Limited Submissions Program

A limited submission funding opportunity is a grant offered by a funder (usually a federal agency or foundation) that limits the number of applications a given institution may submit. University coordination is required for limited submission opportunities because there may be penalties for institutions that submit more than the allowable number of applications.

Many limited submission opportunities are prestigious for both researchers and the university, and positively affect the reputation of the winning institution. The Research and Innovation Office (RIO) is responsible for administering the rigorous process that determines the most competitive proposals that best fit the strategic mission and research goals of the University of Minnesota.

SEE A LIST OF KNOWN AND CURRENTLY ACTIVE LIMITED SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITIES  
 

The limited submission process is facilitated by RIO. The Vice President for Research and Innovation makes the final determinations on proposal nominations, taking into consideration review panel recommendations and the University's strategic mission and research goals.

Workflow chart for limited submission application and approval process.

Timeline

Limited submission opportunities are posted to the RIO website as soon as possible after they are officially released by the funder. RIO assigns an internal deadline. Anyone who wants to apply must submit their internal applications by this date.

Every effort is made to ensure there is enough time for applications to go through an internal competition and to allow the nominees adequate time to develop competitive proposals for submission to the funder. Some opportunities allow for less time than others. If a funder deadline is 6 weeks or less from the date of publication on the RIO limited submission website, the opportunity may be considered first-come, first-served. If this is noted in the internal requirements, the first application(s) will receive the nomination(s), depending on the number of submissions allowed by the funder.

The RIO Research Advancement Team actively searches for limited submission opportunities in order to post them in a timely manner. From time to time, there are situations where limited submission opportunities are identified by faculty and staff. Faculty and staff have a responsibility to inform RIO if they identify a limited submission opportunity to pursue that is not on the limited submission website. Approval from RIO must be obtained before applying to a limited submission opportunity. Limited submission opportunities should be emailed to: [email protected].
 

How to Apply

RIO requires an internal application for each limited submission funding opportunity. This application is separate from the funder application and more concise. To apply to a posted opportunity, view the internal requirements on the RIO Limited Submissions Website. Eligibility can be determined by reading the sponsor guidelines. RIO limited submission funding opportunities typically require:

  • Cover page listing the PI name, department, contact information, project title, specific track you are applying for (if applicable) and a one paragraph project abstract.
  • Two to three possible reviewer names from UMN that do not pose a Conflict of Interest
  • Five keywords that could be used to search for reviewers
  • Project summary that includes solicitation specific information (not more than three pages)
  • PI biosketch (NSF or NIH format or similar, not more than five pages) NSF Biographical Sketch, NIH Biographical Sketch

Some opportunities may have different or additional requirements which will be detailed in the guidelines.
Applications must be emailed to [email protected] by the internal deadline.
  

Selection Process

When the number of internal applications received is equal or less than the funder limit, those applicants automatically become the official UMN nominees, provided they meet the funder’s criteria for eligibility. RIO sends an official letter of nomination to the PI.

When the number of internal applications received is more than the funder limit, an internal competition is held. Applications are reviewed and scored by a review panel. Review panels may consist of research associate deans, ad hoc faculty members, and/or past winners of the funding opportunity.

Scores are based on scientific merit, alignment with funder missions and guidelines, and alignment with UMN research strategic initiatives and priorities.

Review panel recommendations are sent to the Vice President for Research and Innovation to approve the nomination. RIO sends an official letter of nomination to the PI. 

 

Selected Applicants - Next Steps

Faculty, researchers, and their teams selected for limited submission opportunities are expected to work with their assigned SPA Grant and Contract Officer as well as their schools and colleges to develop and submit their proposals by the designated funder deadline. 

If the decision is made not to submit, RIO must be notified as soon as possible. Depending on how many applications were received, the nomination may be transferred to another applicant and they will need time to prepare their proposal for submission to the funder.
 

Questions? Please contact the RIO Research Advancement Team at [email protected].
   

Where to Get Help

See our Frequently Asked Questions for information about common questions. 

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What is a limited submission funding opportunity?

A limited submission funding opportunity is a grant offered by a funder (usually a federal organization or private foundation) that limits the number of submissions an institution may submit. There are many reasons a funder limits the number of submissions:

  • Some limited submissions are big, prestigious awards.
  • Some funders are smaller organizations (private foundations for example) and may limit submissions in order to manage the number of applications.
  • Some funders have a specific budget and need to limit the amount of proposals they can fund. 

Why do we need to apply to RIO before submitting an application to a limited submission funding opportunity?

Funders offering limited submission opportunities assume institutions have a rigorous selection process to ensure that the most competitive proposals are ultimately submitted. The goal of RIO’s limited submission program is to provide a fair and transparent process for deciding which applications will move forward according to funder guidelines and UMN’s strategic mission and research goals.

Funders strictly enforce limited submission application numbers. RIO oversees the process to ensure that UMN does not submit more than the allowable number of applications.

