proposalCENTRAL is a web-based grant management service for proposal submission and review. proposalCENTRAL has over 20 participating non-profit, state, and private grantmakers, offering 140 grant programs. The participating grantmakers all use proposalCENTRAL's services to facilitate the application and review process. Participants include the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and the UCOP California Breast Cancer Research Program, Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, and Universitywide AIDS Research Program.

This page is a quick reference for Berkeley investigators and staff using proposalCENTRAL. Please also see:
    Memo from Vice Chancellor for Research Beth Burnside: Implementing Guidelines for Electronic Proposal Submissions

Please remember to START EARLY! especially if you are using proposalCENTRAL for the first time.

1. Register for proposalCentral

• Applicants need to register only once to apply for any of the programs offered in proposalCENTRAL. The Berkeley campus is already registered as an institution.
• Read the proposalCENTRAL guidance on Registering and Completing Your Professional Profile for more information. If you have already registered, log in to the system.

2. Identify the program, access agency guidelines and application

• Open solicitations are listed on proposalCENTRAL, along with links to agency guidelines. Find the program you wish to apply for and click on "Apply Now" in the "Apply" column on the right to see the application package and begin work on your proposal. The application is available after entering proposal information.
• Read the proposalCENTRAL Prepare and Submit a Proposal guidance or refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. If you need more help, please contact a SPO research administrator.
• SPO provides guidance on Optimizing Files for Electronic Submission.

3. Complete the application

• To work on your application, go to the "Manage Proposals" button at the top left after logging in.
• Campus information must be provided for Proposal Section 3 "Enable Other Users to Access this Proposal" on the right menu:
  • Jyl Baldwin (jbaldwin@berkeley.edu) is the signing official.
  • See the SPO staff list to select the contract and grant officer.
  • Lori Cripps (l_cripps@berkeley.edu) is the fiscal contact.
• When you have added access to the above, all other information is complete, and you are ready to submit, click on "Print Cover/Signature Pages" (Proposal Section 13 in the right menu). Click the "Print Signature Pages and Attached PDFs" button to print the signature pages plus attached PDF files. Follow the program guidelines for any additional requirements for printing and submitting any other proposal information in the hard-copy submission.
• If you have already clicked "Submit" but need to revise the application before final submission, you can click "Unsubmit" and edit the application.

4. Provide a printed copy and PRF to SPO for review

• Submit a printed copy of the application and the Cover/Signature Page to the appropriate SPO administrator for review along with the signed Proposal Review Form (PRF) and any other required documents. This includes documentation of collaborative subagreements. SPO requests applications ten working days before the agency deadline to allow sufficient time for review. In order to insure successful submission for electronic proposals, it is crucial that SPO receives the fully completed proposal with a signed PRF a minimum of five working days prior to the agency receipt deadline. If the proposal is not submitted by this time, SPO cannot guarantee review and successful submission of the application (Implementing Guidelines for Electronic Proposal Submissions).
• After SPO review, make any necessary changes in proposalCENTRAL and provide SPO with a revised printed copy. If you have already clicked "Submit" but need to revise the application before final submission, you can click "Unsubmit" and edit the application.

5. Submit application and signed Cover/Signature Page to the agency

• After review and approval, SPO will return the signed Cover/Signature Page to you to be mailed to the sponsoring agency.
• You can then click "Submit" (Proposal Section 14 in the right menu) to submit your application to proposalCENTRAL.
• The signed Cover/Signature Page must be received by the sponsoring agency by the agency deadline. The application is not final until the agency has received a Cover/Signature Page with an institutional signature.