem Statement, Needs & Objectives, Significance, and Evaluation.  

 

Please email your Proposal Manager this notification so we can update our records. Your PM can assist with obtaining any reviewer’s comments from the sponsor and revise your proposal. Reviewer comments are a crucial tool for improving your proposal writing. 
Sometimes, sponsors require a pre-proposal (which may also be called a Letter of Intent or Letter of Inquiry) prior to requesting a full proposal. This process helps the sponsor gauge interest in an opportunity and/or allows them to request full proposals for only those projects that they will seriously consider for funding. Your Proposal Manager can help you draft this document and determine any required budget items. If you are interested in an opportunity that requires pre-proposal correspondence, please contact your Proposal Manager.
If you haven't heard back from a sponsor, after submission in the expected timeframe, you can contact your Proposal Manager to help you connect with a sponsor to determine the status.
Proposals with budgets over $20,000 that adhere to the proposal timeline outlined by their Proposal Manager (in alignment with the Proposal Submission Policy) are generally eligible for Submit funds. Learn more about eligibility on the Submit page.
Discuss with your Proposal Manager in advance of the deadline how you would like to handle submission. In some cases, the Investigator may submit an emailed proposal if he or she wishes, pending completed approvals. If a paper submission is required, and all paperwork is received in time for handling, your PM can assist with mailing out your application. This could be updated to explain proposal portal websites as well (ex- grants.gov and research.gov submissions where we have to submit). 
Every external proposal submission must be routed for University approvals. At the basic level, approvals include the Principal Investigator, the administering department, Finance Office, and College Dean. Many proposals include a co-investigator and senior personnel, who would pull in their approval lines and can extend the time needed to get those approvals in place.  

Once your budget is fully developed and a proposal narrative is close to submission-ready, your proposal manager will prepare a Cayuse record (IPF) for you. The Lead PI will be instructed to review the record, complete assurances, route it, and certify it as accurate. Those approving will receive an email notification that a record is ready for their review, which will kick off the approval chain. 

First, the collaborating institutions should determine which will be the lead organization. The lead will be responsible for submitting the application to the sponsor and will have primary responsibility for the project's outcomes. Second, the partnering organizations should determine the scope of work and division of activities, which will determine the allocation of the budget and provide valuable information for the development of the subaward budget.  

If Ball State is the lead, we require that the subaward institution provide us with a scope of work, budget, budget narrative, and a Subrecipient Commitment form. If Ball State is the subaward, we will require the PI to submit a scope of work, budget, and budget narrative. These documents will be used for Cayuse routing and will be sent to the lead institution along with any additional documents they request from us.

Projects that involve human subjects / animal subjects / biohazardous materials may require protocol documentation at the time of proposal. Sponsors will include these requirements in the guidelines.  

The Office of Research Integrity is responsible for overseeing all projects involving human subjects, animal subjects, and biohazardous materials. Information about these policies can be found on the Office of Research Integrity's website. 

  • Questions about a proposal application or research development can be directed to your department's Proposal Manager.  
  • Questions about an awarded grant or reporting can be directed to your department's Grant Manager.  
  • Aspire Internal Grant questions can be sent to aspire@bsu.edu
  • Submit Program or RIA account questions may be sent to Augusta Isley.
  • Questions about the Student Symposium can be sent tostusymposium@bsu.edu
Currently employed BSU regular tenured faculty, tenure-track faculty, non-tenure-track faculty, and regular professional personnel are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators (PIs) on sponsored projects.
Post Award
Contact your grant manager. Depending on the grant requirements and range of adjustments being made, the grant manager may have to seek approval from the Sponsor.   
Agreements at the University go through a variety of approvals prior to be recommended for signature by legal. Review by all parties ensures that the university is protected. While it is hard to pinpoint an exact deadline, communicating early and often allows all those involved to effectively manage their time and resources.  
Ball State only has 3 authorized signatories who can sign for the university. Improper signing can delay your project. We strongly advise you don’t do it.  
Check with your designated Grant Manager. While the steps might vary based on the original agreement, timely communication with the appropriate personnel will allow you to meet your needs and that of the project. We are here to help!  
Each month the lead PI for an award receives two auto generated reports that show the expenses from the last month & the expenditures from the total award. These reports will include the balance remaining for the award. If you have questions about the award and its balance, contact the Grant Manager assigned to the award.
Work with your administrative assistant to order supplies via Sciquest and expense directly to the grant FOAP provided by your grant manager. If supplies need to be ordered via University Purchasing Card, contact your Grant Manager prior to purchasing for approval  
The waiting period for notification of funding or denial can vary from sponsor to sponsor, but generally, six to nine months is standard for federal funding. Sponsors may indicate in the proposal guidelines or on their websites a date applicants can expect to hear back. If the start date for your proposal has passed, please contact your unit's Proposal Manager to determine the next steps. 
The Grant Manager assigned to your award will complete invoices and send to the sponsor as described in the contract requirements.   
SPA utilizes Cayuse as a tool to ensure that all parties who need to be aware are aware. SPA is here to help ensure agreements both meet the needs of the project and protect the University.  
The Grant Manager assigned to your award will complete the EPAFS needed for faculty pay to be expensed to a grant (both AY salary or summer supplemental salary). You should double check that this salary is listed on the monthly reports you receive. If you think you should have salary charging and do not see it (or opposite), please contact your Grant Manager ASAP.  
Generally no. Proposals require AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) signature and Grant Agreements must be signed by an Authorized Official for the University. SPA will facilitate getting these signatures. If there is a signature required by the PI, SPA will reach out and let you know.   
Please check with your Grant Manager about the SPA processes that may be available to you based on the needs of your project. While some awards can only start upon full execution the agreement mechanism determines whether or not pre-award cost are allowable, it is best to check with SPA to make sure. If you incur costs prior to an agreement being signed your department may be on the hook for those costs. 
Work with your administrative assistant to hire the student through the Career Center. The student position should be expensed directly to the FOAP. Administrative Assistants need to include the grant manager as an approver on the EPAF (level 275) and note in the comments what grant the student is working on.   

