Limited & Internal Funding General Information Webpage

1. Each limited submission/internal opportunity is posted in InfoReady with internal deadlines for review and applicant selection.

2. Newly posted InfoReady opportunities are circulated via the ORD weekly newsletter; sign up here. 

3. To search open InfoReady Postings: 

• Log in to InfoReady here with your CNET ID. [Note: All students, faculty, and staff should log in with SSO (inc. CASE). Offices using shared logins and users external to UC need to log in using email.]
• Filter opportunities based on: organizer (see links above/hover over home in the top left corner), category (select dropdown in table), and/or funding organization (select dropdown in table).
• Search by keyword(s) in the search box above the table.

1. Posting: Weekly posting of opportunities (LOIs or Competitions) to InfoReady. Distributed university wide via ORD funding weekly newsletter sent out on Wednesdays 2 pm CST (subscribe here).

2. Submission:

A. LOI (if applicable): Deadline is typically 1-2 weeks; only requires basic information, tentative title, and keywords.

• Note: Step A may be skipped for opportunities that are reoccurring and routinely have multiple applicants. In these cases, the application process begins at part B.
• Note: If the number of interested applicants for an LOI exceeds the institution’s submission limit, an internal competition is then initiated (see B).

B. Competition: Internal deadline is typically 1-2 weeks; An internal application package will be requested, with materials customized to the funding opportunity.

3. Internal Review:

• Divisional Review (if applicable)
• Cross-division Review

4. Notification: Through InfoReady generated communication:

• UChicago Slot Award – Sent to PI, Grants Administrator, and URA
• Application Decline – Feedback sent upon request

For Applicants and Administrators:

1. Internal deadline passed, but the opportunity is still open in InfoReady?

• For Limited Federal Opportunities: Contact researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu
• For Limited Foundation Submissions: Contact Emma Stevens
• For all others: Contact the Administrator/Owner listed within the opportunity 

2. Don’t see an opportunity posted, however you are interested in applying?

• Please contact researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu

3. Interested in having someone else apply to opportunities on your behalf/how can one submit on behalf of a PI?

• Click here for information on assigning a proxy submitter/proxy submission process.

4. I am a current grant holder, interested in applying for a renewal for a limited opportunity. How do I reserve this slot?

• Please contact researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu

5. I have been awarded a university slot, how can I recieve support on my application?

• Signup for an ORD consultation using this form.

6. Who is responsible for verifying eligibility for an opportunity?

• Applicants are responsible for confirming their eligibility prior to applying.
• Should an applicant or limited-slot awardee later determine they are ineligible and/or will not be moving forward in their application for any reason, the slot may be forfeited. Please contact researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu, if applicable.

7. I am encountering difficulties with file upload or submission.

• Please ensure that you are using the most updated version of Chrome or Firefox browsers.
• Confirm that your files meet the required format as specified in the opportunity details, and that any password protection or watermarks have been removed prior to upload. PDF files are generally preferred.

For Administrators:

Please review the list of relevant InfoReady Trainings at https://infoready.freshdesk.com/support/home.

1. When is it appropriate to copy an existing opportunity for the next cycle and when should I instead create a new opportunity from a template/through Form Designer?

• Admins should create a new opportunity for a new funding mechanism by either: 1) customizing a new opportunity using Form Designer or 2) copying an existing system template. Admins can use the Copy feature on open or archived opportunities requiring minimal edits (such as deadlines, guidelines, award notifications) to conveniently carry over details from one cycle to the next.

2. When should I archive an opportunity?

• Opportunities should be archived at the end of each cycle to optimize cyclical reporting through the application and award funnel. Archived opportunities can still be copied to the next cycle’s RFP.

3. What organizer and category should I list an opportunity under?

Organizer

A. Internal Funding – Any funding that is facilitated by UChicago. 

B. Limited Submissions – Only ORD Federal Limited or FCR Foundation Limited Opportunities.

C. Other Opportunities – All other opportunities.

Category

4. Should I exclude any units from applying to an opportunity via checking the limited to specific organizations option?

• No, kindly. The prefered UChicago protocol is to leave this box unchecked, as the primary organization of an applicant should not preclude someone from submission. Instead, please contact an applicant directly to discuss their proposal or use the Return to Applicant function.

5. I want to edit my opportunity / assign progress reports past the internal deadline. How can I do so without pulling this opportunity into the ORD weekly newsletter again?

• Please edit the title of your RFP to include the word “competition” – this can be removed before archiving the opportunity and manually edited from system notifications. Opportunities with the word “competition” in the title are automatically removed from our newsletter feed.

6. I want to edit my opportunity so that it reappears in the weekly newsletter again / we extended the deadline for additional submissions. Is this possible?

• Yes, you can simply edit your Internal Submission Deadline or edit the title. Any opportunity added or edited prior to EOB Tuesdays will be included in the Wednesday digest distribution.

7. I have questions on / I’ve been contacted by applicants/reviewers about system functionality. How can I receive assistance?

• Please begin by reviewing the Gold Admin Guide you received when assigned your Administrator role.
• Next, the Administrator section under Help (top right navigation) will guide you to detailed articles as well as training modules.
• For further assistance, contact ORD at researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu.

Any other questions? Please contact us at researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu

If you’re interested in running your own InfoReady competitions for internal opportunities, please contact Beth Ziolkowski (bethz@uchicago.edu) to arrange onboarding. Each office is allotted one administrator seat; we recommend coordinating within your office, as additional seats can be assigned for a small annual fee. InfoReady unit administrators are reassessed on an annual basis to ensure active usage of their licensure and may contact ORD at any time to request reinstatement.

InfoReady Review offers several beneficial processes to running RFPs, including the ability to:

• Launch new opportunities and manage submissions in one place, without the need to use email or Box for management, with the ability to upload documents and share/download submissions.
• Create customized review rubric, provide individuals and/or committees one-click reviewer access, and receive confirmations of completed reviews.
• Trigger system-generated notification templates, eliminating the need for manual communications.
• Automate post-award progress reports criteria and deadlines.
• Download historical reporting on submission cycle(s).
• Copy and re-launch RFP template to easily create and manage future awards and cycles.
• Promote new opportunities to internal channels via Office of Research’s weekly funding digest newsletter.

To learn more about what InfoReady can do, click here for an informational video.

Any other questions? Please contact us at researchdevelopment@uchicago.edu.