Eligibility of PI
Eligibility of PI
BACKGROUND, DEFINITION AND ROLE
A Principal Investigator (“PI”) must be identified for every proposal submitted by the university. While there may be any number of co-Principal Investigators (“Co-PI”) or co-investigators (“Co-I”) involved in a proposal, there must be one individual who is recognized as ultimately responsible for the overall management of the project/program, completion of all required reports and deliverables, and who will serve as the primary technical point of contact for the potential funding agency and California State University, Fullerton (“CSUF”) if the proposal is funded. In some projects, a Principal Investigator may also serve as Project Director (“PD”).
Any of the following eligibility criteria must be met for an individual to serve as a PI:
- Tenured or Tenure-track faculty member currently employed by the CSUF
- Academic Administrator: Department Chair, College Dean or equivalent, Associate Vice President, Vice President, President
- Full-time employees (normally Administrators/MPPs) of the CSUF or ASC acting in their capacity as Center Director (or equivalent appointment)
The following scenarios require completion of the Principal Investigator (PI) Approval Form, which is available in the “Eligibility to serve as principal investigator policy” below.
- A faculty with emeritus status, with prior approvals from the College Dean or Division Head/Vice President, and Associate Vice President for the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (AVP-ORSP)
- Non-tenured faculty such as Adjunct Faculty or Lecturer, with prior approvals from the College Dean or Division Head/Vice President, and AVP-ORSP.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
- A Visiting Faculty (with temporary appointment) may serve as Co-PI for a proposed project, provided the PI is a full-time faculty member or Academic Administrator (as defined above) and the funding agency allows such.
- Students submitting proposals where awards are issued to the CSUF or ASC must be sponsored by faculty members or academic administrators who act as the designated PIs. If the sponsor guidelines require, the students may be listed as a co-investigators, but may not be the point of contact for the project.
Note: Prior approvals may be provided via completion of the “Principal Investigator (PI) Approval Form”. Some colleges and departments may have specific guidelines on PI eligibility beyond the institutional requirement. Prospective PIs or co-PIs should check with their departments and/or colleges to ensure that they meet their unit’s specific eligibility requirements in addition to the institutional requirements.
Review Proposal Guidelines
Review Proposal Guidelines
Most funding agencies issue various forms of proposal solicitations, including:
- Request for Proposal (RFP)
- Request for Application (RFA)
- Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
- Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Whichever a funding agency uses, the solicitation is a proposer’s point of reference for the proposal development process. It is important that the PI and all others involved in the proposal development process read these solicitations early in the proposal process.
The Research Development Officer assigned to your college will review and request clarification from the funding agency when there are questions regarding requirement. The Research Development Officer also assists with questions regarding CSUF or ASC practices related to the sponsor requirements.
SUBMITTING ELECTRONICALLY
As more and more funders use electronic submission systems, it is particularly important for principal investigators and their teams to ensure that all formatting and submission issues are addressed and submissions conform to sponsor requirements. Electronic submission systems are particularly sensitive to submission errors and researchers should read guidelines carefully to avoid submission errors due to formatting problems. If an electronic system flags any errors, the proposal may be rejected automatically without review.
REVIEW GUIDELINES
Review the guidelines immediately and identify limited submission requirements early on. Limited submission programs are those for which funding agencies restrict the number of nominations or proposals a university may submit for award consideration. CSUF must internally screen all eligible and interested nominees to determine which will represent the university in the regional, national or international competitions.
Assess Resources
Assess Resources
When funding agencies review proposals, they look for more than just a good idea, a thoughtful proposal and talented researchers: they are also looking for evidence that the institution has the necessary resources in order to complete the project. Project resources include:
- Tangible resources, such as laboratory space or equipments
- Intangible resources, such as departmental support from the academic department and campus support required for project success
- Principal Investigator (PI) for experience in managing research programs, and to ensure the PI sets aside enough time to work on the project
- Experienced key personal with a capacity to manage the project and preliminary data in many cases
Common Proposal Elements
When creating a proposal, sponsors typically ask for several key components. While specific requirements may vary, these elements generally aim to achieve the same overarching goal. Explore Common Proposal Elements.
