St. Lawrence University: Corporate and Foundation Relations

Initiating the Grants Process
The C&F staff is available to help you as you draft your proposal narrative, develop your project budget, and submit your proposal to a funding agency. Once you’ve identified a potential grant opportunity and have a clear project in mind, there are some specific steps you should take to start the grant proposal process. First, contact the C&F Office and make an appointment to discuss your project idea with C&F Director Susan Pankey. As a rule, most successful academic grant proposals are the results of months of planning and preparation, so you will want to plan ahead to give yourself adequate time. However, when you are preparing for a specific grant project deadline, you should plan to formalize your plans for pursuing a grant opportunity with the C&F Office at least eight weeks in advance of your proposal deadline. All proposals and grant requests that will be administered through the University must be reviewed and authorized by the C&F External Grants Committee, which meets monthly during the academic year. Once your project concept has been approved, you can move forward with finalizing your grant proposal. In every case, a final draft of your proposal narrative and budget must be available for review by the C&F External Grants Committee at least two weeks prior to your proposal deadline.

Conflict of Interest Policy
In accordance with the University's Conflict of Interest Policy, applicants for external project funding are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest due to significant financial interest in a sponsored activity. The "Disclosure Statement for Principal Investigators of Sponsored Activities" (available through the St. Lawrence University Policy webpage) must be completed for review by the C&F Office before proposal submission.

Developing Your Grant Proposal
(Compiled from information by the Independent Colleges Office)

A great idea. Ideally, a proposal should elicit a “why didn’t I think of that?” reaction from a reviewer. It is the quality of the idea (and your explanation of that idea) that will generate an investment in you and your project.
Answers to the “so what?” question. So what difference will your project make? To whom and how will they know about it?
Evidence of connections. Your project must connect to current priorities and realities, both at the campus level and within your disciplinary field nationally or internationally.
An elegant argument. Before you put your thoughts on paper, here’s a suggestion. Get copies of peers’ proposals that have been successfully funded and take note of how they structured and reinforced their case for funding. An NEH program officer once said, “No one would think to write a sonnet without reading good sonnets. Why do they think they can write a good proposal without reviewing examples of such?”
A reasoned and reasonable argument. Be realistic in the scope of your project’s activities and in your budget request. Peers who review proposals for various funding agencies know precisely what it will take for you to undertake your project and succeed.

Funding agencies, both public and private, want to invest in projects that will make a difference. They will look for your proposal to answer these key questions:

What do you want to do?
How does your project connect to the mission, experience and expertise, and vision of the future on our campus, within your department, and for you as an individual scholar?
What need is your project addressing and why does it have to be done now?
How does your project relate to, differ from, or build upon other efforts?
Where and to whom will your project make a difference?
How will others know if and how your project has made a difference?

Components of a Grant Proposal
Each funding agency will have specific guidelines and format requirements for proposals, so it’s important to read through those materials carefully to know exactly what to include in your grant proposal. Use your funder’s guidelines as your template for how to outline your proposal and determine what information to include. If you have questions about the content or format of your proposal, or if you are unsure about including attachments or other supporting materials, it’s best to speak directly with a program officer at the funding agency. In the case of most research grants, it will increase your chances for funding if you discuss your project with the program officer before you submit your proposal. However, it is important to respect a program officer’s time by gathering all available information about the funding agency and program guidelines before contacting the program officer directly. Make notes in advance of your call or email to ensure that you ask all of the questions you have, and be sure to take good notes during any phone conversation you have with a program officer. The C&F staff can also help you sort through the funder’s requirements and compile the information you need for your proposal.

Executive Summary. This clearly and concisely outlines the essence of your project, including the need you are addressing, the project’s objectives, methods for achieving your proposed outcomes, and the amount of grant funding requested. There are often specific word or page limits that specify how long the executive summary (or project summary) can be.

