EPCS Records: Getting Started Early:
Please remember an Electronic Proposal Clearance System (EPCS) record is required in addition to the Grants.gov Application. The EPCS record should be created as early on as possible (recommended: at least 2 to 4 weeks prior to the external deadline).
The EPCS record is an internal UO electronic system (not connected with Grants.gov) which must be completed and finalized by the UO PI at least three business days prior to the external deadline. Please contact your SPS Pre-Award Sponsored Projects Administrator (SPA) with questions or concerns about the required EPCS record. An SPA assignment list is viewable by clicking the URL below:
If you are unsure of whom to contact at SPS, please e-mail sponsoredprojects@uoregon.edu and/or phone 541-346-5131.
Grants.gov: Getting Started Early:
Please don't wait to start a Grants.gov Application in Grants.gov Workspace until there remains less than a week to go prior to the External Deadline.
Completing a Grants.gov application in Grants.gov Workspace can be unexpectedly time consuming for team members working on the application Forms in Grants.gov Workspace, particularly some of the Grants.gov Budget Forms. Assembling the application in Grants.gov Workspace, particularly the Grants.gov Budget Forms, should begin as early on as possible, preferably several days prior to the External Deadline.
In addition to the EPCS record noted above, unexpected and unanticipated electronic issues can sometimes arise during the Grants.gov Application submission process which may require special technical assistance and/or re-submission of an Application to correct issues. To ensure a successful Grants.gov application submission, SPS strongly encourages Grant applications be ready for final review on Grants.gov at least 3 days prior to the external due date. This provides greater assurance that your proposal will be submitted successfully, allowing time for resubmission of the application, if necessary.
For additional information, please see the SPS Website at Proposal Planning, Preparation and Submission
Proposal Planning, Preparation and Submission
Grants.gov Funding Opportunities - Basic Steps:
The basic steps to find Funding Opportunities in Grants.gov and start the application process using Grants.gov Workspace are listed below:
- After you have registered on Grants.gov, and been provided access to Grants.gov Workspace by SPS, you will be able to View Grant Opportunities and start the application for an Application in Grants.gov Workspace. For information on registering on Grants.gov, please go to this link: Grants.gov Overview
- Manage Subscriptions: This link is at the top right of the Grants.gov Home Page under "Connect" and allows you to sign up for notifications of new grant opportunity postings and updates.
- Search Grants and Start an Application using Grants.gov Workspace:
- Log into Grants.gov with your Grants.gov Username
- Go to "Search Grants" and enter the Opportunity Number (the Funding Opportunity Number seen in the RFP.
- Click the Opportunity Number
- Click on the "Apply" Button to start the Application process in Grants.gov Workspace
- You will then have access to all of the application Forms. Please name your Workspace so that it includes the EPCS record number, EPCS XXXXX.
- If you need any assistance, please contact your assigned Pre-award SPA.
- Complete the Grant Application:
- Please follow the Best Practice of being prepared early. The completion of all the Grants.gov Application Forms is often unexpectedly time consuming. A Minimum Lead Time of at least two weeks to several days in advance of the external deadline should be planned for starting the Grants.gov application on the Grants.gov website and completing the required Grants.gov Forms in the application.
- Please contact your assigned Pre-award SPA if you need assistance, or with any questions you have about the Grants.gov Application Forms.
- The SF424 Form in the Grant Application will display some automatically populated fields based on the program announcement, such as the Opportunity Number and the Opportunity Close Date. Complete all highlighted sections and mandatory forms based on the sponsor's guidelines, i.e., Request for Proposals (RFP), or the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), and any other applicable guidelines.
- Please notify your assigned Pre-award SPA promptly when Grants.gov Forms in the application are complete and ready for review, especially as soon as the Budget Forms in the Grants.gov application are complete and ready for review.
- Please complete all of the required Forms in the Grants.gov application following the RFP, FOA, or other sponsor guidelines.
- Unanticipated electronic delays can sometime unexpectedly occur resulting in a lost opportunity because a Grants.gov application is received by the sponsor after the deadline has passed. Please have the final Grants.gov application ready for review and submission well in advance of the extremal deadline. Sponsored Projects Services cannot guarantee successful submission of your Grants.gov application if the application is presented ready for submission on the same day as the external deadline.
- Submission of the Grants.gov application well in advance of the external deadline by your assigned SPS Pre-award SPA is necessary to ensure the application will be electronically received and validated by the Grants.gov system, and electronically received and validated by the Grantor's own proposal receipt system prior to the external deadline.
- Submission Steps for Grants.gov
- Please notify your assigned Pre-award SPA when the Grants.gov application is complete and ready for review and submission. Your SPS Pre-award SPA is authorized by the UO to submit the application on Grants.gov.
- Submission of the Grant Application: Your SPS Pre-award SPA will submit the Grant Application on Grants.gov after confirming the application is complete and ready for submission, and the associated EPCS record has been finalized.