Limited Submissions

Limited Submissions are funding opportunities where the sponsoring agency limits the number or type of applications that may be submitted from the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). In these situations, Pitt must coordinate a review and selection process to identify the institutional applicants or nominees.

All limited submissions, whether an LOI, concept paper, white paper, nomination, or full proposal, must go through the University’s limited submissions process. Applicants who submit directly to the sponsoring agency instead of going through the limited submission selection process may not be accepted and may result in the sponsoring agency rejecting all proposals from the University of Pittsburgh.

Research Development Resources & Services and Pitt's limited submission process has transitioned from the Pitt Research Concierge Program to the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research. Research Development Resources & Services will notify the university community of limited submission opportunities through InfoReady and weekly funding newsletters. If a limited submission opportunity is from a Select Funder, Research Development Resources & Services coordinates the selection process with Philanthropic & Alumni Engagement’s Office of Corporate & Foundation Relations (PAE CFR).

Limited Submissions and Nominations

The following opportunities specifically limit the number of applications or nominations that Pitt may submit. In these situations, Pitt must run an internal competition to select the candidates or applications that best meet the requirements of the opportunity and have the best chance to be selected or funded.

Please see the details of each opportunity for information and the requirements to submit a pre-application. Questions for specific opportunities should be directed to the appropriate program. All pre-applications are due at 5 PM ET, regardless of program.

Limited submissions and nominations are overseen by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research. All questions, including how to apply for a limited submission opportunity not listed on InfoReady, should be directed to researchdev@pitt.edu. 

TitleDue DateOrganizerCategoryCycle
Pitt SPARK Spring 202603/6/2026Limited SubmissionsInternal Funding OpportunitiesSpring
2026 Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation Grant Program04/15/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2026 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs)03/5/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2026 NIH S10 Instrumentation Program04/16/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2026 NSF National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NQNI)03/2/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2026 Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering Program02/25/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2026 Pathway to Stop Diabetes (ADA)03/5/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2027 NSF 26-503: CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service (CyberAI SFS - Scholarship Track)03/31/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
2027 Pew Biomedical Scholars04/22/2026Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External FundingAnnual
Apply for an Unlisted Limited Submission Opportunity Limited SubmissionsLimited Submission - External Funding 
Announcements

Most limited submission opportunities are announced through InfoReady and the Research Development Resources & Services weekly funding newsletters. Notifications are ideally made 12 weeks before the sponsoring agency’s deadline, but this may vary depending on when the opportunity is released.

If an upcoming limited submission opportunity is not listed on InfoReady, potential applicants must contact Research Development Resources & Services at researchdev@pitt.edu or complete the form "Apply for an opportunity not listed on InfoReady” so that a selection process can be coordinated. These competitions must be listed on InfoReady for at least one week to allow all Pitt faculty the opportunity to apply. If the deadline of the opportunity is less than four weeks away, the decision about whether to create a competition or select an institutional applicant or nominee will be made by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply

To apply for a limited submission funding opportunity, interested applicants must follow this process:

  1. Navigate to the Limited Submissions listing on InfoReady.
  2. Click on “Apply for Internal Consideration”.
  3. Add appropriate departmental contacts (ADRs, grants administrators, co-investigators) within your application to ensure they are included in any notices regarding your submission.
  4. Submit all required documentation by the internal submission deadline. Applications received without all the required documentation will be rejected.
  5. Contact researchdev@pitt.edu with questions about the process or issues using InfoReady.

All applications are due by 5:00 PM on the day of the internal deadline. No extensions or late submissions will be permitted.

Selection Process

All applications must be reviewed for eligibility and confirmed by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research before the applications move forward into the “Selection Phase”.

If the number of internal applicants exceeds the number of allowable submissions to the sponsoring agency, an internal review process will be used to select the applicants or nominees who will be permitted to proceed with the submission. Peer reviewers are chosen by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research specific to the focus of the sponsoring agency. The reviewers rank internal applications using a defined rubric* to identify which applicants or nominees will have the best chance of being funded. Reviewers are anonymous, and their identities are never shared with applicants. The review process lasts approximately three weeks. Once the review process is complete, Research Development Resources & Services will notify the applicants or nominees via an email from InfoReady within two business days to ensure that the selected applicant or nominee has as much time as possible to prepare their proposal for submission.

If the number of applicants does not exceed the number of allowable submissions, no internal competition will be necessary.

Once the selected applicants or nominees confirm their intent to apply for funding, Research Development Resources & Services will provide them with relevant deadline information via an email from InfoReady. The applicants or nominees permitted to proceed should consult with their departmental grant administrators to determine appropriate next steps for submission.

If a selected applicant decides not to submit, Research Development Resources & Services must be notified at researchdev@pitt.edu as soon as possible.

*Limited submission proposals are reviewed using a five-point scale to rate creativity, scholarly impact, and PI qualifications and prior accomplishments. Reviewers are also asked to highlight the strengths of the application and provide comments on opportunities for improvement. All review information is shared with the applicant. Please note that rubrics are subject to change depending on the requirements of the sponsoring agency.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Navigate to the limited submission listing on InfoReady, select the “Apply for Internal Consideration” box at the bottom of the page, fill out the application, and submit all required documentation. Applications received without all the required documentation will be rejected.

When completing an online application through InfoReady, you will be asked to upload documents that coincide with what is listed in the “How to Apply” section of the limited submission opportunity. Requirements vary based on the type of limited submission or sponsoring agency.

Contact Research Development Resources & Services at researchdev@pitt.edu or complete the form "Apply for an opportunity not listed on InfoReady”. A competition will be created and must be listed on InfoReady for at least one week to allow all Pitt faculty the opportunity to apply. *If the deadline of the opportunity is less than four weeks away, the decision about whether to create a competition or select an institutional applicant or nominee will be made by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research on a case-by-case basis.

All applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on the day of the internal deadline. No extensions or late submissions will be permitted.

The limited submission will be kept open until the sponsor deadline. Please contact Research Development Resources & Services at researchdev@pitt.edu if interested in applying.

Peer reviewers are selected by the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research specific to the focus of the sponsoring agency. The review process lasts approximately two weeks.

Limited submission proposals are reviewed using a five-point scale to rate creativity, scholarly impact, PI qualifications and prior accomplishments. Reviewers are also asked to highlight the strengths of the application and provide comments on opportunities for improvement. All review information is shared with the applicant. *Rubrics are subject to change depending on the requirements of the sponsoring agency.

All institutional nominees are notified via an email from InfoReady and should consult with their departmental grants administrator to determine appropriate next steps for submission.

Please contact Research Development Resources & Services at researchdev@pitt.edu as soon as possible if you decide not to apply.

Send an email to researchdev@pitt.edu to request assistance.