Limited Submission Funding Opportunities

In some cases, a funder limits the number of applications that can be submitted by CU Boulder to a given funding opportunity. For all limited submission funding opportunities, the Research & Innovation Office (RIO) coordinates an internal competition to identify the project(s) with the highest likelihood of receiving funding. All interested applicants should review the campus procedures for limited submission funding opportunities provided below. Click here to get our limited submission funding opportunity newsletter, the RIO Bulletin, delivered directly to your inbox every other Tuesday.

  Interested in serving as a reviewer for limited submission competitions? Click here! 

  Current Open Opportunities 

  Past Opportunities 

  Past Winners 

Procedures for Limited Submission Funding Opportunities

  1. Announcement of Opportunities
    1. Webpage: The RIO limited submission funding opportunities webpage lists active limited submission funding opportunities. Information about past opportunities can be found here.
    2. Email: RIO circulates the biweekly RIO Bulletin via email to campus stakeholders; the Bulletin includes notices of newly announced limited submission funding opportunities. Subscribe to the RIO Bulletin here. In certain time-sensitive situations, RIO may circulate a special issue of the Bulletin announcing a limited submission opportunity. RIO may also notify individual units and stakeholders of opportunities focused on specific disciplines or research areas.
    3. If individual faculty or staff become aware of limited submission funding opportunities not posted through the above sources, they should notify RIO immediately at ltdsubs@colorado.edu
    4. To prevent CU Boulder from being disqualified from a limited submission funding opportunity, materials should not be submitted to the sponsor until a final selection is made and the winner of the internal competition has been notified.
  2. Internal Application Process
    1. Timeline: RIO will typically post notice of an internal competition at least 10 weeks in advance of the sponsor deadline (this will increase to 16 weeks for particularly large, complex, or multidisciplinary funding opportunities). This window allows RIO to allot at least: (a) 6 weeks for internal competition winner proposal development in advance of the sponsor deadline (this will increase to 12 weeks for particularly large, complex, or multidisciplinary opportunities), (b) 1 to 1.5 weeks for the internal competition proposal review process, and (c) 3 weeks for internal competition proposal development. ​​RIO will make best efforts to adhere to the timeline outlined here, however, RIO reserves the right to make modifications considering sponsor timelines are outside of RIO’s control. If there is insufficient time to administer an internal competition, RIO may render a decision as to whom will be granted CU Boulder’s slot to apply to an opportunity.
    2. Application Submission: Applicants will submit internal competition applications through an online portal with a unique hyperlink provided on the limited submission funding opportunities webpage.
    3. Application Requirements: Internal application requirements may vary based on sponsor application requirements, but will typically include: (a) 2-3 page project summary, (b) CV/biosketch, and (c) 1 page budget overview (basic budgets outlining projects costs are sufficient; detailed OCG budgets are not required for internal competitions).
    4. RIO does not provide any advice or feedback during the internal competition process.
    5. The applicant must confirm their eligibility for both the program and the project or work they are seeking support for before submitting to the internal competition.
  3. Internal Review Process
    1. Applications are reviewed by faculty and staff with expertise in the relevant subject area(s). Based on reviewer input, an applicant (or applicants) is selected as the internal competition winner. The internal winner is invited to submit a proposal to the opportunity sponsor on behalf of CU Boulder.
    2. When known, the sponsor's review criteria will be used as guidance for the internal review process.
    3. The CU Boulder Office of Advancement will provide input during the review process for private foundation-sponsored opportunities.
  4. Notification of Applicants
    1. RIO will notify all applicants via email. When possible, applicants will receive reviewer comments to allow the internal winner and other applicants to strengthen their proposals to the sponsor or for the subsequent funding cycle, respectively.
    2. RIO will provide internal winners with instructions on how to proceed with submission of a full proposal to the sponsor, working in conjunction with the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) and/or the Office of Advancement.
    3. RIO will share the names of internal winners when other internal competition applicants, whom were not selected, inquire for collaboration/partnership purposes. The intent is to encourage collaboration and to ensure that CU Boulder is submitting the most competitive proposal possible. Partnerships are at the discretion of the internal PI winner.
  5. Expectations for Internal Winners
    1. Internal competition winners are required to submit a full proposal to the sponsoring agency on behalf of CU Boulder. RIO expects selected faculty to make contact with their OCG Proposal Analyst (and with the Office of Advancement for applicable philanthropic funding opportunities) within one week of being notified by RIO. This one-week window may be shorter depending on the program deadline.
    2. Even if a sponsor allows a PI to submit on their own, PIs must submit through OCG (and should be in contact with the Office of Advancement for philanthropic funding opportunities).
    3. If, for any reason, an internal winner will not submit a proposal to the sponsor, (s)he is required to immediately contact ltdsubs@colorado.edu. If time permits, another internal competition applicant will be invited to apply on behalf of CU Boulder.
      1. For instances in which an internal winner does not apply and neglects to inform RIO, the dean/director of the internal winner’s respective unit will be notified, and this will be taken into consideration for future limited submission opportunities.
    4. If an internal winner wishes to appoint another faculty member as PI before the application is submitted to the sponsor, the internal winner must request approval by sending an explanation to ltdsubs@colorado.edu. Changes in PI must be approved by RIO.
    5. For projects involving cost-share, it is incumbent upon the selected faculty to secure appropriate financial commitments. Cost-share commitments should be identified and described in the internal campus competition application. In cases that RIO is able to contribute matching funds, RIO’s contributions are typically limited to funds for equipment and/or facilities for equipment. All requests should follow RIO’s process for required or voluntary cost-share or matching.
    6. RIO expects applicants to send a copy of the submitted proposal to ltdsubs@colorado.edu and to keep RIO informed of the proposal status and whether or not the proposal was funded.
    7. As an internal winner, you agree to provide you agree to provide sponsor feedback to RIO by filling out this form within 60 days of receiving sponsor feedback. You also agree to provide advice and sponsor feedback to the following year’s internal winner upon request. 

Open Limited Submission Funding Opportunities

Please see the table below for a complete list of active internal competitions. Click on the linked award name for more information and to access the internal competition application portal. If you are aware of a limited program not listed below, please email ltdsubs@colorado.edu.

CU Internal Competition Deadline

(11:59pm MT)

Sponsor Deadline

Program

June 26, 2025July 14, 2025
July 21, 2025August 10, 2025Schmidt Science Polymaths
July 28, 2025August 11, 2025 (Sponsor Intent Form)
October 15, 2025 (Sponsor Application)
July 28, 2025September 4, 2025
August 4, 2025September 30, 2025Searle Scholars Program
August 18, 2025September 19, 2025 (Registration by PI)
October 3, 2025 (Letter of Intent)
December 12, 2025 (Application, by invitation)		Mathers Foundation Grant (Fall 2025)
August 18, 2025November 14, 2025NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program
N/A: Email ltdsubs@colorado.edu if interestedJune 24, 2025NSF Advanced Computing Systems & Services: Adapting to the Rapid Evolution of Science and Engineering Research
N/A: Email ltdsubs@colorado.edu if interestedAugust 14, 2025NSF Scholarships in STEM Network (S-STEM-Net)
N/A: Email ltdsubs@colorado.edu if interestedRollingORAU Innovation Partnerships Program

 

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