Intellectual property includes certain artistic and creative works, commercial inventions and devices, and technology developed by Ball State faculty, staff, students, and others participating in Ball State programs. Technology within this framework includes technical innovations, inventions, and discoveries as well as digital and emerging media or other creative works.

Some examples of intellectual property include:

  • drawings
  • paintings
  • music
  • poems
  • textbooks
  • scientific discoveries
  • device or “gadget”
  • software
  • instructional CD or DVD
  • learning tools
  • unique methodologies
  • processes and know-how that may constitute protected trade secrets

Examples of innovations that are not considered intellectual property include:

  • ideas
  • theories
  • mathematical methods
  • discoveries of natural substances
Disclosures are used by the University to examine the commercial market value of copyrightable and potentially patentable works. The information submitted on a disclosure form allows the TTO to make decisions about ownership of the work, market impact, licensing, and if applicable, patenting. Ideally, an Intellectual Property Disclosure Form should be submitted before the work has been publicly disclosed or published. 
Notify the University that you may have an invention or discovery by submitting an IP Disclosure form to SPA. You should disclose your potential IP prior to any publication or public disclosure of your work.
No. According to Section 2.1.4 of Ball State’s Intellectual Property Policy, these works are specifically exempt.

Generally, student work written, performed, or created in or out of class belongs to the student. Exceptions occur when students use significant university funds, resources, and/or facilities to create their intellectual property (IP). The term “significant” implies use beyond what is considered usual and customary. In such exceptions, a disclosure must be made to the university for the determination of IP ownership, cost recovery, and royalty distribution.

Ball State’s Intellectual Property Policy provides a more detailed explanation regarding university ownership of intellectual property (IP) produced by students. With some exceptions, students fall in the same category as faculty, staff, and visitors, where significant uses of university resources and/or facilities are used to create the IP.

Ball State has a limited royalty-free license to use student-owned work created as part of a university project or program for certain educational, marketing, or promotional purposes.

In most cases, the inventors agree upon the share of the 30 percent among themselves in a proceeds distribution agreement. If such an agreement is not reached, the university will divide royalties among all inventors as equitably as possible.

The policy provides a more detailed explanation regarding university ownership of intellectual property (IP) produced by students. With some exceptions, students fall in the same category as faculty, staff, and visitors, where significant uses of university resources and/or facilities are used to create the IP. The student handbook will refer students to the IP policy for information on student created works. The policy further provides that the university has a limited royalty-free license to use student-owned work created as part of a university project or program for certain educational, marketing, or promotional purposes.

Under ordinary circumstances, student work written, performed, or created in or out of class belongs to the student. Exceptions occur when students use significant university funds, resources, and/or facilities to create their IP. The term “significant” implies uses beyond what is considered usual and customary. In such exceptions, a disclosure must be made to the university for the determination of IP ownership, cost recovery, and royalty distribution. Ball State’s Intellectual Property Policy provides a more detailed explanation regarding ownership of intellectual property produced by students.

Ball State's Digital Corps is well equipped to assist faculty with creative classroom projects and other production needs. Undergraduate students take on real-world clients in an immersive setting to support the academic success of the University.

Contact the Digital Corps by email or phone - 285-3004.