The Fountain of Funding: Strategies for Securing Financial Support for your Project November 9, 2006 Lynn Fisher, Associate Professor, Sociology/Anthropology Deb Koua, Coordinator, Grants and Contracts Pamela Salela, Coordinator, Central Illinois Nonprofit Resource Center, Brookens Library Stacey Willenborg, Director of Development, Corporate/Foundation Gifts University of Illinois at Springfield

Stacey Willenborg, Corporate and Foundation Relations  Find matches  Conduct research on funders  Set-up and attend initial meetings  Serve as a general resource to help you find funding

Proposal Preparation  Faculty and staff know their projects best  Tailor to your audience  Use your contacts  Talking points are helpful  Ask for assistance

Deb Koua, Grants and Contracts Services provided by G&C Office  Identification of external funding sources  Interpretation of sponsor guidelines and requirements  Assistance with all stages of proposal development  Official submission of proposals to outside sponsors, including electronic submissions through grants.gov, Fastlane, Etc.  Assistance with protocols for research involving human and/or animal subjects  Assistance with intellectual property issues  A webpage with links to relevant information, and downloadable forms

Where to look for funding  IRIS  SPIN (coming in FY08)  Google  Association listserves, funder newsletters, etc.  Grants.gov  Colleagues

UIS Provost Funding  Summer Competitive Scholarly Research Grant Program (SCRGP)  Strategic Academic Initiatives Grant (SAIG) Program  Collaborative Project Seed Funding (CPSF)  Scholarly Presentation Support Program

UIS requirements for proposals & awards All proposals submitted to external sponsors by UIS faculty, staff and students require internal approval using the UIS Internal Clearance Form. All awards must be officially accepted by the campus, and must be signed by the proper authority.

Proposal Writing Tips DO:  Follow directions  Learn as much about your funder as you can  Use language that is simple and direct  Repeat the funder’s language back to them  Include tables, flowcharts and diagrams when they are useful

Tips continued …  Proofread  Have someone not familiar with your work read your proposal  Prepare a detailed and justifiable budget  Talk to staff at the funding agency if possible  Ask for reviewer comments

Tips continued… DO NOT:  Go over the number of pages allotted  Pad your budget with items that can’t be justified  Assume that reviewers are experts in your field  Wait until the last minute – to write or to submit  Send the same proposal off to multiple funders  Get discouraged!!

University of Illinois at Springfield Central Illinois Nonprofit Resource Center Central Illinois Nonprofit Resource Center Pamela M. Salela, Coordinator Brookens Library Pamela M. Salela, Coordinator Brookens Library

Affiliations  Foundation Center –Publications –Training –Reference Guide for Researchers  Donors Forum of Chicago – Partner –Publications –Workshops (Chicago) –20% discount UIS

Resources  Databases –Foundation Directory Online campus only! –Foundation Grants to Individuals Online campus only! –Illinois Funding Source campus only! –Campus Only! – but… VPN client  Reference Materials –Directories –Manuals –Budget tools

Select Bibliography of Directories  Directory of Research Grants AS911.A2 D5  Annual Register of Grant Support: A Directory of Funding Sources AS911.A2 A67  The Grants Register: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide AS911.A2 G734  The Europa International Foundation Directory HV7.I56

Workshops  Community  Course specific  Faculty/Staff

How to get your project funded (1 faculty perspective) Lynn Fisher (SOA) University of Illinois at Springfield

3 first steps in seeking external funding  Develop a clear statement of project goals  Find a grant program with a mission closely matching your goals  Demonstrate that the project is important and present a workable plan

Finding the right funding source  Develop a clear set of goals and an ideal timetable for your project  Conduct a wide search for potential funding sources –Bookmark IRIS and search often [auto-alert] –Take time to browse the web pages of many potential funding agencies –Ask colleagues in your field –Contact organizations who have already funded your work

Match potential sources to your goals  Read mission statements so you’re aware of the types of projects typically funded  Look at titles & abstracts of previously funded projects  Make sure the cycle of application and award suits your plans  Contact the program administrator with a few sentences about your project, and ask if it is appropriate for the particular grant program

Writing successful proposals  Collect & read successful proposals  Follow program guidelines carefully  Communicate the intellectual significance and broader impact of your project  Demonstrate that your plan is workable: –Present preliminary results or highlight a previous project –Clearly explain roles & expertise of project personnel  Get feedback

What to do if your project is not funded  Read reviews carefully / ask for feedback –Common problems:  Project does not match grant program (topic, scope, type of award)  More information needed to evaluate workability of plan (methods, budget, timetable, personnel)  Be prepared to revise  Add personnel? Clarify goals or methods? Explain significance more fully?  Seek internal funding to develop preliminary results  Keep trying