If you are planning to apply for a grant or non-construction contract, please contact the OSP staff as soon as possible and provide the name of the sponsor and specific program for which you plan to apply.
The proposal narrative is the main body of an application that describes the project. Please find below guidance, resources, and tools that are recommended for you to use when developing the narrative for your proposal:
Review List of things to check before deciding to apply for an externally funded program
Review a successful/previously funded proposal
The OSP staff can be contacted to assist with locating a previously funded proposal in the GRC Proposal Library, via online searches, and/or requesting a proposal through the Freedom of Information Act. This will allow you to see what a successful proposal looks like and adjust your submission accordingly.
Utilize samples and boiler plates
Description of A&M-Commerce for Introductions
Know where to locate data
Maestro Inventory – contact OSP
Community College Enrollment - THECB
Consider including collaborators
Utilize the external review services available through ORSP
External reviewers are grant writers and editors who will review your proposal and provide technical edits, as well as, questions and comments where further clarification is needed. An external review usually takes 3-5 days, but can take up to 2 weeks during a busy season. It is a service provided through the OSP. External 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.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Review any of the applicable guidance below for writing a proposal narrative
NIH’s Writing Your Application
NSF’s A Guide for Proposal Writing
GRC’s Resources for Scientific Research Writing
(please request the GRC log on information from OSP)
Basic Elements of Grant Writing
(Corporation of Public Broadcasting)
The Foundation Center's Short Course on Proposal Writing
EPA General Tips on Writing a Competitive Grant Proposal
NIFA USDA General Grant Writing Tips for Success
GRC’s Guide to Foundation Funding
For assistance with developing other components of an application, please visit
Current and Other Affiliations (NSF) template
Submit a collaborative Grant Application/Subaward
New Faculty Guide to Competing for Research Funding
NSF Proposal: The Cover Sheet
NSF Project Summary - 1 page that must contain an Overview Statement, Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.
NSF Biographical Sketches - Required for all senior personnel and must be no more than 2 pages per person.
The NSF Policy on URLs in Proposals - Allowed in References Cited and Biosketches, but not in the Project Description!
NSF Proposal: References Cited
NSF Data Management Plan Requirements
NSF Proposal: Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources