Individual Grant Proposal: One Page

 

Context & Objectives

  Student Prompts

100 word maximum: State the specific objectives/purpose of your project and, if applicable, of the larger project within which yours is embedded. Explain the project's relevance and who stands to benefit.

Creative/Performance Projects: Tell us the objectives, points of curiosity from which you're starting, hypothesis or question you're exploring and the guiding principles of the work. Discuss where and when the final project will be exhibited, displayed or performed.

100 word maximum: Situate your project within other work in the field by providing a summary of the work done and discuss the theoretical traditions influencing your project.  Note what is original about your project and what contribution it makes to the field.

Creative/Performance Projects: Discuss what theoretical, aesthetic, and/or creative traditions influence your project. Include what contributions you're making to the field. Include your own creative/performance history and talk about how it's prepared you for this project.

  Mentor Endorsement Prompt

100 words maximum: Comment on the development of this proposal, noting the origin of the idea and its potential impact in the field.

Section Advice

Unlike an Assistantship proposal, Individual Grants have two prompts for the “context and objectives” section.  You have more space for background information, but still avoid spending too much time introducing the topic. Focus the first prompt on the project’s goals and fill in the context in the second prompt.  If your project is part of a bigger project, be sure to highlight your contribution.

Methodology & Strategy

  Student Prompts

200 word maximum: Explain the method(s)/strategy used in this project, including justification for your approach. Also justify international travel, if your project requires it.

50 word maximum: Note any experience, training and/or coursework required to complete this project, and explain how you have prepared.

  Mentor Endorsement Prompt

100 words maximum: Comment on your mentee's ability to perform this project, highlighting relevant coursework, experience with methods and/or materials, and other relevant certifications and qualifications.

Section Advice

Unlike an Assistantship proposal, Individual Grants have two prompts for the “methodology and strategy” section.  You have more space to explain, but still avoid overly detailed and technical descriptions of methods. Be sure to explain how you have the training and skills needed for the project or how you will learn them.  You might still have limited experience when applying for an Individual Grant, but reviewers need to see how you will gain the skills needed.

Learning Objectives

  Student Prompt

100 word maximum: Describe how this project advances your personal, academic and/or professional goals, including how it fits within your degree plan.

  Mentor Endorsement Prompt

100 words maximum: Respond to your mentee's learning goals, commenting on 1) how you and/or an additional supervisor will support these objectives and 2) how this project will advance their academic and/or professional goals?

Section Advice

UROP prioritizes student learning objectives over project outcomes even in Individual Grant proposals, so you should also clearly state what you will learn beyond the results of the project.

Resources & Materials

  Student Prompt

75 word maximum: Indicate the resources and materials needed for your project, and explain how you plan to acquire and make use of them.

  Mentor Endorsement Prompt

Should some of this grant be disbursed to a faculty/departmental account?

Yes: (100 words maximum) Explain the need to transfer funds to a faculty/departmental account.

Section Advice

You are not required to spend any portion of your UROP funding on supplies or other expenses for your project, though you may do so. Even if your mentor is providing all the resources, you will need to explain (as best you can) what resources and materials are required for the project. You are not required to provide an itemized budget of project expenses.

Timeline

  Student Prompt

150 word maximum: Outline the major phases of your project, providing a timeline of activities.

  Mentor Endorsement Prompt

Optional: Provide additional information about this project timeline.

Section Advice

Avoid overcrowding the timeline with details more suitable for other portions of the proposal. Be sure your timeline aligns to the grant term to which you are applying (summer or academic year). Students submitting proposals for projects continuing into the academic year might have similar proposals in their applications, but the timelines should be distinct.

Individual Project Grants

Compliance Procedures

Human Subjects

Projects involving human subjects may require approval by the IRB and involve additional steps in the application process.

Human Subjects Details

Animal Subjects

Projects involving animal subjects may require approval by the IACUC and involve additional steps in the application process.

Animal Subjects Details

NSF & NIH Projects

Students in projects with NSF/NIH funding must complete training in the Responsible Conduct of Research.

NSF/NIH Project Details

Travel

Projects involving domestic and/or international travel will require additional steps in the application and award process.

Travel Details

Resources

Student Grants Guide

Presentation: Proposals

Proposal: Worksheet

Compliance: Worksheet

Call for Participants

Developed and hosted in Boulder since 2018, UROP's Sidewalk Symposium invites undergraduates to share their research and creative presentations with chalk on campus walkways. UROP welcomes undergraduates at any stage of their project to participate.

Register for UROP's Sidewalk Symposium by Oct.5, 2026

Celebrating 40 Years

CU Boulder has an expansive history engaging undergraduates in the research and creative life of the campus dating to the creation of UROP in 1986.

Celebrating 40 Years of Opportunities