Research Support, Resources & Administration

Search for External/Extramural Funding

Quick links: Grants.Gov; VIMS Search 

W&M's ResearchPI listserv - The William & Mary Office of Sponsored Programs provides a weekly funding opportunity list that is distributed from their email listserv: researchpi@wm.edu.  All W&M faculty (including VIMS faculty) are automatically added to the listserv. Please be aware that this is a comprehensive list that is not specific to just marine science and other information is also included in these messages that may not apply to VIMS.  If you are or are not receiving these emails currently, and would like to change that, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing wosp@wm.edu. 

VIMS Search - from the VIMS Office of Sponsored Programs provides links to search engines and lists of federal, state and private agencies and organizations that fund the kinds of research we do at VIMS.

Grants.Gov is a common website for federal agencies to post discretionary funding opportunities and for grantees to find and apply to them. Researchers can conduct one-time searches for funding or set up continuous email alerts. Details on managing subscriptions is here.

NSF Custom News - A daily email alert service with subscription options that include new research opportunities, upcoming deadlines, and other content categories.

Weekly NIH Guide - NIH announces all new funding opportunities and notices in a weekly Opt-In email. In addition to searching the NIH Guide, you can save your search and receive an email notification when a new NIH Guide posting matches your search criteria.

Different Types of External Funding - Contracts & Sub-awards

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Internal Funding

Quick link: VIMS Equipment Trust Fund Request

For research: Institutional investment in research is guided by VIMS strategic planning which is informed by the needs of the Commonwealth of Virginia, national priorities, and global challenges.  Funds are provided to each Section annually to support the development of collaborative, faculty-driven institutional strategic initiatives. This institutional-level support is intended to stimulate new collaborations, early-stage or untested research ideas, and/or new approaches to tackling research problems relevant to the strategic plan of VIMS, with the goal of serving as an investment for future proposals, funding streams, or research directions. Eligible projects are wide-ranging and may encompass various activities, including data collection, fieldwork, modeling, data analysis, utilization of specialized equipment or unique opportunities, collaboration with external institutions to advance strategic objectives, and the organization of workshops aimed at initiating or nurturing innovative interdisciplinary initiatives or sustainable programs. These funds can provide a means for faculty to pursue potentially “high risk / high reward” projects, and/or to help develop successful proposals for external funding.  

For equipment: Equipment purchases may be supported by Virginia's Higher Education Equipment Trust Fund (HEETF) or other sources.  Requests are reviewed on a rolling basis and are submitted using the VIMS Equipment Trust Fund Request form.  If students working in your lab require a small piece of equipment, they may seek funding through the Office of Academic Affairs (link).

For more information on internal funding for research and equipment, please contact your Section Chair or Center Director.

Proposal Development

If you need tips to increase your success with a new funding agency, consider reaching out to a VIMS colleague who has had funding success with that agency.  OSP can help you connect.  

Grant Writing Information & Resources
Many agencies provide tips and advice on grant writing. Check with the agency that you are applying to for web pages or documents on writing for that agency.  

• EPA Grants (includes links to online training opportunities, such as How to Develop a Budget)
• NSF’s Advice to Proposal Writers
• NSF’s Grant Reviewer Tells All
• NSF's Program Suitability & Proposal Concept Tool (ProSPCT)
• NOAA's Funding Resources and Tips
• NIH’s Grant Writing Tips Sheets
• NIH's Center for Scientific Review - For Applicants

Proposals to Foundations and for Private Support
If you're interested in applying to a foundation, please have a conversation with your Financial Officer and the Office of Sponsored Programs.  Submissions to foundations must be coordinated across campuses and with W&M Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR).   Some foundations do not allow multiple proposals from the same university, and foundations, trusts or private funders may have special processes or requirements that require early consideration.  

VIMS' Office of Sponsored Programs and Executive Director of Advancement can provide additional guidance on writing and submitting proposals for foundations, trusts and other private fund sources.

