The Grant Application Process at Northwest

The grant application process at Northwest consists of four general stages:

Stage 1: Project Concept

The faculty or staff member proposing the project (called the Principal Investigator, or PI) develops an idea for a grant-funded project and seeks authorization to pursue the proposal with their immediate supervisor.  With approval, the PI begins working with the Grants Coordinator to develop the project.

Stage 2:  Proposal Development

Working with the Grants Coordinator, the PI identifies a funding source, determines eligibility, develops a project budget and scope of work, and seeks input from University stakeholders directly impacted by the project (finance, human resources, purchasing, facilities, etc.).

Stage 3:  Project Approval

The Grants Coordinator calls a Pre-Award and Submission (PAwS) meeting of all project stakeholders from across campus to discuss the project, address challenges to implementation, determine alignment to University mission, and confirm feasibility.  After PAwS Committee concurrence, NLT approval may be sought depending on the nature of the project.

Stage 4: Application

After the proposal is approved, the PI and Grants Coordinator prepare all application documents and submit to the funding agency.

For a more detailed explanation of the process, please see the approved External Funding Procedure .