Have an idea that could grow with external funding? The Sponsored Programs Office (SPO) is here to help you explore what’s possible and move your project forward.
Great proposals rarely come together overnight—and you don’t have to develop yours alone.
Whether you’re exploring your first funding opportunity or preparing your next major submission, SPO can help you think through strategy, sponsor expectations, timelines, budgets and institutional requirements.
On this page, you’ll find resources to help you develop your idea, find a funding match, prepare your application and get it ready for submission.
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As Principal Investigator (PI), you lead the project’s design, development and management. You bring the vision and subject expertise, and you work with SPO and other campus partners to help make sure sponsor requirements, university policies and project commitments are addressed throughout the project.
Deans, directors and associate vice presidents are important partners in sponsored projects. Their review helps confirm that project plans, budgets, staffing, space, equipment and other commitments are workable and supported by the unit. They can also help faculty identify collaborations, anticipate resource needs and position projects for long-term success.
SPO partners with you throughout the sponsored-project process—from finding funding opportunities and developing proposals to navigating sponsor requirements, campus approvals and award setup. SPO supports pre-award activities for grants and contracts funded by federal, state, local and private sponsors. We also coordinate internal funding opportunities, including the CSU Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity (RSCA) competition.
PIVOT is a searchable database of external funding opportunities featuring billions of dollars in available funding from federal and non-federal sponsors in all disciplines. The Pivot funding database is available to all Monterey Bay faculty and staff. Need assistance? Sign up to attend a SPO workshop on PIVOT on our Events page.
CSUMB uses the InfoReady Review portal for internal funding opportunities. You can browse programs offered by the CSU system, Chancellor’s Office and CSUMB, review current deadlines and categories, and submit applications online.
Grants.gov is the central portal for finding and applying for federal funding opportunities. It brings together thousands of active programs from federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education and others.
The California Grants Portal is a centralized website where you can find grants and loans offered by California state agencies. Developed by the California State Library, this portal helps applicants easily search for funding opportunities available on a competitive or first-come, first-served basis.
CSUMB participates in systemwide research networks that connect faculty and students with funding, resources and interdisciplinary communities working on real-world challenges across California and beyond.
Every successful proposal starts with planning, collaboration and a clear understanding of the requirements. SPO is here to support you through each step.
Start with the idea that excites you and think about the impact you want your project to make. Early conversations with colleagues, your department chair, dean and SPO can help strengthen the concept and identify potential needs or opportunities. As your idea becomes clearer, develop keywords and themes that will help you search for funding. You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out—SPO is happy to help you get started.
Look for sponsors whose priorities, eligibility requirements and timelines align with your project. SPO can help you search funding databases, interpret opportunity announcements and assess whether a sponsor is a good fit. If you are unsure about an opportunity, send it our way and we can review it with you before you invest significant time in an application. Finding the right match early can make the rest of the proposal process much smoother.
Once you find an opportunity you want to pursue, let SPO know as early as possible so we can help review requirements, develop the budget and identify needed approvals or compliance steps. Build a timeline that allows time for writing, attachments, feedback, internal routing and revisions. Keep sponsor evaluation criteria in mind as you develop clear goals, activities and measures of success. SPO can also help review required attachments and answer questions as your proposal package comes together.
University policy requires proposals to reach SPO at least five business days before the sponsor deadline for campus review and approval. In Cayuse SP, you will provide key information about the project, team, budget, compliance needs and conflict-of-interest disclosures before the proposal is routed to the appropriate reviewers. This review helps make sure sponsor and university requirements; resources and commitments are addressed before submission. Please remain available during this period in case questions or last-minute revisions arise.
| Form Section | What it will ask for |
|---|---|
|
General Information |
Dates, Sponsor information, Proposal summary and narrative attachment |
|
Project Team |
Identify the PI, key personnel, and any others supported by the grant including any projected effort or cost share |
|
Financial Information |
Direct and indirect costs, a draft budget attachment, key questions about CSUMB financial commitments, and F&A rates |
|
Compliance |
Indicate any potential compliance requirements such as IRB, IACUC, IBC, exports, intellectual property, etc. |
|
Conflict of Interest |
PI, Co-PI, and Key Personnel will be prompted to complete a COI disclosure for the proposal |
SPO completes the formal institutional submission on behalf of the university. Your involvement remains important until the proposal has been successfully submitted, particularly if questions or final changes come up. SPO will send confirmation after submission, and you should keep a copy of the complete application and continue monitoring your email for sponsor follow-up. Reaching submission is an important milestone—and the result of a lot of planning, writing and teamwork.
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Expert support is available at every stage of your project, from planning to implementation.
Reach out for help with funding, proposals or awards.