Resources For Seeking External Funding

Searching for extramural funding sources and preparing proposals can be very rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming for individuals with limited experience in this arena. Several resources are provided to help you navigate the grant writing process. We encourage you to engage OSP early in the grant writing process so that we can provide recommendations and ensure that all necessary approvals are obtained. Without these approvals, the proposal cannot be submitted.

Step one in the grant writing process is finding the appropriate funding opportunities. Select links are provided, but to do a more comprehensive search, we recommend using the federal opportunity repository Grants.gov or GrantForward, which provides access to Requests for Proposals (RFP) from federal and state agencies and private foundations. GrantForward is available to use by Bradley University faculty, staff, and students.

To apply for federal funding, you must register to use the appropriate application submission website (grants.gov, Research.gov, or eRA Commons). You must also link your account to Bradley University and have one of Bradley's Authorized Organization Representatives (AOR) complete your registration. In addition, once the proposal is prepared, and University approvals are obtained (which can take up to TEN days, so start the approval process early), only an AOR can submit a federal proposal. Please contact osp@bradley.edu for assistance. Instructions for registering with the federal websites and the preliminary steps for preparing a proposal are posted. Please do not hesitate to contact osp@bradley.edu with any questions about the registration and application process on the federal sites.