Stanford Research Development Office

Guidance for Writing Proposal Sections

Most recent content update: September 9, 2024

The required and recommended sections of a given proposal will vary depending on the funding agency, funding opportunity, and nature of the proposed work, among other factors. To help you find the resources you need on this page, RDO loosely divides proposal elements into three categories:

  1. Narrative Components
  2. Non-narrative Components
  3. Functional Areas that Overlap with Proposal Development 

RDO services are optional and focus mainly on the concept and text side of the proposal, and we use the three categories above to help indicate our level of involvement. Please note that these categories differ from those used by the Office of Research Administration, which classifies proposal components into either Technical or Administrative categories. ORA's categories inform the deadlines by which the final version must be submitted to be eligible for a full internal review, institutional endorsement, and submission. For details, see the FAQs on the 5-Day Proposal Deadline Policy.

Below, RDO shares our accumulated guidance for writing common sections found in a variety of proposal types; some resources have been developed by RDO, while others are curated from trusted internal and external sources. In addition, PIs in the School of Engineering can get guidance from Engineering Research Administration, and PIs in the School of Medicine or those applying for NIH funding can get guidance from the Proposal Development Office and the Research Management Group.

We offer the information on this page as a starting point, and our list of proposal sections is not exhaustive and does not necessarily account for all funding agencies. Always check the requirements of your specific agency and call for proposals. This page will be updated periodically; please let us know if you have suggestions for sections to add or changes you would like us to consider. 

Narrative Components

Research development expertise may be particularly helpful for planning, writing, and editing the following components. The RDO team does our best to stay on top of agency requirements and best practices in these areas.

Project Description (sometimes referred to as the Proposal Narrative)

This is the main and often longest narrative section of the proposal, where the PI(s) can make their case for the project. Content and organizational requirements for this part of the proposal vary enormously depending on what is being proposed and to whom. 

Broader Impacts

Broader Impacts requirements generally ask for the answer to the question "How does your research benefit society?" This term and requirement are commonly associated with NSF, but other agencies can also have similar requirements. The resources below help to describe the breadth of what broader impacts can be as well as give advice on how to develop a vision and craft a compelling story about the broader impacts of your work. 

  • Stanford Grant Writing Academy Broader Impacts Resources - Among other information, includes a short video explaining NSF's BI requirement and suggestions on crafting a strong BI element for your proposal

  • Stanford Office of Education and STEM Outreach - A part of the Office of Community Engagement, ESO serves as a nexus connecting Stanford faculty, students, and postdocs with youth, schoolteachers, nonprofit organizations, and the broader community with the goals of increasing engagement, participation, equity and inclusion in STEM fields

  • ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit - resources from the Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society designed to assist proposal teams as they develop broader impact projects

Data Management and Sharing Plans

Many funding agencies will require a data management plan (DMP) as part of a proposal. The DMP describes the types of data you expect to collect, how they will be managed, and how access and preservation will be accomplished over time.

Diversity Plans

Sponsors sometimes require demonstration that a project team will make specific efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. These requirements vary by sponsor and it is important to understand the level at which the activities are to take place. For example, does the sponsor want to see activities that are community-focused or targeted to the researchers and staff you will have on the project? In any case, a strong diversity plan also includes evaluation strategies and metrics for success. 

Evaluation Plans

Often addressed in multiple sections of a proposal, evaluation plans are an important component of understanding whether a project or strategy is effective and successful. Developing robust evaluation plans at the proposal stage can demonstrate to the reviewers and funders that you have thought about what "success" means and how you will be certain you will achieve it or adjust practices to course correct along the way. These are commonly requested for educational activities, outreach plans, workforce development strategies, and management plans.

Institutional Support

Funding agencies may request that cost sharing, details on facilities, equipment, and other resources available to the proposal team, and other forms of institutional support be included with proposals. The scope and format of these requirements will depend on the specific funding opportunity or call. RDO recommends starting early in your proposal development process and working in collaboration with department or school leadership to identify and request appropriate institutional support for your proposal.