Budget Development - Campus Rates & Personnel Costs

Quick link: Campus Rates

Rates are posted for the following areas: Eastern Shore Laboratory, Fringe Benefits, Graduate Research Assistant, Indirect Cost, Nutrient Analysis, Pool Vehicles, Publications Center, Seawater Research Lab Rental (for external users, only), Special Events, Tuition, Vessels

Your unit financial manager can help you with estimating personnel costs based on current salary, fringe benefits and anticipated annual rasies.

Proposal Submission (Pre-Award)

Quick links: VIMS Proposal Submission Requirements; Proposal Submission Guidelines Flowchart

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and the Associate Dean for Research and Advisory Service (ADRAS) work together to ensure that high-quality, complete proposal packages are submitted to funding agencies in a timely manner. This is achieved by a thorough review of each proposal for compliance with sponsor and Institute requirements prior to submission. 

Key things to know!

• Start early! If you are going to a submit proposal for funding as a Principal Investigator (PI), it is your responsibility to read and review VIMS Proposal Submission Requirements; you must be aware of and responsive regarding the steps and timelines for Proposal Route and Review and you must adhere to any Compliance requirements.
• A Proposal Route and Review form should be initiated no later than 30 business days before a proposal submission date.  (Mac users may need to use Google Chrome browser to access the form)
• A proposal planning meeting (required), with your Section or Center Financial Officer/Business Manager and the designated OSP lead will help you develop a timeline and roadmap for successful proposal submission. This meeting should occur no later than 20 business days before the proposal submission deadline.
• If your proposal will have subawards to other institutions give them early deadlines for submitting their portions (e.g., text, budgets, CVs, and any other requirements) to you.
• Complete and final proposal packages must be electronically received by OSP at least ten (10) full business days prior to the sponsor's due date. 
• Prior to submission of the completed proposal package, the proposal must be reviewed and endorsed by all of the following (or their designee): Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Investigators (Co-PI), Section Chair/Center Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, Associate Dean for Research and Advisory Service (ADRAS).
• Submission of the Proposal Route and Review form will immediately generate e-mails to Co-PIs and Section Chair(s)/Center Director(s) requesting their approval of the Proposal Cover Page. 
  To access the Cover Page, you must be logged into the VIMS network either on campus or via VPN. For assistance with setting up VPN access off-campus, please submit an ITNS Service Request.
• Again, start early!  Don't let your proposal get caught in a last minute bottleneck.  Many steps and forms must be completed before a proposal is submitted.  Internal proposal review by OSP, ADRAS and other VIMS units takes time.  These reviews will help to ensure that your proposal is complete and meets the funder's requirements. 

If Your Proposal Involves Research Vessels, Diving, Seawater Research Facilities or Analytical Services

If your proposed project requires a research vessel or diving operations, contact Marine Operations to discuss your needs.  

If the work will be conducted at or from the Eastern Shore Laboratory, contact Sean Fate (sfate@vims.edu) to discuss your needs.

If you are planning to use the Seawater Research Laboratory on the Gloucester Point campus, contact Jim Brister (jebrister@vims.edu) to discuss your needs.

If you are planning to use the Acuff Center for Aquaculture, contact Bill Walton (walton@vims.edu) to discuss your needs.

If you are planning to use the Seawater Lab at the Eastern Shore Laboratory, contact John Lewis (jclewis@vims.edu), to discuss your needs.

If you will be using the Analytical Services Center on the Gloucester Point campus, contact Carol Pollard (pollard@vims.edu) to discuss your needs.

Award Acceptance

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pre-award compliance, just in time 

Negotiating the Scope and Terms of Award

While most federal assistance comes with standard award terms and conditions, federal flow-through agreements where VIMS is a sub-recipient, federal contracts (acquisition), Interagency Personnel Agreements and non-federal agreements may contain terms that need to be adjusted in order to accept the award. Even in the case of federal assistance agreements there may be items that require additional attention, especially in the case of significant budget reduction. Some agencies require a budget impact statement to address the reduction in funds.

