Project Lifecycle

The Office of Sponsored Programs serves the TCU community by providing information, assistance, services and programs to those who seek financial support for scholarly endeavors.

TCU offers two funding pathways. 

• Internal Grants are ORCA-administered award competitions open to TCU faculty and researchers, providing seed funding to support research, creative activity, and scholarship. 
• External Funding tools and databases help you identify opportunities from federal or state agencies, foundations and private sponsors.

Proposal development is a collaborative process that includes preparing both the administrative and scientific portions of your proposal. Contact your OSP Grant & Contract Specialist as early as possible — ideally 4 to 6 weeks before the sponsor deadline.

You and your OSP Grant & Contract Specialist will work together on the administrative components of your proposal, including the project budget, compliance requirements, and institutional routing. As you develop the scientific portion, we encourage you to seek feedback from colleagues in your department or college, and to reach out to your associate dean for research about available proposal development support.

Be sure to discuss eligibility requirements with your OSP Grant & Contract Specialist early. Some funding opportunities limit the number of submissions per academic unit or institution.

Who is my OSP Contact?

All applications, contracts, or proposals for external funds to support sponsored projects awarded to TCU must be routed for institutional review and approval before submission to the sponsor.

To submit a proposal, go to FrogFlow.

Once your award is received, OSP will work with Research Accounting to set up your project account. From that point, you are responsible for managing expenditures, personnel, and reporting requirements in compliance with the sponsor's terms and conditions and TCU policies.

Contact your OSP Grant & Contract Specialist with any questions about allowable costs, budget modifications, no-cost extensions, prior approval requirements, or changes to scope.

Proper close-out of a sponsored project ensures all financial, programmatic, and administrative obligations are met before the award period ends. Begin close-out activities at least 90 days before your project end date — do not wait until the final weeks.

Contact your OSP Grant & Contract Specialist as soon as you anticipate any challenges meeting your project end date or completing required deliverables.