Prepare/Submit an Application: Develop a Proposal Narrative

The proposal narrative is the main body of an application that describes the project. Please find below recommended guidance, resources and tools for developing you proposal narrative.

Note: If you are planning to apply for a grant or non-construction contract, please contact Sponsored Programs as soon as possible and provide the name of the sponsor and the specific program for which you plan to apply.

Pre-Application Checklist

Before deciding to apply for external funding, you should review the program’s:

  1. Submission Deadline – Do you have have enough time to meet the deadline?
  2. Sponsor's Review Criteria – Does your project adequately respond to review criteria?
  3. Sponsor's Goals – Do your project goals align with those of the sponsor?
  4. Eligibility Criteria – Are Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) or non-profit entities eligible to apply? If an applicant must have 501(c)(3) status, please contact Philanthropy and Engagement to discuss the possibility of submitting your application.

Utilize Samples and Boilerplates

Some of the information you need may already exist in samples and boilerplate language you can adapt for your proposal.

  • BioPride Description
  • Honors College Description
  • McNair Program Description

Know Where to Locate Data

Internal Data

East Texas A&M and System-Wide Data

External Data

Community College and School District Data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

Consider Including Collaborators

  • Find a collaborator within the A&M System using Maestro
  • Find an external or internal collaborator using Pivot
  • Contact staff for assistance with locating collaborator:
    • Within the A&M System using Maestro
    • From Other Universities or East Texas A&M using known experts

External Review Services

Utilize the external review services available through Sponsored Programs

External reviewers are grant writers and editors who will:

  • review your proposal
  • provide technical edits
  • ask clarifying questions
  • leave comments where further clarification is needed.

External reviews, a service provided through Sponsored Programs, typically take 3-5 days but may require up to two weeks during busy periods. Reviews are available upon request.

Write to the Review Criteria of Your Sponsor

Check if your sponsor provides the criteria that will be used to determine what is awarded. Most federal or State programs will provide review criteria, while private foundations will imply review criteria through their mission statement.

Governmental Agencies Review Criteria

Guides and Resources

Grant Writing Guides

Developing Other Application Components

Videos

The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides project proposal videos on the following topics:

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