Large Infrastructure Funding Team (LIFT)
LIFT empowers the University of Utah research community by providing comprehensive, strategic, and collaborative support for center, programmatic, and large-scale grant development.
REQUEST LIFT SUPPORT
LIFT services are provided at no cost, but a formal request is required to initiate support. Requests may be submitted by investigators, faculty, staff, or administrators. Each submission is reviewed by the LIFT team, considering factors such as the size and scope of the proposed grant, the level of support from relevant colleges or units, and the potential long-term impact on the university. While we aim to assist as many projects as possible, not all requests can be accommodated.
Before submitting, please review the LIFT Request Guidelines below for details on eligibility and expectations.
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LIFT Request Guidelines
Current guidance for LIFT requests is below. We anticipate that LIFT will receive a high volume of requests over the first few months of its operation. LIFT leadership will initially utilize the guidelines below to determine whether a request is a relevant fit to the mission of LIFT. We will continue to develop a refined set of criteria over the next several months.
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- LIFT’s primary function is grant construction support through proposal development, editing, revision, structure, organization, narration, timeline & task management, etc. for grants. LIFT can also support requests for graphic design, response strategy, and social impact/community engagement plans.
- LIFT is designed to be complementary to existing research development infrastructure on campus with the aim to enhance the bandwidth of existing embedded units and to support investigators who do not have access to this type of service in their college/branch/unit.
- LIFT does not provide budget preparation or review services directly. However, if budget assistance is desired, then LIFT will work with the research team to seek budget support from the Pre-Award Office.
Note: while LIFT does not provide budget creation or review services, LIFT team members will still need access to the budget, the budget justification, and the person preparing them. LIFT should be involved in budget discussions that directly relate to any application components LIFT is working on. - Requests for LIFT support should be submitted as early as possible in the grant planning process. Ideally, with grants of this scale, teams should be developing the application well in advance of the deadline. For that reason, requests typically should be submitted at least 12 weeks in advance of the sponsor’s first required deadline. The first required deadline is defined as the first submission type that is required by the sponsor. The amount of time LIFT will have between request date and first required deadline will be part of the request review. LIFT support requests that are submitted less than 12 weeks before the first available deadline may only be eligible for partial services. There is no guarantee that a request will be accepted by LIFT.
- LIFT provides service for large, often interdisciplinary program and center grant opportunities. Large is a relative term and varies depending on the college’s/branch’s/unit’s research portfolio. Generally, LIFT-involved grants are $2.5 million or higher. However, applicants should make a case for why the target opportunity aligns with the mission/portfolio of LIFT for their respective college/branch/unit. LIFT does not charge for its services. Instead, LIFT is evaluated based on its ability to support large-scale grant applications that grow or enhance the university research portfolio.
- There is no guarantee that a request for services will be accepted by LIFT.
- LIFT adheres to university limited submission opportunity (LSO) processes and guidelines.
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LIFT SERVICES
Services to Faculty Teams
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- Developing and managing checklists and timelines, tracking progress
- Facilitating and scheduling team meetings
- Coordinating proposal support teams, including investigators, co-investigators, grants and contracts officers, etc.
- Assigning roles and responsibilities for each section or task
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- Proposal development strategizing relative to solicitation and funding agency goals
- Preparing for proposal site visits
- Facilitating project/center program development (e.g., vision, goals, milestones, execution planning, etc.)
- Connecting to internal and external resources (e.g., Utah Data Coordinating Center, National Lab and Security Office, Talent Ready Utah, ARUP Laboratories)
- Facilitating team science, assisting with team formation, identifying gaps, and connecting with partners for education and community engagement
- Strategizing with PIs on proposal elements, overall integration, and incorporating feedback from reviewers
- Co-facilitating planning/proposal development workshops and retreats
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- Developing writing templates and examples based on solicitation and review criteria
- Co-writing aspects of the proposal in support of PI, co-investigators, and other key personnel
- Drafting auxiliary documents and non-technical proposal sections
- Reviewing, editing, and formatting proposals
- Managing internal and external reviews
- Assisting with letters of support, commitment, and collaboration
- Coordinating access to consultants
- Assessing full applications for responsiveness to solicitation
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- Creating custom figures, logos, tables, timelines, and organizational charts
- Strategizing on figure design and execution
- Providing graphics templates
- Formatting presentations and ensuring visual consistency and cohesion
Broader Services to the University Research Community
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- Identifying funding opportunities for broader campus community
- Organizing events/informational sessions to introduce specific funding opportunities
OUR VISION
LIFT aims to be a national leader in research development and a beacon of excellence in strategic research growth at the University of Utah. LIFT will contribute to a thriving research development ecosystem that increases faculty interest and success in pursuing large-scale, center, and program grants that elevate the University’s reputation and societal impact.
OUR MISSION
LIFT empowers the University of Utah research community by providing comprehensive, strategic, and collaborative support for center, programmatic, and large-scale grant development. Through expert planning, project management, strategic guidance, content development, and graphic design, we help faculty to pursue high-impact funding opportunities. Our efforts aim to drive innovation, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and amplify the societal impact of academic research.
OUR VALUES
Excellence |
Collaborative Culture |
Professional Integrity |
Well-being Stewardship |
LIFT TEAM
