Before writing a proposal to be submitted under RUI, proposers should consult the RUI announcement, the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), and any special announcement for the particular program or initiative to which the proposal will be submitted. A list of instrumentation programs is provided in the RUI announcement.

The principal difference between RUI proposals and "regular" NSF proposals is the additional requirement that RUI proposals must include an RUI Impact Statement that describes the expected effects of the proposed research on the research and educational environment of the institution. RUI proposals must also include as supplemental material the RUI Certification Page. Proposers are urged to take advantage of the opportunity that the Impact Statement affords to provide information relevant to NSF's Merit Review Criterion relating to "broader impacts of the proposed activity" (see RUI announcement or GPG).

Additional guidance is available under "Funding at the top of the NSF homepage; for example, the Step by Step Guide under "How to obtain Funding".