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Bridging the Gap: Research Administration and Proposal Development

Bridging the Gap: Research Administration and Proposal Development. Brigette Pfister , MHRD, CRA Trisha Southergill , MPA, CRA Jessica Venable, MA. Meet Your Presenters:. Brigette Pfister , Director of Sponsored Programs for Humanities & Sciences, VCU RA & PD

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Bridging the Gap: Research Administration and Proposal Development

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  1. Bridging the Gap: Research Administration and Proposal Development BrigettePfister, MHRD, CRA Trisha Southergill, MPA, CRA Jessica Venable, MA

  2. Meet Your Presenters: • BrigettePfister, Director of Sponsored Programs for Humanities & Sciences, VCU • RA & PD • Trisha Southergill, Director of Grant Support Services, Clemson University • RA • Jessica Venable, Grant & Research Analyst in the Office of Research, VCU • PD

  3. Today’s Agenda • What are Research Administration and Proposal Development? • Research Development as an Emerging Field • Differences and Similarities (or, Why We Need a Bridge) • Building a Bridge at Your Institution • Q&A

  4. Common Tasks in RA: • Budgeting • Filling out forms • Interpreting policy, law, and regulations • Working with PIs • Negotiating contracts • Accounting • Project management • ..and more! Research Administration The management and administration of research activity at an institution, from proposal of a project, through funding, to closeout

  5. Poor planning • Last-minute submissions • Deadlines! • Missing approvals and documentation • Changing or conflicting rules • Inefficient processes • Difficult organizational culture • ..and more! Common Issues in Research Administration The things that make us all crazy:

  6. Common Tasks in PD • Identifying funding opportunities • Assembling project teams • Grantwriting • Strategic decisionmaking • Project management • Interpreting policy, law, and regulations • …and more! Proposal Development Also known as Research Development. An emerging field focusing on a spectrum of activities ranging from strategic planning to research administration, depending on institutional needs

  7. Managing competing interests • Maintaining institutional priorities • Conflicts between policy and practice • Deadlines! • Managing expectations • …and more! Common Issues in Proposal Development The things that make us all crazy:

  8. Proposal Development as an Emerging Field: Proposal Development Professional Association: NCURA Established in: 1959 Membership: Thousands Primary focus: Compliance Professional Association: NORDP Established in: 2010 Membership: 500 Primary focus: Scholarship (“research excellence”) Research Administration

  9. Strategic Planning Proposal Development Reporting and projections F&A rate negotiations Cost Share issues Space studies Teambuilding for response to strategic RFPs Promoting institutional priorities Developing strategic relationships Internal and external Research Administration

  10. Training and Communication Proposal Development When there is time: PI responsibilities Cost principles and budgeting Compliance Funding opportunities All the time: Funding opportunities Coordinating agency visits Grantwritingbootcamp programs Mentoring programs and mock reviews Research Administration

  11. Proposal Support Proposal Development Checking format, page limits, etc. Completing forms Budgeting assistance Ensuring compliance Fostering ideas Teambuilding Drafting language Proposal planning and process management Research Administration

  12. Proposal Submission Proposal Development Obtaining approvals and signatures Managing multiple deadlines Actual submission to the sponsor Helping the PI cope Maintaining open lines of communication Research Administration

  13. Post-Award Proposal Development Award Negotiations Accounting and fund management Documentation and backup Audit Closeout Meeting compliance mandates Planning for related projects in the future Research Administration

  14. End Goal for Both RA & PD: Competitive Proposals

  15. PI  RA PD Why We Need A Bridge:

  16. When you don’t have a PD office at your institution: • Work with your counterparts in other departments/units to build research teams • Bring together junior and senior faculty Building Your Bridge Integrating Proposal Development into Your Research Administration Workflow

  17. If you don’t have PD: • Get involved with faculty mentoring programs. • Think about bringing in outside speakers or workshops. • Ask about PD tools like Pivot for funding opportunities and expertise data. • Find a PD “mentor” from another institution. • Look at resources available through NORDP.

  18. When you do have a PD office at your institution: • Reach out to your PD counterpart. Identify complementary tasks and gaps. • Share tools and best practices. • Communicate regularly. Building Your Bridge Integrating Proposal Development into Your Research Administration Workflow

  19. If you do have PD: • Show a united front to faculty and administration. • Co-facilitate meetings and trainings. • Get on the same team and keep each other in the loop. • Start a network of RA and PD professionals on your campus. • Share problems and look for common solutions.

  20. Questions?

  21. BrigettePfister, MHRD, CRA (804) 827-1359 bspfister@vcu.edu • Trisha Southergill, MPA, CRA (864) 656-6208 priest2@clemson.edu • Jessica Venable, MA (804) 827-1443 jcvenable@vcu.edu

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