Proposal Narrative. Use this section to outline the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your project. Describe the role you (as project director) and each project participant will play, and highlight the professional experience and research interests that qualify each person for their role. Clearly state the general need your project addresses, and describe both your project goals and your objectives for achieving those goals. Provide a detailed description of your methodology and a timeline of project activities. You should also include plans for evaluating your project’s success at the end of the grant term. As you begin to write your proposal narrative, use your funder’s guidelines to shape and organize the content. Include the specific information they request – in the order they suggest (or list) – and use their section “headings” and numbering system. Guidelines for narrative formats vary, but sections that are frequently requested include:

Overview (or Introduction)
Background (or History)
Need (or Problems to be Addressed)
Goals and Objectives (or Project Aims)
Project Plan (or Action Plan)
Project Timeline (or Timetable)
Project Staff (or Personnel)
Assessment Plan (or Evaluation Plan)
Dissemination Plan (or Plan for Outreach)
Summary (or Conclusion)

Budget Narrative. In this section, you should clearly lay out exactly what resources you will need to complete your project and why. Describe your project costs in detail and outline how grant resources provided by the funding agency will be used. Be sure to highlight any cost-sharing resources that will be made available for the project and the sources of those funds (University funds, other grant funds, in-kind services, etc.). Your budget narrative, combined with your budget attachments, should answer any and all questions a funder may have about your project costs and resource plans.

Cover Letter. When proposal guidelines allow, a cover letter supporting your proposal is often written by the president, dean of academic affairs, department chair, C&F director, or another representative of the University. The C&F staff can help you determine the best way to approach the cover letter.

Attachments/Appendices. These provide the funding agency with facts, figures, and other important information to support your case for grant funding. Some funding agencies have specific requirements and suggestions for attachments. Check the proposal guidelines carefully and include only those attachments that fit the funder’s criteria. In addition to a complete and accurate project budget, proposal attachments often include letters of support, documentation of the University’s IRS status, names of those on the Board of Trustees, and an updated curriculum vitae from the project director and others involved with the project.

Preparing Proposal Budgets
Anticipating your project costs and preparing an accurate budget plan is integral to the success of your grant proposal. When developing your proposal budget, keep these points in mind:

Consider the scope of your proposed activities and anticipate all costs associated with carrying out those activities.
Estimate all project costs, allowing for inflation, pay increases, etc. when creating a multi-year budget.
Think big, but request only those grant funds you know you will need to get the project done. Consider the range of grants typically awarded through the specific grant program, and adapt your budget request to fit within the funder’s criteria.
Double-check all figures and make sure your numbers are accurate.

All proposals and requests for external funding that are brought before the C&F External Grants Committee must include a budget showing estimated project costs and the sources of all funding related to your project. From the very beginning of your proposal development, it is important to communicate clearly about any costs the University will be expected to cover, both during the proposed grant term and beyond. (For example, if funded, will the terms of your grant commit St. Lawrence to assuming the costs for continuing your project beyond the proposed grant period?)

The following information may be helpful to you as you prepare your proposal budget.

Personnel Compensation and Fringe Benefits: The C&F staff will work with you and the Finance Office to determine salary and benefit rates for your proposal budget. The full-time benefit rate for fiscal year 2009 is 38.7%. When calculating summer salaries in your budget, you must include the social security (FICA) tax rate of 7.65%. This tax also applies to students who will be paid through your grant during the summer months. Student salaries paid during the academic year are not charged FICA.

Indirect Cost Rates: If the funder allows indirect costs to be included in your project budget, you should use St. Lawrence’s negotiated federal indirect cost rate of 47.3% on salaries, wages, and benefits. However, please note that the allowable indirect cost rate may vary by funder. Be sure to check your proposal guidelines carefully.

Equipment Purchases: Contact Purchasing (x5908) to get cost estimates for equipment to be included in your grant project budget. Purchasing will have specific information about discount arrangements the University may have with vendors. For information regarding computer equipment and software purchases, please contact René Murphy in Information Technology (x5737). Sondra Smith (x5971) can assist you with estimating costs related to Instructional Technology.

Travel Expenses: St. Lawrence’s designated travel agency, Travel Unlimited (315-386-8525), can help you determine estimated costs for travel expenses, including airfare, rental cars, and lodging. If your proposed travel will include the use of a personal vehicle, the University reimburses mileage at $.585 per mile (effective July 2008).

Cost Sharing: If the funding agency requires that St. Lawrence contribute a specific amount of funds as cost sharing for your project, be sure to discuss this with your department chair, the Dean, and the C&F staff at the very beginning of your proposal preparation. It is vital that the C&F External Grants Committee be made aware of any cost-sharing commitment required of the University.

Helpful Links to Institutional Data
When drafting your grant proposal, you will likely need to incorporate specific data about St. Lawrence University and its policies. We hope you find the following links useful.

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