Resources

Let us help you find the information you need.

This curated collection of links, guiding documents, and templates includes both publicly available information and content restricted to NCSA-affiliated researchers. To request access to restricted information, please contact our staff directly.

Not finding the information you want? Reach out for assistance.

Looking for resources about:

Find more information on our Research Development page. 

Find more information on our Proposal Development page. 

Reach out the NCSA Business Office for help with awarded funding.

Learning Resources

Join the PDO for an informative luncheon. Available online or in-person, these monthly sessions are designed to provide researchers and research support staff with new skills or a place to strengthen the skills they already have. 

Lunch will be provided for those who attend in person. 

Find a calendar of upcoming events here.

To request a specific topic for future workshops, please email the PDO.

The PDO is developing videos based on Lunch & Learn content. Upcoming topics include:

  • Making the Most of ORCID & SciENcv
  • Required Plans & How to Write Them
  • The Hows & Whys of Using a Program Manager

 

Watch our Illinois Media Space channel for videos to be posted.

Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Reach out with ideas.

The PDO is building an internal repository of research-related information sheets. Check our wiki for more details. *These resources are limited to NCSA staff and affiliated researchers. Contact the PDO with questions about access.

Proposal Resources

A data management plan (DMP) describes the practices and procedures that will govern the organization, storage, preservation, and sharing of data collected and used during the lifecycle of a project and after the fact. Most funders require a DMP, and several have specific requirements. 

The PDO provides support for writing data management plans and can provide feedback on drafted plans. Below are other useful resources. 

Campus Resources

  • Research Data Service: The Research Data Service (RDS) is a campus-wide program that provides the Illinois research community with the expertise, tools, and infrastructure necessary to manage and steward research data. The RDS provides a suite of data management services including workshops, presentations, and individual consultations. On the behalf of campus, the RDS maintains and operates the Illinois Data Bank, which is a public access repository for publishing research data from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • RDS Request for Feedback:  The Research Data Service provides fast, free, and confidential feedback on draft Plans.

 

DMP Creation Tools

  • DMP Tool, created by the California Digital Library: The DMPTool is a free, open-source, online application that helps researchers create data management plans. The tool provides a click-through wizard for creating a DMP that complies with funder requirements. It also has direct links to funder websites, help text for answering questions, and data management best practices resources
    • Log in with your UIUC affiliated email to access tools that are configured and customized.
  • Funder Requirements & Associated Templates (compiled by DMPTool) 

 

Sponsor Specific Guidance

 

SAI Plans are mandated for NSF proposals to identify how an organization will a) create a safe working environment and address instances of abuse or improper conduct, and b) nurture an inclusive work environment for those working off-site or off-campus. PIs are responsible for creating the plan, distributing it to participants, and retaining a copy. 

Defining off-campus or off-site research: data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork and research activities on vessels and aircraft. The intent of this requirement is to provide guidance and protection for participants when they do not have ready access to usual on-campus in-person resources.

Upcoming changes to SAI plans and reporting: A mandatory 2-page, project-specific plan will soon be replacing the current institutional-level certification (described in section 9 of the NSF PAPPG, linked below). Currently only specific programs under BIO/GEO directorates mandate these plans as part of a pilot program. If you aren’t sure what kind of SAI plan, if any, needs to be included in your proposal, reach out to the PDO for help. 

Further Resources: 

  • SAI Information (per NSF PAPPG)
  • SAI FAQ 
  • SAI Template (from UIUC SPA) 
  • BIO/GEO Pilot Program Information
    • *All* proposals submitted to the NSF with off-campus or off-site research (as of 30 January 2023) must certify that the organization has a project-specific plan in place for safe and inclusive research. The organizational plan that is certified by the AOR is not identical in content to that requested in the SAI Plans. SAI Plans are required only in specific solicitations participating in the BIO/GEO pilot. If a specific solicitation requires an SAI Plan, that SAI Plan is submitted in lieu of the organizational plan required by PAPPG Chapter II.E.9.
    • If you are submitting a proposal with off-campus or off-site research in response to a solicitation participating in the BIO/GEO pilot, you must submit the SAI Plan as a 2-page Supplementary Document, and that SAI Plan is in lieu of the organizational plan required by PAPPG Chapter II.E.9.

A BPC plan describes how a PI or department will contribute meaningfully to efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented populations in computing and closely-related disciplines. These plans are currently mandated for proposals to Medium and Large NSF CISE, SaTC, CPS, and Expeditions in Computing programs. 

Further resources:

Compliance & Disclosures

The PDO is committed to providing researchers with the most up to date information about avoiding potential conflicts of interest and required reporting and disclosures, both for the University and for federal funders. 

If you do not find the information you need below, reach out to the PDO directly for more help.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have a responsibility to safeguard information in compliance with federal law. This could include data related to national defense, trade secrets, or other sensitive information. This is called “Controlled, Unclassified Information,” or CUI.

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is federal non-classified information the U.S. Government creates or possesses, or that a non-federal entity (such as the University of Notre Dame) receives, possesses, or creates for, or on behalf of, the U.S Government, that requires information security controls to safeguard or disseminate. These controls must be compliant with the federal regulations specified in 32 CFR Part 2002 and NIST SP 800-171r1

“Information” as defined by the federal CUI Program may include research data and other project information that a research team receives, possesses, or creates in the performance of a sponsored contract.

The CUI Registry indicates which laws, regulations, and Government-wide policies include such specific requirements.

There are two different kinds of CUI:

  • CUI Basic: Information that does not have specific handling or dissemination requirements
  • CUI Specified: Information that has specific requirements for handling or dissemination
  • NSF Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The National Science Foundation requires that investigators disclose all significant financial interests that are held personally or by his or her spouse or dependent children.
  • FCOI Compliance: If you research is funded by a Public Health Service (PHS) agency or the Department of Energy, you must complete additional Financial Conflict of Interest requirements.
  • myFCOI Checklist: Prior to initial award, renewal, or continuation, PIs certify that financial disclosures, travel disclosures, and training are up to date for all investigators participating in the project using this tool.

 

Key Contact

Linda K. Lee Drozt
Conflict of Interest Officer
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
217-333-0034
coi@illinois.ed

https://research.illinois.edu/compliance-safety/research-integrity-ethics-and-misconduct

Principal investigators (PIs) of certain federal grants must ensure that research personnel who are paid from those funds are trained in the responsible conduct of research (RCR). It is important to note that each funding agency has its own specific training requirements. See below for an overview of each agency’s respective requirements as well as resources for helping you fulfill this important obligation.

Key Contact: 

Christopher Lehmann
Research Integrity Officer
601 E. John Street, Fourth Floor
217-300-5805
rsofficer@illinois.edu

https://sponsoredprograms.illinois.edu/research-topics/export-control 

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to advancing knowledge through open research in which all methodologies, data, and research results are freely shared with the public. Balanced against this commitment is a responsibility to protect the national security and economic interests of the United States, which can be achieved in part by establishing mechanisms for complying with export controls.

Key Contact: 

Export Compliance Officer
Kathy Gentry
(217) 300-5943
ksgentry@illinois.edu

Online Tools & Systems

The OCVRI and SPA provide a number of online tools and systems to manage your research at different stages. The PDO provides support for your proposals using these systems and can provide insights and guidance on their use. 

Need help with a proposal?

Contact the Proposal Development Office for help in planning for future proposals or developing and submitting a current one.