CLIPP (Complex, Large, or Interdisciplinary Proposal Preparation)

CLIPP (Complex, Large, or Interdisciplinary Proposal Preparation)

Large‐scale, complex grants often provide opportunities for faculty to engage in new or emerging areas of interdisciplinary research that may have a disproportionate impact on their field or discipline. They typically involve multiple departments, disciplines, and colleges and require coordination among collaborators and research offices at several institutions. Consequently, large, complex proposals are difficult to prepare, requiring significant time and resources to (1) establish and build relationships among participating partners, (2) identify and cultivate appropriate collaborators, and (3) draft and assemble the administrative (non‐technical) components of the proposal. Thus, CLIPP (Complex, Large, or Interdisciplinary Proposal Preparation) is intended to help build the research capacity of the University by providing enhanced support to teams of faculty interested in preparing and submitting large, complex grant proposals to external funding agencies.

Projects selected for participation in CLIPP will be eligible for enhanced pre‐submission support from the Center for Research Excellence, including help with the following:

  • Coordinating team communication;
  • Organizing, convening, and facilitating meetings of potential stakeholders and participants;
  • Formulating proposal outlines (based on the solicitation), timelines, and application checklists,
  • Clarifying proposal guidelines;
  • Identifying existing university resources that can be leveraged to support the proposal, including connecting to campus resources for Broader Impacts;
  • Identifying potential partners and collaborators;
  • Gathering institutional data on student enrollment, performance, and outcomes;
  • Securing documentation of institutional support (e.g., letters of support or commitment, matching funds or cost‐sharing commitments);
  • Developing and reviewing supporting documents (e.g., budgets and budget justifications, data management plans, mentoring plans);
  • Developing relationships with funding agencies and program officers;
  • Coordinating an external review, including a review by Hanover Grants, and
  • Editing the proposal draft.

To be eligible for CLIPP, projects must meet one or more of the following criteria. Preference will be given to projects that meet more than one of the criteria:

  • Annual budget of over $200,000 or total award dollar value over $1 million;
  • Involve senior personnel (faculty and/or staff) from two or more departments or colleges working on an interdisciplinary project; or
  • Involve two or more institutions, businesses, or organizations with UNC Charlotte as the lead.

Applications must include the completed CLIPP application.