Scroll down this page for information about the internal selection process, "Frequently Asked Questions," current limited submission competitions, a list of recurring programs, and more.

Some sponsors (including federal, state, foundation, and nonprofit) limit the number of nominations or proposals (or concept papers, pre-proposals, letters of intent, etc.) that an institution may submit to a particular program. This information can usually be found in the "Eligibility" section of a funding opportunity announcement. These "limited submission" opportunities must undergo an internal selection process, which is overseen by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) and managed by the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Development (OSP).

This internal selection process is necessary because (a) some sponsors will automatically exclude all Cornell submissions for a given opportunity if they receive submissions in excess of the limit, and (b) without institutional approval a sponsor may return the submission without review.


 


Image: Email icon. Image of an envelopeJoin the CU-RES-ADMIN-L mailing list to stay up-to-date about new limited submission opportunities.

If you have questions or are considering applying to a limited submission solicitation/program not listed on this webpage, please contact Cornell Limited Submissions.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Limited Submissions

    • The internal proposal should be accessible to a general scientific audience. Members of the internal review panel will have differing levels of familiarity with your specific area of research. Define significant technical terms and avoid using a lot of "jargon."
    • Read and adhere to all the internal submission requirements, including page limits and content requirements. Proofread and check for typos.
    • Read the sponsor's solicitation and research the sponsor. What is the sponsor's mission? What and who does it aim to fund? Align your proposal with the program goals and priorities. Do not recycle internal proposals from different competitions - reviewers can tell and will comment on it.
    • If a letter of nomination is required for the internal submission, it should be specific to the program.
    • Clearly state the problem/need that your proposed project will address. Clearly describe the project objectives, methods, innovation, and impact. Address the "big picture." If you succeed, what difference will it make? What will be the impact?

    The RAC has developed recommendations for Chairs writing nomination letters for internal competitions, which can be downloaded as a pdf file: Tips for writing letters of nominations (Cornell netID login is required for access).

    • Prospective applicants/nominees for limited submissions must first apply to an internal competition (unless otherwise stated in an announcement). Each competition announcement includes an internal submission deadline, program summary, link and/or pdf file for the sponsor's program guidelines and requirements, and a list of materials required for the internal review process.
      • For internal review, applicants typically must submit a cover page listing all key personnel, a two- to three-page project description, and a biosketch or CV for the lead PI. For some competitions other materials, such as a nomination letter from a Department Chair, are also required. Internal application requirements vary depending on the program. It is the submitters responsibility to review the internal competition announcement to learn what specific materials are required.
      • Internal competition timelines: While every effort is made to provide ample time for internal application preparation and submission, sometimes the sponsor’s timeline necessitates a short internal timeline. In rare cases, a sponsor's timeline precludes an internal competition altogether - for such opportunities, applicants typically must submit a Letter of Interest and are approved to submit on a rolling/"first come, first served" basis until all slots are filled. 
    • The Faculty Senate's Research Advisory Committee (RAC) reviews the submitted internal applications. For some competitions, an ad hoc review panel may be convened and/or senior leadership may participate in the internal review. The review panel then selects to move forward the submission(s) that has the best opportunity for success based on its responsiveness to the sponsor's solicitation and program objectives, and its scientific and scholarly strength. Internal applicants are promptly notified of the outcome.
      • Note: There are some limited submissions program (e.g., Sloan Research Fellowships) where internal selection is coordinated by a department or college rather than the central Limited Submissions team. This information is included in the announcement that is disseminated to campus.
    • The selected candidate then works with their unit pre-award specialist/grant coordinator and Grant & Contract Officer (GCO) to prepare and submit the materials required by the sponsor, according to each sponsor's specific instructions and guidelines. Sponsors' requirements vary (e.g., it may be a Letter of Intent, Concept Paper or pre-proposal, or a full proposal). Note: Materials submitted for an internal competition differ from funders' own submission requirements.

