FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions | Grants & Research
- What is the first step for submitting a grant through MSU Extension?
- Where can I find definitions to common acronyms used in grant proposals?
- What are Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A, IDC)?
What is the first step for submitting a grant through MSU Extension?
The first step is to contact your Institute Director (ID), Associate ID, and our Grant Services team at MSUE.GrantServices@campusad.msu.edu regarding your intended application as soon as possible. In your email, include the following information:
- Funding agency, allowable F&A/IDC rate
- Funding Solicitation (number/title/web address)
- Project Title
- Start and End Date
- Estimated Costs of the Proposal
- Proposal Deadline
Alternatively, once you receive approval from your institute leadership, fill out this Proposal Submission Form.
Most of this information will be in the funding solicitation, so read carefully. Approval by MSU Extension leadership is required prior to submission of a grant application.
Watch this short video and print out the accompanying PDF to gain understand of deadlines you need to immediately be aware of.
Where can I find definitions to common acronyms used in grant proposals?
This five-minute video by Bill Humphreys, Research Coordinator with College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, provides a wonderful overview of terminology.
For future reference, MSU's Sponsored Programs Administration office maintains a website of acronyms.
What are Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A, IDC)?
Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs, also called indirect costs (IDC), are a percentage of your budget that are allocated to support the university’s infrastructure. Please watch this five-minute video prepared by the MSU AgBioResearch Office of Research Support for more information:
More information about MSU's F&A rates can be found here.
How do I know if my Extension project needs IRB review?
Submitting project activities and data collection protocols to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a necessary step in conducting research at MSU. Key questions and a formal process determines if activities are considered research, therefore requiring IRB approval. This 20-minute video covers what kind of projects require IRB approval, types of IRB reviews, and information about the Determination of Human Subjects Research process for projects you are not certain are considered research by the university.
More information about regulatory requirements, including IRB, can be found here.
What is an example of a financial conflict of interest (COI)?
A common financial conflict of interest would be when you have stock in a company that you are getting a grant from; in other words, when you are personally profiting from an outside source that is somehow tied to the grant funding. To learn more about conflicts of interest, visit the Office of Research Regulatory Support's What to Disclose webpage.
An introductory video on COI from the MSU Office of Regulatory Affairs is below.
What is cost share?
Cost share, also called match or in-kind contribution, is the part of the total project costs on a sponsored (grant-funded) project that are paid from sources other than the sponsor. It may refer to cash contributions, donated services, or use of facilities. Find the MSU Cost Share Policy here.
What is an Institutionally Limited Submission or Application?
Sometimes a solicitation indicates that it will limit the number of proposals that can come from an institution. In such a case, MSU has to coordinate so that a decision can be reached regarding which proposal has the best chance of getting funded. When this happens, it is referred to as an "Institutionally Limited Application," and approval to submit your proposal must be granted. The MSU Extension Grant Services team can help with this process. Learn more on the Office of Research & Innovation's website on the Institutionally Limited Application Procedure.
If I find a potential grant source, how do I check if they are already funding another project at MSU?
Grant Services staff have the ability to look up past applications and awards for all of MSUE. We can also request a search from the central office to see all of MSU’s applications and awards. If the application requires this information, please let us know at msue.grantservices@msu.edu and we will assist.
Do I need to do a Proposal Document in KR for a letter of intent or a pre-proposal?
A pre-proposal does not require a PD, except in the following situations:
- The pre-proposal includes cost share commitments.
- The RFA indicates that there is only a 5% variance allowed between the pre-proposal budget and the full proposal budget.
- The subaward category is more than 75% of the total budgeted direct costs.
- The sponsor requires OSP budget review.
- There are intellectual property ownership and/or export control issues.
- OSP confirms or determines that the proposal requires special review or approvals.
When a PD is required, it should be fully-routed and approved three business days prior to the pre-proposal submission, in accordance with the MSU Proposal Deadline Policy.
Please contact the Grant Services team for more guidance and never assume that an on-line submission will be automatically released to the sponsor by OSP. This is a common misunderstanding for the National Science Foundation pre-proposal submission process.
OSP recommends that the PI seek Research Dean approval before pre-proposal submission if the PI doesn’t meet MSU's PI eligibility requirements.
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