Developing Proposals and Research Ideas

What is Research Development?

Research development is shorthand for a number of different activities that help investigators in the earliest stages of the research process right up through submission of a proposal to an external sponsor. These activities can take a number of different forms, at different stages of the process, and will vary according to the investigator's needs and the amount of time before the submission deadline, among other factors. No one is required to utilize the research development services available at OU, but we believe there is strong evidence to suggest that doing so improves an investigator's chances of securing funding from external sponsors to support their research and improves the quality of proposals that OU submits. Some of the things that research development can help with include (but are not limited to):

• Development of a research arc or plan tailored to the investigator's career stage, background, and experience
• Development of an idea, problem, or research question into the nucleus of a research proposal
• Identification of potential funders for a particular idea/question/project and, where there are multiple possible funding sources, prioritizing the ones to approach and when
• Identifying the most appropriate program(s) at an external sponsor for a given project
• Understanding sponsor guidelines, policies, and procedures - Assistance with writing non-technical sections of proposals (facilities statements, data management plans, mentoring plans, project management plans, budget justifications, etc.)
• Review and editing of research narratives, specific aims, abstracts, etc.
• Understanding and responding to reviewer feedback on a declined proposal

How it Works

Investigators contact the appropriate research development officer (see the Research Development Team section for details about coverage and contact information) at an appropriate time.  What happens next depends on what services the investigator asks for and where we are relative to any deadlines that must be met. The farther in advance you contact us, the more help we can provide. Some things can be done just based on a phone call or an email; others may require further information, meetings or phone calls, and some time to do research.  It's common for research development to be iterative: the investigator or the research development officer starts with a draft and shares it with the other party; then that party returns the draft with comments, questions, suggestions, and edits; then the process continues until both sides agree that the document is finished. If it's for a proposal, then that document is shared with the responsible grant and contract officer for inclusion in the proposal. Usually feedback from the research development officers is informational and advisory. However, when it comes to interpretation of sponsor guidelines, university policies and procedures, and/or applicable laws, some changes may be mandatory before a proposal can be submitted, so as to safeguard both the investigator and the university. Materials and ideas shared with the research development team are considered confidential, and will be protected appropriately. Unless the investigator gives specific permission to do so, these will not be shared with other individuals at OU or elsewhere.

When to Contact Us

Call early, call often. (No, really!) The more time we have, the more support we can provide. Call (or come see us) if you have a question, if you need some information, if you have a draft you want reviewed. We'll help you craft the strongest, best-positioned proposal we possibly can in the time we have, but if we don't hear about a project until just before the deadline, that's much harder to do.

Research Development Team Research Development Resources
PIVOT Cayuse
Calendar of Recurring Application Deadlines Time-sensitive Agency Notices
Advanced Research Methodology Services Peer Review Incentive Program for Federal Proposals
Positioning