- Promote fairness and transparency in reviews by University bodies (such as the University Research Council) or ad hoc groups charged with such activities or decisions, by assuring, for example, that the evaluative criteria are fully disclosed and that no applicants to the program under review also serve as reviewers
- Ensure completeness and clarity in guidelines by fully disclosing and emphasizing in the program announcement any criteria that will strongly influence the funding decision (e.g. attendance at informational meetings, deadlines, length and formatting requirements, or unusual criteria that might require special attention).
- Inform prospective applicants of the likelihood of receiving funding, so that they can make knowledgeable decisions as to whether to invest the necessary time in developing applications. Whenever possible, such announcements will state the maximum number of applications that will be approved and also indicate if there are conditions under which fewer awards might be made (e.g. “While there is funding for a maximum of 10 positions, not all of the funds will be awarded if there are insufficient applications that are considered well-qualified by the reviewers”).