Externally Funded Grants and Contracts
Procedure for Making an Application and Obtaining Authorisation
There are some steps that must be taken when you are making an application for external research
funding:
 Once you have decided to make an application for research funding you must keep your Head of
Department informed.
 If you are planning to make an application for funding you must inform the Pre-Award team at
reopre@essex.ac.uk at an early stage. This will enable you to agree a realistic timescale for preparation
and submission.
 If you are discussing a project that will require a contract to be negotiated, you should contact the
Research & Enterprise Office (REO), Dipesh Khatri, as soon as possible so that you can receive any
support that you need. You should recognise that negotiating contracts is a difficult and lengthy process
for which sufficient time must be allowed. The time needed to draft a contract will vary according to its
complexity.
 Figures for all salary costs, estates costs and indirect costs must be obtained from the Research Support
Assistants.
 The draft financial details should then be discussed with the Research Support Assistants who can offer
help and advice.
 When the figures have been agreed you can prepare the final application (and Schedule of Costs and
Charges if there is no form).
 The complete application, together with any annexes such as the ‘Case for Support’ and signed as
necessary, should either be sent or delivered to the REO. All outlines and full proposals must be
accompanied by a completed “Authorisation Form” (attached). The proposal will be checked and the
signature of the appropriate Administrative Authority of the University will be obtained. The signed
proposal will then be returned to the applicant for dispatch. If you plan to use the Royal Mail next-day
delivery service, you will need to have posted it at the Campus Post Office by 3.15 pm.
 Some sponsors now employ electronic submission of research proposals. A signed paper copy of the
form must still be passed to the REO, together with the “Authorisation Form”. The electronic form
should be sent by e-mail to the Research Support Assistants. The application will be submitted by the
REO once it has been authorised.
REO Service Level Agreement
As a guide to the time required for the preparation and submission of grant applications and contracts, the
following service levels have been set:
1. A date for a meeting to discuss a proposal or contract will be offered within 4 working days.
2. Figures for salary costs will be provided within 4 working days.
3. A complete final proposal that has been discussed with the Research Support Assistants will normally
be checked and authorised in 3 working days.
4. A contract that has been drafted within the REO and agreed by all parties will be checked and signed
within 3 working days.
NB. Only on rare occasions can exceptions be made to these timescales, and only by
arrangement with the Research Support Assistants.
Research & Enterprise Office
14/11/02
Externally Funded Grants and Contracts Application Authorisation Form
Principal Investigator (Essex only)
Department
RISA %
Department
RISA %
1
Co-Investigators (Essex only)
2
3
4
5
Sponsor (e.g. ESRC, BBSRC, Leverhulme Trust, EC):
Funding Scheme/Call (e.g. Standard Grant, Research
Project Grant, Fellowship, Small Grant):
Lead PI & Institution (if not Essex):
Proposal Type: Full Application / Outline / Expression of Interest / Letter of Intent
(delete as appropriate)
Project Title:
Proposed Start Date
Proposed End Date
Duration (months)
Application Deadline Date
Signatures:
Principal Investigator:
Date:
Head of Department:
Date:
Administrative Authority:
Date:
Please allow at least 3 working days for your proposal to be checked and for University Authorisation to be obtained
To be completed by REO:
fEC Project Value
£
Estates Costs:
£
Actual Project Funding
£
Indirect costs:
£
Conversion rate if project costed in currency other than GBP
Ethics: Does the project require ethics review?
Yes/No
Contract: Does the contract need to be reviewed?
Yes/No
REO contact:
RBPM:
Research & Enterprise Office
27-Jul-16
GBP 1.00 =
2