Proposal Submissions
Research Administration Services (RAS) Internal Proposal Deadline
The Institute requires final and complete proposals to be routed to RAS 6 business days in advance of the sponsor deadline. Proposals can be routed in the afternoon. Proposals cannot be modified once they have been routed to RAS. If collaborators or subawards are involved, their deadline to submit their final materials to us will be earlier than the MIT RAS deadline. They usually have their own internal review deadlines. A RAS deadline calculator can be found at the below link:
Funding Opportunities
A list of upcoming known opportunities.
How to Start a Proposal
Please contact Melanie Straight () and Barbara Duchesne () well in advance of the sponsor deadline. A member of the finance team will work with you to prepare the proposal. Most proposals require Institutional review and approval. Proposals should never be submitted independently without working with a member of the finance team. This is the case with MIT internal competitions as well.
Funding Opportunity Resources
- Consult the Early Career Funding Guide to learn about finding funding and working with industry and foundation sponsors.
- Search Pivot for research opportunities from federal, foundation and private funding sources.
- Search Foundation Directory Online for information on private and community foundations, corporate giving programs, and grantmaking public charities in the U.S. and recently awarded grants.
Limited Submissions
- Limited submission proposals are funding opportunities in which the sponsor restricts the number of applications that may be submitted from MIT.
- Join the MITfundops listserv to be notified of limited submission opportunities.
- Review the calendar [XLSX] of limited submission opportunities.
- Search for opportunities with internal competitions due to limited Institutional submission restrictions through the MIT Funding Opportunities submission portal.
Resources for Writing a Successful Proposal
Below are resources to help with writing a successful proposal:
- Broader Impacts statements (required for NSF proposals and other sponsors)
- Ebook: Strategies for Planning, Developing, and Writing Large Team Grants [PDF]
- Ebook: New Faculty Guide to Competing for Research Funding [PDF]
Individual Sponsor Information
Below are links containing information about various individual sponsors:
- Simons Foundation
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Office of Naval Research (ONR)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Quick Guide for PIs
The guide linked above offers a straightforward entry into the topics in research administration that are most relevant to Principal Investigators (PIs), with links to more detailed content and resources. At MIT, PIs are central to the definition, conduct and reporting of research. The PI is ultimately responsible for all aspects of sponsored research, including compliance with Institute and sponsor policies.