Skip to content

About Limited Submission Funding Opportunities

General Information

Limited Submission Opportunities

For certain funding opportunities, investigators will find that the University as a whole can only submit a finite number of applications. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) oversees the selection process for grant competitions in instances where a limited number of applications are accepted.

Limited Submission Opportunities Protocol 

What is a Limited Submission Opportunity? A Limited Submission Opportunity (LSO) arises when a funding agency or foundation restricts the number of proposals an institution may submit. At Penn, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) oversees a two-stage internal review process to identify and nominate the most competitive proposal for submission to the sponsor.

What is the Review Process for Limited Submissions? The internal review process begins at the school level. Faculty applicants must adhere to their home school’s internal deadlines and submission instructions. Each school evaluates its applicants and selects a finalist to advance to the OVPR review. A university-wide faculty committee then evaluates all school finalists and makes recommendations to the Senior Vice Provost for Research, who selects the final nominee to represent Penn.

Where do I find out about limited submission opportunities on the OVPR website? Limited Submission Opportunities are posted on Penn’s internal application portal (InfoReady). You may use filters on the left-hand side of the site to search and refine listings. Each opportunity is summarized in brief; clicking on the title opens a detailed description of the opportunity and requirements.

How do I apply? To apply, navigate to the opportunity’s full description on the InfoReady portal and click the “APPLY HERE” button at the bottom right. Log in using your PennKey credentials to begin your application. Once submitted, your materials will be routed to your school for initial review. If selected as the school nominee, your application will advance to the OVPR review. If chosen as the final Penn nominee, you will be notified and may then begin preparing the full submission with the Office of Research Services and PennERA.