Overview of Grants Submission Process Warren Calderone Director, Foundation, Government and...

Overview of Grants Submission Process

Warren CalderoneDirector, Foundation, Government and

Corporate Relations

Co-Director, Shepherd University Research Corporation (SURC)

External Funding Goals

• Faculty development• Student service• Student learning and research experience• Budget relief/new sources of funding• Student and faculty recruitment• University reputation and prestige

SURC Organization

President Suzanne Shipley, Atty. Alan Perdue, Deborah Judd

VPs Diane Melby and Christopher Ames

Co-Directors: Warren Calderone (Director, Foundation, Govt. and Corp. Relations) and Dr. Colleen Nolan (Dean, SNSM)

SURC Grant Roles

– Build a “grant seeking culture” at Shepherd: encourage faculty and staff to apply for external grant or contract support

– Serve as a sounding board for grant ideas and assist in getting those ideas, and eventual grant proposals, approved by executive staff

– Help faculty and staff find grant opportunities and assist with the preparation and submission of grant proposals, including budgets

– Assist the PI/PD, and the Finance office, in post-award activities (e.g., report submission tracking)

Tools

• Pre-Proposal Form and Concept Paper• Grant policies and procedures• SURC website• McAllister and Quinn resources• Proposal development and submission• Budget development/justification• Proposal review and approval

Timeline

Funding Announcement

Grant Due Date

Proposal Development

Internal Review: SURC and Executive Staff2 WEEKS PRIOR!

First Grant Writer

In the beginning: Concept

Two general tracks:

Idea Search for funders

RFP/FOA Align concept/idea

Concept Paper

• One to two page description of idea• Briefly explain:– Need– Objectives– Activities and timeframe– Personnel involved– Funding amount with any cost sharing– If applicable, grant criteria (e.g., NSF)

Funding Sources

Public and Private

• Public: Federal (grants.gov); State; local• Private: Corporate, family, and other

foundations (Foundation Center search engine: free access at library)

Exploring the Fit

–Organizational– mission, vision, values–Organizational readiness–Partner requirements–Competitive–Regulations or “strings attached”– Source of cash or in-kind match, if applicable–Eligibility: lead applicant or partner–Deadline(s)

Tapping I nto Talent: Volunteer Management

Foundation Finder Name:

State:

ZIP Code:

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Pre-proposal form

• “Early warning system”• Faculty or staff member describes a potential

project where external funding is needed• Alerts Administration to potential grant

submission and any support (e.g., matching funds, space, in-kind or other University commitments) that may be needed. 

Pre-proposal form (cont.)

• Time-sensitive form: need as much advance notice as possible to secure approval from Executive Staff. Submit form at least 45 days before the grant due date.• Form is processed electronically• Executive approval of pre-proposal form is

no guarantee of final approval of proposal. The proposal still has to go through internal review and approval before submission.

Key Proposal Items

Needs Assessment or Problem Statement

Goals and Objectives

Plan of Action/Activities to Address Need

Program Evaluation or Outcomes Assessment

Proposal Development

Proposed Program • Be prescriptive about who you will serve,

what and how you will serve them, who will conduct activities, where and when activities will occur

• Establish a realistic timeline• Literature review to support project

Proposal DevelopmentSustainability•What will happen after the funding ends?•List matching funds, in-kind, revenue, etc.

Dissemination•How will you distribute results? Think usual (papers, posters, web, etc.) and innovative. •Funders like to be acknowledged!

Proposal Review and Processing--Federal

• Preliminary Review• Reviewers Selected• Peer Review Panel (ad

hoc, internal)• Program Officer

Recommendation• Division Director

Review• Business Review • Award Finalized

Post-Award

• Celebrate!• Budget negotiation sometimes involved• PI/institution sign grant award• Hold a post-award meeting with team:

key staff, Finance, and evaluator• Be cognizant of reporting dates

If you do not win

If you do not win

1. Don’t be discouraged. Success rates are low. Take a comprehensive approach to win.

2. Read the reviews carefully, if provided, and ask colleagues to do the same.

3. Discuss reviews with program officer.

4. Address reviews within resubmission.

MOUs

• Proposals where Shepherd is not the lead applicant or fiscal agent

• Partnering with another organization that has received a grant award

• Need to develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Shepherd and that organization, describing exactly the obligations and responsibilities of all parties

• Developed by our legal counsel

Grant Myths

I don’t need to worry about the grant deadline

Grant Myths

I don’t need to be involved—we have a

grant writer

Grant Myths

• Cost sharing is not a problem•We don’t have to be that

careful about in-kind cost sharing—no one is going to check

Grant Myths

We don’t have to respond to everything in the RFP

Grant Myths

Fonts, margins, page limits, etc. are not that important

Who cares about a few typoes!

Grant Myths

•After we get the award, we’re on easy street• It doesn’t matter if I don’t

submit grant reports

Summary

• SURC is here to help• The earlier you start the process,

the better: allow sufficient time for executive staff review and approval

Thank you!

Warren Calderone

wcaldero@shepherd.edu876-5065

304-671-2509