Management Plans

Management plans are common elements of large collaborative or center grants. This section is intended to demonstrate to reviewers how teams will work together to accomplish the various goals of a project. Some plans also require detailed administrative information as well as plans for evaluation of project activities (see section on Evaluation Plans above).

Mentoring Plans

Mentoring plans (MPs) are often required in STEM-focused proposals where a graduate student and/or postdoctoral researcher's involvement is indicated. These serve as roadmaps for both mentor and mentee to navigate the key aspects of mentorship and professional development involved. RDO recommends that PIs tailor the Plan for the specific program you are proposing to, the institution you are with, and/or graduate students/postdoc(s) to be mentored.

Note: As of May 20, 2024, proposers to NSF will be required to submit a Mentoring Plan applicable to both graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, in lieu of the prior Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan requirement. Please see NSF PAPPG 24-1 for details. 

Non-narrative Components

The proposal components below are typically handled by a PI working in conjunction with their research/financial administrator.

Biographical Sketches

These documents provide evidence of an individual's qualifications for the role played in a proposed project and are generally requested in specific formats based on sponsor. For most STEM sponsors, RDO recommends using SciEnCV for generating and saving your biosketch as it will be easier to update and the interface allows reformatting for use in proposals for different sponsors.

  • Start here: Stanford ORA Biosketch Resource Page - Stanford resource with links to NSF and NIH biosketch guidance as well as SciEnCV resources
  • SciEnCV - a tool for assembling biographical information for federal sponsors that can easily be ported into multiple sponsor formats. It is quickly becoming an accepted (and often required) biosketch format for many sponsors including NIH, NSF, and DOE
  • NSF SciEnCV FAQs and Guide - start here if you need help setting up your SciEnCV account or run into questions along the way

Budget and Budget Justifications

Budgets are an integral part of proposals that have a direct effect on how monies can be used, are tracked, and are audited in the post-award period.

  • Start here: Stanford ORA Budget Resource Page - find templates and helpful links and information including California's partial sales and use tax exemption for research and development equipment
  • Stanford VPDoR Rates page - tables, policies, and information on F&A rates, fringe benefit rates, and others

Collaborators and Other Affiliations

The formats and information required for these tables are periodically updated by the funding agency. 

Current and Pending (Other) Support

All federal sponsors and most non-federal require investigators and project senior/key personnel to disclose in proposals and/or during the award process, all current and pending (other) resources made available in support of, or related to, all of their research. Not properly disclosing all resources in accordance with a sponsor's requirements can and has resulted in serious consequences for investigators and institutions.

Stanford ORA emphasizes, and RDO underscores, that it is critical to closely review and adhere to each sponsor’s specific disclosure requirements. As part of Stanford’s internal proposal routing process, the PI and all project senior/key personnel are required to certify that any included disclosures are complete, accurate, and disclosed as required by the given sponsor and program. 

Functional Areas that Overlap with Proposal Development

These are areas that often overlap with proposal development and might need to be considered in a proposal narrative or other required document.

Conflicts of Interest

Often sponsors require a list of collaborators and other affiliates in a form that allows the agency to ensure that no conflicts exist in the process of selecting reviewers or to check for PI conflict of interest in various areas. These can be in the form of "COA", "Collaborator", "COI" or other documents. Be sure to check and follow your sponsor's guidelines for these documents; many provide their own specific required templates.

  • Stanford Global Engagement Review Program coordinates input from multiple offices that advise on various aspects of foreign engagements to assess risks related to undue foreign influence, research security, and integrity

Safety

Sponsors sometimes request information on protocols and plans related to safety in various context including in the laboratory, at field sites, or any off-campus work environment. The university has policies and procedures related to these topics which can be found in addition to other resources linked below.

 

Created: 10/06/22

Updated: 10/16/24