The article develops a method for digitizing the application submission at the first stage of competitive state funding of scientific and technical research and development in Ukraine, which is carried out in accordance with the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science.In order to effectively manage the development of science for the needs of society, state competitive financing of scientific and scientific and technical projects is carried out. In Ukraine, scientific activity is carried out in institutions of higher education and scientific institutions, which provide the entire complex of organizational conditions for the implementation of scientific projects. Therefore, the first stage of submitting an application for state competitive financing of a scientific or scientific and technical project is carried out precisely within these institutions. As a result, the process of digitization and optimization of the development of science in Ukraine should take into account the peculiarities of the application process in these scientific organizations. The organization of the management of funding of scientific projects in the leading developed countries was analyzed and it was found that the stage of communication between the scientist and the university is an important element for increasing the efficiency of both scientific activity and the impact of scientific results on economic activity. First of all, this is manifested in the intensification of the development of the regional economy. A business process has been developed and built, which includes both all participants in the process of submitting an application for a project for competitive financing, as well as a specialized electronic tool (System). The use of a specialized electronic tool - the System - allows you to optimize the process of submitting an application by recording all stages of the first stage of the application, which is carried out within the framework of a higher education institution or scientific institution. This made it possible to ensure the transition to open science and create conditions for avoiding problems regarding the distinction between copyright and intellectual property rights. The System also provides for the storage of project applications, which allows for a reliable analysis of the state of research and development in the future, as well as to optimize the directions of science funding in Ukraine.