This list is not exhaustive and is meant to be a guide to help you when responding to a proposal. Terms are listed in alphabetical order.

Animal Subjects
All animals that will be involved in research or teaching on UA Little Rock’s campus are considered animal subjects. All use of animals must be reviewed and approved by the University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). For more information, contact Dr. William Baltossser at 501-569-3521.

Applied Research
Research that studies the relationship or applicability for theories or principles of a particular field to a particular problem.

Basic Research
Research which adds something new to the body of knowledge of a particular field.

Boiler Plate
Parts of a proposal that are standard and lifted from another document, i.e., affirmative action statement, institutional profile, negotiated indirect costs.

Concept Paper
An initial, short version of a project proposal, similar to a preliminary proposal.

Conflict of Interest
Allows the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI to disclose whether or not he or she has a financial interest in the project. If the PI has a financial interest, this document allows the PI to describe that interest in detail.

Cost-sharing
A financial contribution by an institution to a project supported primarily by a grant or contract.

Deadline
The due date of a proposal. This can be one of two types — a Receipt Deadline or a Postmark Deadline. Make sure you know which you must meet.

Direct Costs
Costs generated by a project of contract, including salaries, rents, costs of materials for the project, travel, computer time, etc.

Fellowship
An award to an individual to pursue study in his or her own field or to introduce that person to a related field. Emphasis is placed on the contribution of an individual’s scholarly development and not to a specific piece of research. The funds are often supplemental or in lieu of salary and are called stipends.

Fiscal Year (FY)
The budget year which is October 1 to September 30 for Federal Government and July 1 to June 30 for UA Little Rock.

Formula or Block Grants
Grants awarded by the federal government to the 50 similar state agencies by a mathematical formula previously established. These funds are often regranted by the state on a competitive basis.

Guidelines
The criteria upon which a proposal is to be written.

Indirect Costs
Costs not readily identifiable as costs generated by a specific project but which occur in the general operation of the project. These costs include the expense of operating and maintain buildings and equipment, depreciation, administrative salaries, etc.

Indirect Cost Rate
A predetermined rate for indirect costs that can be charged by an institution. These are negotiated with UA Little Rock and individual agencies. Check with ORSP.

In-Kind Funds
A type of matching fund that an institution contributes. These are not actual cash amounts but cash equivalents in wages, rents, and supplies. For instance, UA Little Rock will match a grant with $1,200 in rent — at a rate of $100 a month — for a classroom that already exists.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)
It is the responsibility of the IRB to review research protocols involving human participants to ensure that the rights of the participants are protected, that they are not subject to unreasonable harm (physical and emotional), and that information about them is kept confidential.

Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property is an invention (patent) or a copyright. Examples are industrial or architectural designs; literary or artistic works such as novels, paintings, or music; or even performances.

Matching Funds
Funds that must be supplied by the grantee in an amount determined in the grant.

New Starts
Projects that are funded for the first time.

Non-responsiveness
Bureaucratic jargon for failure to comply with all the rules, regulations, and requests of grant guidelines. A major reason for proposal rejection.

Planning Grant
A grant intended to support activities necessary to the design and plan of a particular program of project. A planning grant often subsidizes the production of a subsequent grant request.

Postmark Deadline
The date by which a mail application must be postmarked.

Preliminary Proposal
A short, initial statement of your project. Sometimes called a concept paper.

Principal Investigator (PI)
The individual responsible for carrying out the terms of an award. This person is also called the project director.

Project Director (PD)
The principal investigator for an award.

Receipt Deadline
The date by which a mailed application must be received.

Request for Proposal (RFP)
An agency solicitation for proposals from individuals or institutions to perform specific tasks.

Research Fellowship
An award to an individual to perform research. See Fellowship.

Seed Money
Funds awarded to start up a project with the purpose of finding permanent financing from other sources.

Solicited Proposal
A proposal submitted in response to a request from the granting organization.

Stipend
The name of the awards made under a fellowship.

Training Fellowship
An award that supports the training of an individual in his or her own discipline or related field. This type of award is often made to an institution on behalf of an individual.

Unsolicited Proposal
A proposal that is submitted without a request. Must be more persuasive than a solicited proposal.

Wired
Slang for the idea that the selection of an organization to receive a grant has been decided prior to the submission of competitive proposals.