Submitting a grant application

The process used to submit a grant application is dependent on the funder’s requirements. However, all grant applications to National and International funders that include a budget breakdown, requires institutional approval via UCT’s electronic Research Administration (eRA) system prior to submission to the funder.

When applying for institutional approval, the following deadlines need to be adhered to:

  • Initiate an eRA application at least 1 month prior to the funder deadline
  • Contact your budget reviewer (to assist you in developing your budget) at least 1 month prior to the funder deadline.
  • Submit your eRA application to the Finance Approver at least 10 working days prior to the funder deadline
IMPORTANT: If you are not an academic staff member at UCT, you will be required to process the approval of your application through the profile of a senior UCT staff member who is acting as a mentor/sponsor on your project or who is able to act as the person internally responsible for your application. Ask us if you have queries around this.

The following 5 diagrams depict the submission processes used by funders:

 

1. Institutional submission via a funder portal (e.g. when applying to the NIH as a primary applicant)

In cases where the funder requires the Institution (i.e. UCT) to submit the application via a funder portal (e.g., primary applicants to NIH, Wellcome Trust, UKRI), the following submission process should be followed:

  Submission Process

UCT eRA system
  PI: Initiate and complete Proposal Approval request
FHS Admin:Review proposal and budget
 
FHS Admin: Approve proposal request
 
Funder Site
  PI: Complete funder application
  PI: Action pre-submission
RC&I: Action final sudmission (to funder)

 

2. Institutional submission via email (e.g., when applying to the SAMRC for the SIR scheme)

In cases where the funder requires the Institution (i.e., UCT) to submit the application via email (e.g., SAMRC Self-initiated Researcher (SIR) scheme, Poliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF)), the following submission process should be followed:

  Submission Process

  PI: Complete funder template

UCT eRA system

  PI: Initiate and complete Proposal Approval request
 
FHS Admin: Review proposal and budget
 
FHS Admin: Approve proposal request
 
UCT Admin: Submit application to funder via email

 

3. PI submission with proof of Institutional Approval (e.g., when applying to the NIH as a sub-applicant)

In cases where the funder requires proof of Institutional Approval (e.g., a signed Statement of Intent, Face Page or Authorised Representative Commitment) and requires the PI to submit the application directly to the funder or primary applicant (e.g., for a NIH sub-award), the following submission process should be followed:

  Submission Process

UCT erA system
  PI: Initiate and complete Proposal Approval request
FHS Admin:Review proposal and budget
 
FHS Admin: Approve proposal request
 
RC & I:Return signed sub-recipient commitment form
 
 
  PI: Complete application pack
  PI: Email application pack to primary applicant

 

4. PI submission via email without proof of Institutional Approval (e.g., when applying to the SAMRC to fund the hosting of a conference)

In cases where the funder does not require proof of Institutional Approval and requires the PI to submit the funding application via email (e.g., SAMRC conference hosting application), the following submission process should be followed:

  Submission Process

  PI: Complete funder template

UCT eRA system

  PI: Initiate and complete Proposal Approval request
 
FHS Admin: Review proposal and budget
 
FHS Admin: Approve proposal request
 
  PI: Submit application to funder via email

 

5. PI submission on funder portal without proof of Institutional Approval (e.g. when applying to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)

In cases where the funder does not require proof of Institutional Approval (e.g., no signed Statement of Intent, Face Page or Authorised Representative Commitment required) and requires the PI to submit the application via a funder portal (e.g., to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), the following submission process should be followed:

  Submission Process

UCT erA system
  PI: Initiate and complete Proposal Approval request
FHS Admin:Review proposal and budget
 
FHS Admin: Approve proposal request
 
Funder Site
  PI: Complete funder application
  PI: Submit application to funder

 

6. PI submission on funder portal with proof of Institutional Approval (e.g., when applying to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative)

In cases where the funder requires proof of Institutional Approval (e.g., a signed Institutional Approval form) and requires the PI to submit the application on the funder portal (e.g., for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative), the following submission process should be followed:

  Submission Process

UCT eRA system
  PI: Initiate and complete Proposal Approval request
FHS Admin:Review proposal and budget
 
FHS Admin: Approve proposal request
 
RC&I: Return signed sub-recipient commitment form
 
Funder Site
  PI: Complete funder application
  PI: Submit application to funder