What happens if UMN submits more than the allowed number of applications to a limited submission opportunity?

It is important to ensure that the number of proposals submitted from UMN do not exceed the funder’s allowed number of applications. Funders strictly enforce limited submission limits. Failure to follow these limits may result in consequences to the institution. Some funders have consequences for submitting more applications than allowed. They may send back all proposals from the institution or only take the latest applications, rejecting any that were submitted before.

What is the UMN limited submission process?

The Research Advancement team searches for and publishes current opportunities on the RIO limited submission website. An internal deadline is determined, allowing interested applicants time to submit an internal application.

If the number of applicants is within the funder limit, those applications automatically become official UMN nominees and are allowed to move forward with their proposal.

If more applications are received than the amount allowed, an internal competition will be held. A review panel will review and score each application. Review panels may consist of research associate deans, ad hoc faculty members, and/or past winners of the funding opportunity. A review panel meeting may be held to discuss scores and submissions.

The review panel recommendations are sent to the Vice President for Research and Innovation who makes the final determination on proposal nominations, considering the review panel recommendations and the University's strategic mission and research goals. All applicants are notified of the decision, and given reviewer feedback.

The nominated applicant(s) work with their schools or colleges and their representative at Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) to put together a competitive proposal for submission to the funder. SPA Grant and Contract Officer Assignments.

What happens if an opportunity has first-come, first-served specified on the RIO website?

If the RIO guidelines specify first-come, first-served for a specific opportunity, it means there is not enough time to hold an internal competition before the funder deadline for applications.  The first application that meets the funder eligibility criteria automatically gets the nomination and may move forward. If a funder allows more than one application per institution, the next applicant that applies will get the next nomination until all spots are filled.

How do I know if it is a limited submission opportunity?

Generally, the eligibility section of a funding opportunity will have a subsection or separate paragraph detailing the number of proposals or applications allowed per institution. If, after checking the eligibility section and reading through the NOFO (notice of funding opportunity), it is still unclear whether or not it is a limited submission opportunity, contact either the funder directly or our office at [email protected] for further clarification.

I want to apply for a limited submission opportunity, but it is not on the RIO website. What should I do?

The Research Advancement Team works hard to identify and publish limited submission opportunities from our sources. However, there may be additional opportunities discovered by faculty or staff. If a faculty or staff member comes across an opportunity that is not listed on our website, please notify the Research Advancement Team at [email protected] as soon as possible. The opportunity will be posted on the RIO Limited Extramural Funding website. Proposals should not be submitted to any limited submission opportunities without approval from RIO.

What happens if a proposal is submitted to a limited submission opportunity without going through the UMN limited submission process?

Funders offering limited submission opportunities are very strict about the number of proposals an institution is allowed to submit. If there are more submissions than the allowed number, funders may return proposals without review, or all submissions may be disqualified. A proposal submitted without permission may end up superseding an officially nominated proposal. It is important to always go through RIO.

What is an internal competition?

When a posted opportunity receives more applications than a funder allows, RIO will hold an internal competition. Review panels may consist of research associate deans, ad hoc faculty members, and/or past winners of the funding opportunity. A review panel meeting may be held to discuss scores and submissions.

Scores and reviews will be sent to the Vice President for Research and Innovation who will determine UMN's nominations according to committee reviews and proposal alignment with UMN strategic research initiatives. 

Do I have to submit a new proposal in the case of an internal competition?

No. The review panels will evaluate the proposals as submitted.

What if I was selected as a nominee, but decide I cannot submit a proposal to the funder?

If you decide you cannot submit a proposal after you were nominated by UMN, you must let the Research Advancement team know as soon as possible. If you were selected through an internal competition, the next ranking applicant will become the official nominee and will need time to prepare and work on their proposal.

I submitted a proposal that wasn't selected as the university nomination. Can I re-submit my proposal in a future funding period?

Yes, you can re-submit your proposal. Re-submitted proposals will be treated the same as initial proposals. It is a good idea to look at any comments you received from reviewers of your initial proposal and make any changes accordingly.

If your proposal becomes part of an internal review, the review committee will not have access to your previous scores or comments.

I am submitting a competitive renewal to a limited submission funding opportunity. Is there anything different I need to do?

Make sure that your cover letter states that your submission is a competitive renewal. 

What do the statuses on the Limited Submissions webpage mean?

Open - Accepting proposals/submissions

In Review - The internal deadline has passed and submitted proposals are going through the review process. No new internal submissions will be accepted.

PI(s) Selected - The proposals submitted have gone through the review process and the PI(s) have been selected to submit full proposals to the funder. No new internal submissions will be accepted.

Contact Us - The internal deadline has passed, and either we have not received any internal submissions, or there are fewer internal submissions than available slots. Contact us if you would like to submit a proposal. These are handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

Are there any resources available for help on writing proposals or finding collaborators?

Experts.umn.edu is a great place to find collaborators. For a list of grant writing resources, please see the Limited Submissions website.