New to UWM?

Welcome to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee! The Office of Research supports the diverse scholarly and creative pursuits of UWM faculty and staff, including basic and applied research, outreach, community engagement, instruction, public service, community and business development, and entrepreneurship. In the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), we provide a wide range of proposal development, pre-award, and post-award services to help you successfully develop, submit, and manage your sponsored projects.

Whether you are a junior or senior faculty member, scientist, or administrator, you likely have questions about the research process at UWM and our available resources. The following information is commonly requested by new faculty/staff about sponsored projects at UWM.

Transferring a grant from another institution

The transfer process can be lengthy and complicated. OSP helps faculty/staff navigate the sponsor requirements for a smooth transition. In order to facilitate the transfer, PIs will need to complete a revised budget that reflects UWM’s financial data (fringe benefits, tuition remission, etc.). OSP offers the following resources to assist with budget development:

Choose the right Budget Tool:

If you’re not sure which one to use, please contact your Pre-Award Specialist.

  • Budget Development Tool (.xlsx): A programmed Excel spreadsheet that populates data for UWM’s fringe benefit rates, Facilities and Administrative costs, and tuition remission for graduate research assistants and project assistants.
  • Comprehensive Budget Development Guide: Information on various UWM, state, and/or federal regulations that govern sponsored project budgets.
  • Relevant Budget Data: Fast access to the most frequently requested UWM rates and other information for developing budgets for sponsored programs.
  • WISPER: Become familiar with the Wisconsin Proposal Electronic Routing (WISPER) System. Grant transfers must be routed and approved via WISPER before the institution will accept the award.

If you have accepted a position at UWM and will be transferring a grant to UWM from another institution, please contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853 prior to your start date at UWM.

Submitting proposals prior to arriving on campus

OSP can provide assistance and support to faculty seeking to submit a proposal prior to their official start date at UWM. In order to facilitate the submission of a proposal prior to your arrival date:

  • Contact your Department Chair as soon as possible to confirm whether you have been added to UWM’s Human Resources System.
  • Become familiar with the Wisconsin Proposal Electronic Routing (WISPER) System. Your proposal must be routed and approved via WISPER prior to submission to the sponsor.
  • Verify that the project start date is on or after your UWM hire date.

If you have questions about the submission of a proposal prior to your start date, please contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853.

Working with animals on sponsored projects

The UWM Animal Care Program oversees the responsible care and use of animals in research programs. For assistance, contact Adrienne Allen, Research Animal Veterinarian, at allen334@uwm.edu or (414) 251-5701.

Working with human subjects on sponsored projects

The UWM Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) oversees the responsible care and use of human subjects in research programs. The UWM Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects is managed through HRPP. For assistance contact the IRB office, at irbinfo@uwm.edu or (414) 662-3544.

Developing project budgets

  • Budget Development Tool (.xlsx): A programmed Excel spreadsheet that populates data for UWM’s fringe benefit rates, Facilities and Administrative costs, and tuition remission for graduate research assistants and project assistants.
  • Comprehensive Budget Development Guide: Information on various UWM, state, and/or federal regulations that govern sponsored project budgets.
  • Relevant Budget Data: Fast access to the most frequently requested UWM rates and other information for developing budgets for sponsored programs.

For questions or assistance regarding budget development, contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853.

Developing proposals

OSP has a variety of resources to help faculty and staff develop extramural proposals, including:

For questions related to proposal development, contact Michelle Schoenecker at schoene7@uwm.edu.

Registering with electronic proposal submission systems

OSP can help you register with (or affiliate with UWM) various sponsors’ electronic proposal submission systems such as FastLane and eRA Commons. If you are seeking registration or affiliation with sponsor electronic proposal submission systems, please contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853.

Obtaining approvals

OSP must review and approve all proposals prior to submission to the sponsor. The Wisconsin Proposal Electronic Routing System (WISPER) enables faculty and staff to route their proposals for review and approval to their departments and Schools/Colleges/Divisions. WISPER instructions and a training system are available. For questions or assistance related to WISPER, contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853.

Finding training opportunities

Various training opportunities are available for UWM researchers and research administrators across campus. Training may be delivered face-to face, online, or video capture. Topics include:

  • Internal grant opportunities
  • Limited-submission and targeted grant programs
  • Proposal development and submission
  • Grant management
  • Research compliance

Managing intellectual property

The UWM Research Foundation (UWMRF), in collaboration with OSP, assists faculty with intellectual property protection and technology commercialization.

  • OSP provides a host of intellectual property and technology transfer resources and information.
  • UWMRF serves as the Technology Transfer Office for the university. UWMRF staff work directly with faculty and staff to help protect their intellectual property.
  • Both UWM and UWMRF provide intramural funding for projects with the potential to develop intellectual property.

For questions related to intellectual property, contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853.

Finding research resources at UWM

The Office of Research Web site provide a comprehensive list of resources available at UWM for any aspect of sponsored research, education, or service projects. Links are provided to historical data about UWM and its students, research labs and institutes on campus, high-speed computing resources, compliance, and much more. For questions about research resources at UWM, contact Kate Mollen, Director, Office of Sponsored Programs, at mollen@uwm.edu or (414) 229-4853.