Note: If a budget has been reduced, the PI must work with the Sponsored Programs Administrator to submit a revised budget. If sub-recipients are involved, their budgets and scopes of work will need to be revisited as well. In the case of significant reduction (more than 10%), the PI should also consider if the proposed scope remains feasible given the change of limited financial support.

Who signs an agreement?

The Director of Sponsored Programs is authorized to bind VIMS to sponsored programs. In some cases, such as Jeffress Memorial Trust awards, the PI must also sign the agreement to convey acceptance of the scientific scope. Additionally, the Director of  Sponsored Programs must sign any lower-tier agreements, i.e. subcontracts or sub-awards.

Issuing a Sub-award

Once VIMS has received and executed its award, the Sponsored Programs Administrator will work with the PI to issue any lower-tier awards. All subagreements (any lower-tier contract, grant, or cooperative agreement) must be signed by an Authorized Official of the university.

Project Management (Post-Award)

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Deliverables & Reporting Deadlines

Financial Management

The principal investigator (PI) is responsible for operating within the budget for the Sponsored Program award. Expenses may be monitored by using the available reports in Banner or through Qlik. To access reports through Banner, sign in and navigate to the Finance tab and enter the "ePrint Finance Repository." From there, you can select several different reports that are updated monthly. Numerous reports in Qlik can be used to monitor grant balances. Navigate to Finance and then to Grant Management.

Compliance

Award compliance is an expansive set of responsibilities not just for the PI of a project, but for anyone participating in research: faculty, staff, technicians, Post Docs, and students.

Please review W&M Sponsored Programs - Research Compliance to ensure compliance with research projects.

Research Integrity, Conflicts of Interest and Required Training

Quik Links: W&M Guidelines

All VIMS researchers must follow William &Mary's Research Integrity and Conflicts of Interest guidelines.

• The Faculty Handbook contains critical information regarding research conduct and expectations of faculty at William & Mary.
• All undergraduate, graduate students, Post-Docs, and PIs supported by an NSF or NIH grant must complete the RCR training. (read more...)
• NIH-supported investigators must have Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) training. (read more...)
• W&M makes RCR, Biosafety, Conflict of Interest, Animal Subjects and Human Subjects training programs and other compliance training available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Training Program, see below) 
• The PI of record must certify personnel have been trained and verify training in advance of participation in the grant-funded project.  The training must be kept current and updated every three years.

Accessing CITI Training Modules

Training is available in the following areas: VIMS Responsible Conduct of Research (VIMS RCR, required for those supported on NSF grants), Social & Behavioral Research Investigators Training for Working with Human Subjects, Laboratory Animal Safety, Conflicts of Interest (required if you are funded by NIH) and other modules are available.  

To create a William & Mary affiliated CITI account:

1. Please begin by reviewing this information which provides an overview of the online CITI training options and provides the link to the training module website.  Although the W&M site does not mention the VIMS RCR training option, you will see the option once you have access to the training modules.
2. Use the “Go to the CITI training modules” link, which is embedded in the text towards the bottom of the page, to get to the CITI website. Top tip! Bookmark the link for later use.
3. Create a CITI training account if you don’t already have one. Be sure to affiliate with “William & Mary.”  If you don’t do this you will not have access to the VIMS RCR course.
4. Answer a series of questions that will help you get to the proper training options.  Question 5 includes the VIMS RCR option. If you will be working with Human Subjects, select Area II: Social & Behavioral Research Investigators - PHSC in Question 1.

Broader Impacts 

NSF 101: Five tips for your Broader Impacts statement

Broader Impacts Support at VIMS - The VIMS Broader Impact Practitioners is a team of professionals who help foster science communication across and beyond the VIMS campus community and coordinate education and outreach programs for external audiences.  VIMS BI Practitioners often collaborate with VIMS scientists to assist in the development and implementation of BI components of research proposals. VIMS researchers, including graduate students, looking for assistance with Broader Impacts are encouraged to review the list of VIMS BI Practitioners and contact Lisa Lawrence (x7608) for additional information.