Areas of interest for a particular agency may be broad or narrow. Sometimes long lead times are provided for the preparation of a proposal, while some programs require a quick response. The key in responding to proposals is to become familiar with the agency mission and its standard practices. Each agency's web site is a good place to begin exploring. The desired type of initial contact with an agency also varies.
Some competitions have two or more stages.
In short, practices of funding agencies vary greatly. Care should be taken to adhere to the sponsor's guidelines. These guidelines are often provided on agency World Wide Web sites, which may include Internet links to application guidelines or applications for downloading onto your computer. The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other Presidential documents. A searchable database is available on the World Wide Web containing the publication from 1995 through the present.