Financial Support for Research

1. Financial Support for Research Developing a Funding Infrastructure Felicia Beardsley, Ph.D. Faculty Retreat 2009, Promoting Excellence in Faculty Research University of La Verne 16 January 2009

2. GOAL: Establishing a network of funding sources, mining the full potential of resources in faculty research offices, and identifying opportunities to support your research agenda. Developing funding prospects for your research takes time, but it is well worth the investment. Be realistic in your expectations, as foundations and other grantmakers cannot meet all your financial needs. For that reason, you should not limit your efforts to one “ideal” funder; include a number of options. Approaching a funder is a highly individualized process that is not conducive to a mass-mailing of your proposal. Our task for this presentation: A look at foundations Preparing the master proposal Application process

3. A Look At Foundations Foundations make grants for scientific, educational, cultural, or other purposes. Private foundations, like the Ford Foundation, derive their money from a family, individual, or corporation. Because of their tax status, they have specific reporting requirements for their expenditure responsibilities. As such, their grant programs tend to be highly focused. What do funders look for in a grantee? *that the project matches their interests *that there is a history of funding by other sources, which establishes credibility *evidence of financial sustainability beyond the period of the actual grant Do they only fund those with a grant track record? Not always, it depends on the foundation, its guidelines, and its grantmaking patterns. Some are cautious, others risk-takers. Current trends indicate an increased focus on blue-sky (“high risk”) research, particularly as it is receiving less attention from government grant sources. Foundations see this as a fruitful area of ideas and a way of enriching the environment of intellectual inquiry.

4. What kinds of support are available? Some foundations provide general support, others will support specific activities. example:NSF-ARIZONA ACCELERATOR MASS SPECTROMETRY OUTREACH PROGRAM You need to determine what type of support a funder prefers before you approach them. Some will restrict the number of new proposals, some will accept proposals by invitation only. Does knowing some one in the foundation help? Personal contacts make it easier to have your proposal considered, but it does not guarantee that your proposal will be funded. Researching potential funders: Every private foundation has a brief profile published in various funding directories. Profiles often include recent giving histories. Look for foundations that have already supported projects similar to yours or those that focus on your geographic area Begin searching by subject area, but you can also search by geographic area. Compile a list of prospective funders.

5. So, you’ve identified some funders. Next, research carefully and exhaustively their giving patterns and trends. Annual Reports are the best resource Their published guidelines for applications are another resource Some may have websites IRS Form 990-PF, which can be requested. The IRS requires that every private foundation file a 990-PF form each year, which provides basic financial data and a complete grants list. The Foundation Center has the 990-PFs on file. A fully staffed Faculty Research Office provides the necessary resources on private and public funders. Such offices are ideal one-stop research centers. University Development Offices (e.g., ULV’s University Advancement Office) focus on grants for the benefit of the university rather than the individual faculty member.

6. Preparing the Master Proposal The proposal does not stand alone, but is part of the overall process of planning, research, and cultivation of potential funders. Some necessary steps: Commit your ideas to paper Thoroughly describe your research program Create a concept paper State goals and objectives of your research program Construct a timeline Estimate costs for staff, materials, equipment Plan for an evaluation of your research program Components of a proposal: Executive summary Statement of need Project description Budget Summary of Principal Investigator(s) and other key project personnel

7. The master proposal needs to be readable and concise. Don’t use fancy bindings; instead use staples or paper clips. Number the pages, and if it is longer than ten pages (which it should not be, unless specified in the guidelines) provide a table of contents. Use charts and statistics only where appropriate, as they tend to disrupt the flow of the narrative. Limit the number of attachments, again keeping the number to those that are appropriate. Writing style should be active rather than passive. Do not use jargon or acronyms. Use simple sentences, keep paragraphs short, use headings and subheadings to maintain a logical organization and quick sectional references. Write the proposal from the point of view of those who will benefit from it, the contribution the project will make to your respective field.

8. The Application Process Funders establish their own deadlines and often have a specific order of application, such as a letter of inquiry or phone call prior to submission of a proposal. The letter of inquiry should touch on all elements that will eventually be part of the proposal and should be not more than two pages long. The objective is to get the funder interested in your research project and invite you to submit a proposal. Deadlines are serious and should be respected. Some foundations have boards that meet quarterly, others may have monthly meetings, some may meet only once or twice a year. Once a proposal is submitted, there is often a period of several months before a decision is made. Consider submitting your proposal six to nine months before your research project is to be implemented. Can you submit the same proposal to all potential funders? Probably not. Each funder has different interests, priorities and guidelines. Your proposal must show how your project fits a funder’s pattern of giving.

9. You should also let funders know if you are applying to others. This does not lessen your chances of funding, rather it provides the funder with additional information on your effort to cover all your budgetary needs. For any correspondence with a funder, such as the letter of inquiry or the application cover letter, address it to an individual. Never start with “Dear sir or madam” or “To whom it may concern”. Verify the spelling of names, titles, and addresses.

10. Summary for finding funding and writing a proposal: Live in a world of ideas Find the right source(s) Find the forms, every funding source has a required set of forms or guidelines for submissions Refine your idea, tailor your project ideas to the funder’s interests WRITE Budget, follow the guidelines provided by the funder Packaging, politicking, and revising, know to whom and when an application must be sent, cultivate communication prior to any submission, and be ready to revise and re-submit Persistence, not all research proposals are funded Future of funding: with the changing political environment, there will be new opportunities for green projects, community planning, alternative energy, infrastructure development (e.g., energies, transportation, agricultural practices), new models for structuring government and organizations, research integrated with reviving the economy. Look for increased funding of NSF, NIH, NEA, NEH. The endowments of private foundations have decreased in recent financial downturn, so they may limit giving.

11. Some Useful References (certainly not exhaustive) The Foundation Center, the ULV University Advancement Office and Academic Affairs have subscription to their online directory of funding sources (FC Search and Foundation Directory Online). They can log you into their account. Grantproposal.com, resources for grant writing University of Massachusetts Proposal Writing and Research Development Links (http://www.umass.edu/rersearch/ogca/proceds/dev.html) USA.gov and Grants.gov, provides access to all online US federal government grant information Chronicle of Philanthropy, focuses on recent grantmaking activity, legislation, grant announcements Grantsnet.com, grant resources Grant Assist on the ULV dropdown menu, ULV home page Federal Register, federal information clearinghouse including legislation and grant announcements The Grantsmanship Center, grantsmanship training, grant resources and grant announcements (http://www.tgci.com/)