Limited Submission FAQs

Limited Submission Opportunities (LSO) are funding opportunities where the sponsor has limited
the number of applications accepted from one institution.

The Office for Research maintains the Limited Submissions Table, which lists LSOs and their internal competition deadlines, on its website.

Solicitations typically provide information on application limits in the “Eligibility” section, usually in a subsection on “Number of Applications per Organization.” If you are not sure if something is a limited submission check the list of competitions on the Limited Submissions Table or email University-Wide Funding Opportunities Team for assistance.

If faculty, students, or staff become aware of a limited submission funding opportunity that is not currently listed on the LSO Table, notify University-Wide Funding Opportunities Team as soon as possible. If there is time for a full competition to be posted (more than 6 weeks before the external deadline) the opportunity will be posted and an internal competition will be held. If there are less than six weeks, the opportunity will be treated as first come, first serve.

Faculty members interested in submitting a proposal to an LSO must submit a pre-proposal for internal review. Deadlines for internal proposals are typically 8 weeks before the external deadline, see the Limited Submissions Table for each opportunity’s internal deadline. Internal applications are first screened by University-Wide Opportunities staff and then reviewed and scored by an expert faculty panel using criteria aligned with the specific opportunity. The application(s) with the strongest score will prevail. University-Wide Opportunities staff will notify all applicants whether that they have been selected to submit to the sponsor. The selected faculty member must then enter their proposal into RAPSS and follow the standard RSP submission procedure.

Most internal competitions will require a two-page Project Summary, Department Chair/Dean Letter of Support, and bio-sketches for each PI and Co-PI at Rutgers. When applicable, additional documentation will be required when the sponsor requires cost sharing from the applicant. If your proposal is a resubmission, you are required to submit the scores and reviewer comments from the prior review, as well as describe how you plan on addressing the reviewers’ comments.

If you have been selected receive a limited submission slot through the LSO review process and you choose not to submit, you must notify University-Wide Funding Opportunities of your decision as soon as possible so the institution may offer this slot to another faculty member. Failure to notify UFO may result in your ineligibility to reapply for future cycles of the limited submission funding opportunity.

To receive email announcements whenever a new internal competition is launched, subscribe to the Office for Research’s Limited Submission mailing list.

The type of limited submission determines who is responsible for coordinating the internal competition and where faculty need to submit. The Limited Submissions Table will specify where faculty need to submit. The below table summarizes where faculty will submit based on the type of limitation.