Overlooked Proposal Guidelines

Two areas of the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) occasionally overlooked in the proposal preparation process are:

Font Size. The GPG outlines minimum requirements for density, height and vertical spacing of characters. It does not suggest a specific font type or size. One example of a font that adheres to the guideline standards is Times New Roman in 11-point font size. Whichever font you choose, please double-check that the requirements are met. Once the document has been loaded into Fastlane, check the font size again before submission to make sure everything loaded correctly.

Biographical Sketch. The GPG sets forth specific guidelines for the layout of the Biographical Sketch. Please refer to the Guide for complete requirements. Be sure that only 5 related publications and 5 other significant publications are included. It is also important to include your synergistic activities. When listing advisors, please indicate whether the individual was a master’s, doctoral or post-doctoral advisor.

The Grant Proposal Guide can be found at https://www.nsf.gov/pubs.