Limited Submissions

Limited submission programs restrict the number of applications an organization is permitted to submit. This limit is set by the sponsor requires the University to set up an internal selection process to determine which proposal will be submitted on behalf of Mercer. This internal selection process is managed by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

How are limited submissions handled at Mercer?

Due to the possible need to conduct an internal competition, PIs interested in applying to a limited submission funding opportunity should notify Dr. Garland Crawford by the Internal Interest Deadline (set as 10 weeks prior to the due date of the full proposal established by the sponsor). For example, If the sponsor’s deadline is 12/1/25, the Internal Interest Deadline would be 9/22/25.

• If, by the Internal Interest Deadline, the number of interested PIs is equal to or lower than program limits, an email will be sent to the PI to approve them to represent Mercer and to submit a full proposal through the normal grant submission workflow.
• If, by the Internal Interest Deadline, the number of interested PIs exceeds program limits, Mercer will conduct an internal competition to determine which PIs will be permitted to advance applications to the external funding agency. Interested PIs will be prompted to submit a pre-proposal (not a full proposal as required by the sponsor) to Dr. Garland Crawford approximately two weeks after the Internal Interest Deadline. A review panel approved by the Senior Vice Provost for Research will review the pre-proposals and select the most promising projects for submission on behalf of Mercer. Only PIs selected through this internal competition will be allowed to submit to the limited submission funding opportunity.
• If the Internal Interest Deadline has passed, an internal competition was not required, and slots remain available, PIs may still be eligible to apply to the limited submission funding opportunity. These projects will be approved on a first come, first served basis by notification to Dr. Garland Crawford.

Internal Competition Pre-Proposal

Pre-proposals are only required when the number of interested PIs exceeds the allowable number of submissions by the sponsor. Pre-proposals do not have the same requirements as the full proposal for the sponsor and are only for the internal competition. A full proposal that meets the requirements established by the sponsor will still need to be developed for those moving forward.

Required components of the Pre-Proposal

• A Proposal Transmittal Form completed by the PI up to University Approval line
• A project narrative, outlining the scope of the project, expected/intended outcomes, and existing resources, no more than 2 pages in length (Note: references are not included in the 2-page limit.). This will likely be read by and evaluated by non-specialists and should be written with that in mind.
• Detailed budget, no more than 1 page in length, if required for the full proposal
• CV of the PI
• A list of collaborators and their affiliations
• Optional: up to 1 page of additional information that may highlight why your proposal should be selected