As many of you know, all USDA-NIFA Requests for Applications (RFAs) have been under review since February 2025. We now have reliable information indicating that USDA-NIFA will release multiple RFAs in the coming weeks and in fact released a couple last week.
Most USDA RFAs are expected to only provide a 30-day application window; however, some may allow as few as two weeks to respond.
In light of this, we strongly encourage you to continue developing your planned proposals based on the assumption that program guidelines will closely align with those from the previous year. This proactive approach will help ensure you are well-prepared and can meet these shortened deadlines once the official RFAs are released.
Given the anticipated compacted timelines, it is crucial to meet the internal deadlines set by your Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) coordinator. These deadlines are designed to ensure sufficient time for proposal review and submission while balancing the increased workload this compressed schedule places on OSP staff. Your cooperation in adhering to these deadlines will help us manage resources effectively and support your proposals’ success.
If you have already submitted a Proposal Intake Questionnaire (PIQ) and been assigned a coordinator, you will be notified by your coordinator of any updated timelines and do not need to resubmit a PIQ. However, if you have not yet submitted a PIQ but anticipate submitting a proposal to USDA-NIFA, please complete and submit a Proposal Intake Questionnaire with as much information as possible at your earliest convenience.
OSP is here to help you navigate the increasingly complex landscape of federal funding. If you have further questions, please contact Adrienne Blalack, UTIA OSP Assistant Director of Proposals, at ablalack@tennessee.edu. To receive timely updates on funding opportunities, you can subscribe on the NIFA website: nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities.
All proposals must be coordinated by OSP and routed through Cayuse SP. This also applies to preliminary proposals or pre-applications if it:
- Must be submitted by the Office of Sponsored Programs,
- Requires an Authorized Official intuitional signature,
- Has a line item budget, or
- Includes matching.
To notify OSP of an upcoming proposal, complete our online Proposal Intake Questionnaire, as soon as you start planning, to provide preliminary information about your prospective proposal. This information does not have to be final at this time; it will be used by the assigned OSP Coordinator to provide detailed guidance for development, routing, and submission of your proposal.
Please note our Minimum Lead Times below.
A grant coordinator will be assigned to work with you, help develop your budget, and shepherd the proposal through to submittal in Cayuse SP and to the agency. The coordinator will review the RFA in detail and help establish a timeline so the proposal package is fully complete and ready for submission. This will allow ample time for review and dealing with any problems.
Your OSP Coordinator will help prepare your proposal budget, and your departmental business manager can answer questions related to budget items (estimated cost, GL codes in IRIS, etc.) See UTIA Indirect Cost Guide for help determining activity classification and indirect cost rates.
If you are not contacted by a coordinator within two days of completing the questionnaire, please email aggrant@utk.edu to ensure a coordinator has been assigned.
Even if a proposal or contract will be submitted directly by a faculty or staff member, prior approval of the UTIA Sponsored Programs office is required. This is to protect you as an employee and the institution.
UTIA Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)
minimum lead times for proposal notification to OSP
OSP strives to ensure excellent support and successful submittal of a thoroughly reviewed proposal by sponsor deadline or target submittal date. As soon as you know of your intention or begin planning to submit an upcoming proposal, immediately notify OSP (e-mail aggrant@utk.edu). To ensure a smooth and successful submission, the following minimum lead times (MLTs) are required to notify OSP of a proposal that has certain components/characteristics.
| MLT | Proposal components/Characteristics |
| 3 months: | 4 or more subawards; international collaborations; review by Orange Team, Hanover, or UTK Research Development Team |
| 8 weeks: | 1-3 subawards |
| 4 weeks: | Federal sponsor; co-PIs from other UT campuses; cost share requirement; special approvals such as voluntary F&A reduction |
| 3 weeks: | Budget with multiple UTIA departments and /or F&A rates; includes a REC |
| 2 weeks: | One department; no subawards; no cost share; no personnel from other campuses; no special approvals; non-federal sponsor |
These MLT-s apply whether UTIA is the lead institution on the proposal, or a subaward/ collaborating UT campus. If UTIA is a subaward or a collaborating campus, the MLT-s are based on the day the lead applicant needs materials, which is typically at least a week before the sponsor deadline.
Once notified, the coordinator will provide additional internal deadlines that must be met. OSP will submit a monthly report to the respective department head and associate deans of proposals for which the MLTs of notification and additional internal deadlines were not met.
Additional considerations:
- The level of support given to proposals that fail to meet the MLTs of notification or internal deadlines will depend on the workload of the coordinator.
- The coordinator will make every effort to assist in successful development and submittal, but proposals that adhere to internal timelines will take priority.
- When internal deadlines are not met, the PI is responsible for any failure of the proposal to be submitted by the deadline, for the proposal being returned without review by the sponsor, or for any delays in award setup stemming from the proposal not being submitted by OSP or being submitted with limited or no OSP review.
- If PIs cannot meet the MLTs of notification due to circumstances beyond their control, such as the RFA was just issued, explanation should be included with the notification.
- Proposals for which notification to OSP is received less than 5 full business days before the sponsor submittal deadline will not be assigned to a coordinator or submitted by OSP unless department head and dean’s office approval is received. If approval is obtained, the proposal will be submitted with limited to no review.
UTIA faculty may supplement their UT salary through the UTIA Salary Incentive Plan (SIP). If interested in getting SIP for a project, the PI should let the OSP coordinator know at the time of the proposal. Applications will be processed at the time of the award. SIP applications can be found on the Forms page.
See Standard UTIA Info.
Our objectives are to assist faculty in the proposal preparation and submission process and to increase our competitiveness in securing extramural funding. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.