E-900.3 Grant Development

This procedure describes the grant development steps required once a grant proposal initiative is approved by the Grants Office (GO). This procedure describes the responsibilities of the GO, the department requesting grant funds, and the Business Office in preparing a grant proposal.

Grant Development

The GO and all Employees are encouraged to actively seek funding from outside grantors and government agencies to support academic and career technical programs and Students. The GO encourages and supports departments to apply for grants that further institutional, divisional, departmental, and programmatic goals.

Developing a grant is an intensive team effort. The GO provides various services to assist departments and leadership in developing competitive proposals. These services include coordinating Proposal Teams, making assignments, conducting research on grant requirements, developing activities and measurable objectives, technical writing, editing, and the final submission of grants.

Steps of Grant Development

Once a potential match between a grant opportunity and an institutional need is identified, the GO will work with the department to complete the Grant Concept Pre-Approval Form. The grant concept will be evaluated based on the connection between the grant concepts and the objectives of the grant opportunity. The grant concept must show:

• The data analyzed and the gap(s) identified (difference between expected performance and actual performance).

• The research completed that identified the best practices for addressing the gap(s).

Upon the GO’s review of the Grant Concept Pre-Approval Form, the GO reaches out to the departmental contact with the decision to pursue the grant opportunity. If the decision is to pursue the grant opportunity, the GO will work with the departmental contact and leadership to form the Proposal Team; set up grant development meetings; and develop a grant development timeline necessary to complete the four (4) phases of grant development by the grant submission deadline. The timeline is based on having all components of the grant application package complete one (1) week before deadlines to allow for Proposal Team review.

The grant development meetings are utilized to guide the Proposal Team through a grant development process leading to a grant proposal with a grant narrative, activities, and budget that match the grant opportunity. The grant development process will include three (3) phases:

• Project Outcomes Phase – the Proposal Team will:

  • Refine the Project Concept.

  • Ensure the concept is based on validated data and gap analysis.

  • Clearly define objectives and measurable outcomes that are derived from identified gaps.

• Project Activities – the Proposal Team will:

  • Continue refinement of the Project Concept.

  • Research best practices for closing the identified gap and addressing objectives and outcomes.

  • Develop specific activities rooted in best practice to address the gaps, objectives, and outcomes.

  • Consult with all stakeholder departments to help define appropriate activities.

  • Identify personnel and resources required to complete activities.

  • Develop a timeline to complete grant activities given the available personnel and resources.

  • Ensure that the proposed activities, personnel, and resources are sufficient to address the outcomes and gaps identified.

• Project Budget – the Proposal Team will:

  • Make any final refinements to the Project Concept necessary to ensure outcomes can be accomplished in the timeframe with identified resources.

  • Create a personnel budget, including fringe, required to accomplish all activities and tasks.

  • Create a resource (equipment, training, supplies, travel, marketing, etc.) budget needed to accomplish all activities and tasks.

  • Consult with all stakeholder departments to ensure budget reflects necessary resources needed.

  • Ensure all resources and personnel are tied to specific identified activities.

  • Ensure the budget includes all necessary overhead needed to manage all aspects of the Grant Concept.

  • Ensure the budget provides sufficient funding to complete the proposed activities, and fund the personnel and resources identified.

  • Review proposed budget with Business Office.

• Final Review & Submittal – the Proposal Team and GO will:

  • Prepare all required parts of the grant application, including the grant narrative, activities, and budget.

  • The GO assembles grant application for final review one (1) week before deadline.

  • The Proposal Team reviews grant application.

  • The GO submits the final grant application.

The ultimate responsibility for providing all the necessary content for the grant proposal rests with the Proposal Team. The GO is not the expert in the Grant Concept, activities, resources, and/or personnel. If deadlines are not met or the minimum content is not provided, the GO may determine that a proposal is unsuitable for submission. Only those applications that are complete and competitive will be submitted.