Potential U.S. Federal Government Shutdown: Research Continuity Guidance

Sponsors (including federal, state, foundation, and nonprofit) sometimes 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/funding opportunity. 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 for several reasons, including (a) some sponsors will automatically decline without review 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.

FAQs

  • Read the solicitation and research the sponsor. What is the sponsor's mission? What and who does it aim to fund? Make sure you are eligible to be considered. Align your proposal with the program goals and priorities. Don't simply recycle internal proposals from different competitions - be thoughtful and specific to the funding opportunity.
  • The internal proposal should be accessible to a broad 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 "jargon." Clearly state the problem/need that your proposed project will address. Clearly describe the project objectives, methods, innovation, and impact. Clearly describe the "big picture." If you succeed, what difference will it make? What will be the impact?
  • Read and adhere to all the internal submission requirements, including content and page limits. Proofread and check for typos.
  • If a letter of nomination is required for the internal submission, it should be specific to the funding opportunity/program.

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

For most limited submissions, prospective applicants/nominees must first apply to an internal competition. Each internal competition call includes a submission deadline, summary of the opportunity, link and/or pdf file for the sponsor's program guidelines, and a list of materials required for the internal review process.

  • Applicants typically must provide a list of all Key Personnel, a 2-3 page project description, and a biosketch/CV for the lead PI. Some competitions require additional materials, such as a letter of nomination from a Department Chair or an estimated budget outline. Internal application requirements vary depending on the program.
  • Unless otherwise noted in an internal competition call, applications must be submitted via Cornell's web-based internal competition platform (InfoReady). First-time users will need to log-in to set-up an InfoReady account before submitting their first application to the system.
  • It is the PI's responsibility to ensure they meet a sponsor's guidelines and eligibility requirements, and follow the internal submission instructions and submit by the specified due date. Requests for deadline extensions for internal competitions are rarely granted.

Internal Review and Selection

  • For competitions for STEM opportunities, the Faculty Senate's Research Advisory Committee (RAC) reviews internal applications. The RAC selects to move forward the submission(s) that has the best opportunity for success based on its responsiveness to the sponsor's program objectives and selection criteria, and scientific and scholarly strength.
  • For competitions for Humanities and Social Sciences, ad hoc review panels are convened.
  • For opportunities where the submission limit is on the number of applicants per individual department (e.g., Sloan Research Fellowships), the internal selection is coordinated by departments or colleges rather than OSP. This information is included in the announcements that are disseminated to campus.

"Shortfuse" Limited Submissions and Expedited Reviews

While we strive to provide ample preparation time to applicants for internal competitions, sometimes a sponsor’s proposal submission timeline necessitates a short internal timeline. For these "short fuse" opportunities there is expedited internal review and selection process wherein prospective applicants have a very short time (usually 3 to 7 days) to submit an internal Letter of Interest or similar. The internal call for a "short fuse" limited submission will provide specific instructions. In some rare circumstances, a sponsor's timeline may be so short that it precludes an internal review altogether, and an applicant may be approved to submit to the sponsor on a "first come, first serve" basis.

Unless otherwise stated in an internal call, internal application materials must be submitted by 5:00 PM ET on the noted due date. If you experience technical issues with InfoReady, please email Limited Submissions immediately, during regular business hours, and with your application materials attached. We strongly recommend that applicants login and submit early!

After Internal Review and Selection

  • Applicants are promptly notified of the internal review outcome. 
  • The selected candidate works with their unit research administrator(s) and assigned Grant & Contract Officer (GCO) to prepare and submit a full proposal (or concept paper, nomination packet, etc.) to the sponsor, according to each sponsor's specific instructions and guidelines. Note: Materials submitted for the internal review/selection process are usually not the same as what a funder requires.

Internal competitions for limited submissions are regularly announced via a weekly digest email, on this website, and on Cornell's web-based internal competition platform. Other limited submission opportunities (e.g., calls for "short fuse" limited submissions) are announced in the weekly digest and on this website, but are not typically listed on InfoReady.

To receive timely communications about limited submission opportunities, subscribe to the CU-RES-ADMIN-L listserv here

If you submitted to a sponsor's previous cycle for a limited submission program but were declined funding and would like to resubmit, you must contact OVPRI Limited Submissions before reapplying.

Resubmissions almost always count against Cornell's submission limit. Even if a funder's program officer encourages you to resubmit, you must get approval from Cornell before doing so. If there is an active internal competition for the funder's current submission cycle, you will need to participate in the internal competition.

If you missed an internal submission deadline, you are welcome to contact Limited Submissions to learn if the opportunity is still "open" (i.e., if there are application slots available). If the submission slot(s) was 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 first-come, first-served basis.

If a selected candidate decides not to submit to the sponsor, they must notify OVPRI 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.

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, they should notify Limited Submissions before anything is 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.

Email Cornell Limited Submissions if you need help or experience technical issues with the InfoReady application platform.

We strongly recommend logging into the system early so any potential technical issues can be addressed before the submission deadline. If you have technical issues when submitting your application, reach out to us immediately and during regular business hours with your application materials attached.

Weill Cornell Medicine has its own internal competitions for limited submission funding opportunities. If you are an investigator from WCM, contact Florencia Marcucci in the Office of the Research Dean. Do not apply to competitions listed on this website or InfoReady.

Recurring Programs List

Downloadable list of recurring limited submission programs.

 

Announcements (updated 03/12/2024)

  • ETH Materials Research Prize for Young Investigators: ETH Zurich is postponing the Materials Research Prize for Young Investigators competition. The next nomination cycle is expected to be sometime in 2025, not in May 2024 as ETH had previously announced. Cornell’s internal competition is recalled and will be rescheduled.
  • USDA NIFA FY24 Research Facilities Act Program (USDA-NIFA-OP-01055): Institutions may submit one application, and a Cornell application is being prepared. There will not be an internal competition.
  • NSF Innovation Corps Hubs Program (I-Corps Hubs): Cornell is not eligible to participate as a partner or subawardee in another institution's I-Corps Hub proposal.
  • NIH PAR-22-081 Limited Competition: Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed): Due to NIH restrictions on S10 awards, Cornell is not eligible to apply for the June 2024 submission cycle under this solicitation.
  • National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America: Due to NEA restrictions regarding active awards, Cornell is not eligible to apply for the April 2024 submission cycle.

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

 

The Pew Charitable Trusts Biomedical Scholars 2025

 

March 25

 

NSF General Social Survey (GSS) Competition

 

March 25

 

Schmidt Science Fellows 2025

 

March 25

 

NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) Pathway to Independence Award for Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00)

 

March 25

 

William T. Grant Scholars Program 2024

 

April 8

 

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

 

April 26

 

Brain Research Foundation 2025 Scientific Innovations Award

 

April 26

 

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