1. Overview of Grants Submission Process
Warren Calderone Director, Foundation, Government and Corporate Relations Co-Director, Shepherd University Research Corporation (SURC)

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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)

6. 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

7. Timeline Funding Announcement Proposal Development
Internal Review: SURC
and Executive Staff
2 WEEKS PRIOR!
Grant Due Date

8. First Grant Writer
Even though we are discussing the modern day grant environment, I thought I would shed a light on a story of a well-known gentleman who also submitted a proposal – to the Spanish.
Christopher Columbus - seeking wealth through the establishment of trade routes and colonies, Columbus' far-fetched proposal to reach the East Indies by sailing westward received the support of the Spanish crown, which saw in it a promise, however remote, of gaining the upper hand over rival powers in the contest for the lucrative spice trade with Asia. During his first voyage in 1492, instead of reaching Japan as he had intended, Columbus landed in the Bahamas archipelago, at a locale he named San Salvador. Over the course of three more voyages, Columbus visited the Greater and Lesser Antilles, as well as the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Central America, claiming them for the Spanish Empire.

9. In the beginning: Concept
Two general tracks: Idea Search for funders RFP/FOA Align concept/idea

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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)

16. 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. 

17. 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.

18. Key Proposal Items Goals and Objectives
Needs Assessment or Problem Statement
Program Evaluation or Outcomes Assessment
Plan of Action/Activities to Address Need

19. 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

20. Proposal Development Sustainability
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!
No funder wants to support a program forever.

21. 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

22. 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

23. If you do not win

24. If you do not win
Don’t be discouraged. Success rates are low. Take a comprehensive approach to win.
Read the reviews carefully, if provided, and ask colleagues to do the same.
Discuss reviews with program officer.
Address reviews within resubmission.

25. 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

26. I don’t need to worry about the grant deadline
Grant Myths
I don’t need to worry about the grant deadline

27. I don’t need to be involved—we have a grant writer
Grant Myths
I don’t need to be involved—we have a grant writer

28. Cost sharing is not a problem
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

29. We don’t have to respond to everything in the RFP
Grant Myths
We don’t have to respond to everything in the RFP

30. Grant Myths
Fonts, margins, page limits, etc. are not that important Who cares about a few typoes!

31. After we get the award, we’re on easy street
Grant Myths
After we get the award, we’re on easy street
It doesn’t matter if I don’t submit grant reports

32. Summary
SURC is here to help
The earlier you start the process, the better: allow sufficient time for executive staff review and approval

33. Thank you! Warren Calderone wcaldero@shepherd.edu 876-5065