External Services for Proposals

This webpage describes two programs: ones that supports external peer review of proposals and another that supports the design other graphic or figures for proposals.

External Peer Review Program

This program supports expert disciplinary feedback for your proposal before submission. Peer review is central to how funding agencies evaluate proposals. Receiving early, discipline-specific feedback—before submission—can significantly strengthen your research strategy, methodology, and competitiveness.

The External Peer Review Program, offered through Research Development Services (RDS) and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), supports faculty who wish to engage an external disciplinary expert to review a grant or fellowship proposal prior to submission.

Support may be used for 1) new or resubmitted proposals, 2) fellowships (including sabbaticals), and 3) project or center grants, including red team reviews.

Eligibility & Priority

This noncompetitive program is open to faculty at all career stages. Priority consideration is given to:

  • Early career faculty submitting their first major external grants
  • Midcareer faculty applying for fellowships (especially sabbatical fellowships)
  • Senior faculty leading major center level or large institutional proposals

Typically, support is provided for one external review per faculty member per academic year. Additional support may be available when faculty are developing multiple, distinct proposal types.

Faculty should be prepared to undertake extensive revisions that incorporate the reviewer’s suggestions. They must also agree to meet deadlines set by Sponsored Project Services and the external funder.

Who Can Serve as a Reviewer?

Reviewers must be external to the University of Oregon.

  • We look to faculty to identify ideal reviewers, which can be accomplished:
    • Through their own networks
    • Receiving recommendations/connections from their advisor/mentor
    • Using sponsor award databases such as NIH Matchmaker
  • Faculty should be strategic about selecting an external reviewer, as you want to avoid conflicting out a person who is likely to serve on your review panel and would be a favorable reviewer.

RDS can contact the reviewer on your behalf and will coordinate the contracting process.

Honoraria Support

  • RDS typically provides $200 toward reviewer honoraria, with faculty matching this amount with $300, for a total of $500 
  • While $500 is typical for a single investigator award, honoraria levels may vary depending on reviewer expertise and scope of review such as those done for large center grants

Humanities Support (CAS–OVPRI Collaboration)

For faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences, matching honoraria funds are provided by the College of Arts and Sciences to encourage the submission of highly competitive proposals.

How to Apply

  1. Submit the External Peer Review request form below
    • Ideally 6–8 weeks before the sponsor deadline
  2. RDS follow-up
    • RDS will contact you within 2–3 business days to: 
      • Confirm reviewer plans
      • Coordinate outreach and begin the contracting process
    • The start date for the review must be at least two weeks after the contracting process has begun 
       

Review Request Form

Questions or ready to get started?

Contact Research Development Services to discuss whether an external peer review would benefit your proposal.

Graphics and Visualization of Science

A picture is worth a thousand words in today’s funding environment where you must communicate complex ideas within tight page limitations. Research Development Services (RDS) offers assistance to Principal Investigators (PI) who seek visualization services that will enhance their proposals for external funding. Depending on the project, we can contract with local resources or with nationally known scientific illustrators and animators.

Generally, RDS funds one-half of the cost of consultation, and graphic design, animation, or illustration services for proposals that involve multiple investigators and have strategic significance to research at the University, or that involve an especially important opportunity for an individual PI.  Significant lead time is required for us to make the best use of resources.

PIs may also find this list of graphics visualization resources helpful when making their own figures. 

Please email Research Development Services to discuss your project needs.