    Internal competitions and other limited submission opportunities are regularly announced via a weekly digest email, on this website, and/or on InfoReady (Cornell's third-party, web-based internal competition platform). To receive timely communications about limited submissions, subscribe to the CU-RES-ADMIN-L listserv here

    Unless otherwise stated in a competition announcement, internal application materials must be submitted via Cornell's internal competition platform (InfoReady): https://cornell.infoready4.com/#osp

    Internal applications must be submitted by the internal submission deadline noted in a competition announcement.

     

    Contact Cornell Limited Submissions if you missed an internal competition deadline. If the submission slot(s) were not already filled, you may still be able to apply to the funding opportunity. In these situations, approvals to submit to the funder are typically granted on a rolling/first-come, first-served basis.

    If a selected candidate decides not to submit to the sponsor, they must notify Cornell Limited Submissions as soon as possible. Internal competitions are highly competitive and, where possible, we want to allow another applicant to be selected to submit.

    Contact the Limited Submissions team if you need help with the InfoReady application platform.

    If faculty, students, or staff become aware of a limited submission opportunity that is not currently listed on this webpage or the Cornell InfoReady website, please notify Cornell Limited Submissions before any applications/LOIs/Concept Notes/etc. are submitted to the sponsor.

    We do our best to identify and announce limited submission opportunities, but cannot guarantee that we find them all. If there is any question about submission limits for a solicitation, please contact us.

    If you are a WCM investigator, do not apply to competitions listed on this webpage. Weill Cornell Medicine has its own internal competitions for limited submission funding opportunities. WCM investigators must contact Florencia Marcucci in the WCM Office of the Research Dean. 

    Recurring Programs List

    Downloadable list of recurring limited submission programs.

     

     Announcements (last updated 03/17/2023)

    • NEW UPDATE! USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Equipment Grants Program: The USDA just released the FY2023 Equipment Grants Program RFA. Cornell may submit up to two applications as lead, including new submissions and resubmissions. All prospective applicants, including resubmissions, must participate in an internal competition, which was announced to campus. The internal submission deadline is Monday, March 27th at 5:00pm. Go to the internal competition here.
    • NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Internal Competition: In addition to serving as a subawardee on up to two ART proposals, Cornell is eligible to submit one proposal as lead applicant. The internal competition has been revised, and the internal submission deadline is extended to Friday, March 24th, at 5:00 PM. Go to the internal competition webpage for further details.
    • Open Dept. of Energy "short fuse" solicitations: The DOE has recently been releasing a number of limited submissions FOAs that have short submission timelines which do not allow sufficient time for internal competitions. For each of these FOAs, applicants will be approved to submit on a rolling basis, "first come, first served" until slots are filled. If you are interested in applying to any of the following, send a Letter of Interest to Cornell Limited Submissions. Follow the links for further details and instructions.
    • NIH Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed): Due to program restrictions, Cornell is not eligible to submit an application at the June 2023 submission deadline. There will not be an internal competition.

      Current Internal Competitions

      Unless otherwise noted in a competition announcement, internal Applications are due at 5:00PM on the Deadline.

      Program Name

       

      Internal Submission Deadline

      NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) (note: the competition has been revised)

       

      March 24

      USDA NIFA Equipment Grants Program (EGP) FY2023

       

      March 27

      2024 Schmidt Science Fellows

       

      March 27

      NSF Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions (ADVANCE)

       

      March 27

      William T. Grant Scholars Program 2023

       

      March 27

      The Pew Charitable Trusts Biomedical Scholars Awards 2024

       

      March 27

      2024 Beckman Scholars Program Award

       

      March 27

      Brain Research Foundation 2024 Scientific Innovations Award (SIA)

       

      April 24

      W.M. Keck Foundation Science & Engineering and Medical Research Program Grants

       

      April 24

      Note to Weill Cornell Medicine investigators: You must contact Florencia Marcucci, flm4001@med.cornell.edu, in the WCM Office of the Research Dean, if interested in apply to a limited submission funding opportunity. WCM has separate internal competitions.