Breadcrumb
Before you start an application, carefully review the information in the Student Grants Guide and use the worksheets to prepare your responses in advance.
UROP Individual Grants allow students to take ownership of part or all of a project, so applications require more development than Assistantships.
$3,000
Summer
$1,500
Academic Year
Individual Grant Proposal
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
Your proposal explains the 鈥渨hat,鈥� 鈥渨hy,鈥� 鈥渉ow,鈥� and 鈥渨hen鈥� of the research or creative work you plan in partnership with your faculty mentor鈥攁nd argues its' importance.听
Summary
- Context and Objectives
- Methodology and Strategy
- Learning Objectives
- Resources and Materials (Individual Grants Only)
- Timeline
University Compliance
In addition to the project proposal, you might need to complete additional steps to comply with university policy鈥攊f your project involves any of the following:
- Human Subjects
- Animal Subjects
- Work funded by the NSF and/or NIH
- Domestic and/or International Travel
UROP Prioritizes Learning Outcomes
You will also explain your 鈥渓earning goals,鈥� or what you expect to learn鈥攂eyond project outcomes.听听UROP prioritizes听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.
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
Like an Assistantship proposal, this is the first part reviewers will see and serves as an introduction to the project. Your goal is also to capture your reviewer鈥檚 attention and get them excited about your work.
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.听 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.
Advice
Unlike an Assistantship proposal, Individual Grants have two prompts for the 鈥渃ontext and objectives鈥� section.听 You have more space for background information, but still avoid spending too much time introducing the topic.听Focus the first prompt on the project鈥檚 goals and fill in the context in the second prompt.听 If your project is part of a bigger project, be sure to highlight your contribution.
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
Like an Assistantship proposal, this section follows the introduction provided in the 鈥渃ontext and objections鈥� portion and serves to explain what you will do to achieve the project goals.
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.听
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.
Advice
Unlike an Assistantship proposal, Individual Grants have two prompts for the 鈥渕ethodology and strategy鈥� section.听 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.听 You might still have limited experience when applying for an Individual Grant, but reviewers need to see how you will gain the skills needed.
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
Like an Assistantship proposal, this section follows the 鈥渕ethodology and strategy鈥� portion of the proposal and serves to highlight how participation in the project will help you achieve your professional goals.
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?
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.
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
This is an additional element to the Individual Grant proposal not included in Assistantships and serves to explain how you will get everything you need for your project.
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.
Advice
You are not required to spend听any portion of your UROP funding on supplies or other expenses for your project, though you may do so.听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.
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
Like an Assistantship proposal, this is the last section and serves to highlight when you will do the activities outlined in the 鈥渕ethodology and strategy鈥� portion.
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.
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).听Students submitting proposals for projects continuing into the academic year might have similar proposals in their applications, but the timelines should be distinct.
听
听Navigate using the tabs at the top of the guide. 听
Working with
Human Subjects
Working with
Animal Subjects
Working on
NSF and/or NIH Projects
Projects Involving
Travel
State your 鈥渢hesis鈥� first
Start with the purpose of your work to get reviewers鈥� attention.
Frame the 鈥渂igger picture鈥�
Place your project in the context of the field of study.
Highlight broader impacts
Be clear about the benefits of your project beyond impact in the field of study.
Answer the 鈥渟o what?鈥� question
Be sure reviewers understand why the project is needed.
Communicate urgency
Explain why the project is not only needed鈥攂ut needed now.
Avoid jargon/technical language
Use language accessible to reviewers who might not be familiar with the topic.
Leave out citation references
UROP accepts the mentor endorsement as verification of sources without citation.
Consult with the Writing Center
Consider consulting with the CU Boulder Writing Center as you draft your proposal.
The applications for UROP student and faculty grants are closed, but we'll reopen in late Fall 2024.
We听invite you to join the alert list to get an email when we open applications for the Summer 2025 and/or Academic Year 2025-26 cycle. Proposals will be due by听February 14, 2025. We encourage you to review our guides and prepare your materials in advance.