Foundation and Corporate Relations

Whitman encourages and supports its faculty who are interested in applying for funding from external sources. We encourage you to apply for individual grants to support your research or scholarship, as well as suggest ideas for institutional grants for programs that advance the academic mission of the college.

• Individual grants/fellowships are typically awarded to faculty members to support their individual scholarship (i.e., sabbatical funding or summer stipend fellowships). However, most research grants to faculty members are awarded to the College (i.e., for student/faculty collaborative research); the College administers the grant funds.
• Institutional grants are awarded to the College, typically for such purposes as constructing or remodeling buildings, acquiring equipment, or developing new academic programs; the College administers the grant funds.

We hope to facilitate communication between faculty and administration in order to allow faculty to be as productive as possible in their research and scholarship. Successful grants are a major benefit to both the scholar's and the College's reputation, and we would like to do whatever we can to help you achieve a successful grant outcome.

What we do:

The Office of Foundation and Corporate Relations (FCR) and the Office of Sponsored Programs exist to help faculty research, prepare, and submit individual or institutional grant proposals to private foundations, corporations, and government agencies, and also to assist with stewardship of grants (tracking budgets, reporting on progress and spending) after they are awarded. These offices are separate, but work together closely. Responsibilities are roughly allocated as follows:

It is important that you involve both offices from the very beginning as you prepare your grant.

How to Apply for a Grant:

1. Contact the Office of FCR by phone or email to set up an appointment to discuss your research interests or planned grant proposal. Do this well before you intend to submit the proposal, so we can provide assistance with the following:
   1. Suggesting funding sources, if needed. We have access to several funding databases and maintain close relationships with funding agencies, so we are often aware when new opportunities arise.
   2. Reviewing historical records to see what Whitman’s experience with similar proposals/funders has been in the past.
   3. Determining whether the proposal is in line with current College priorities and determining appropriate timing of proposal (some funding agencies may consider only one Whitman application at a time, while others have no limit).
   4. Initiating the necessary paperwork to proceed with a grant application and facilitating communication with appropriate administrative officials.
   5. Developing the proposal. We can provide up-to-date boilerplate information on the College, help you express your ideas in lay terms, and provide assistance with writing or editing.
2. Contact the Provost and Dean of the Faculty: Before a grant proposal is submitted, a formal request to proceed must be submitted to and approved by the Provost and Dean of the Faculty. This can be accomplished by emailing the Provost. If the grant proposal (if approved), will require matching funds from the College (e.g., for building renovations, equipment maintenance contracts, staff support, course reduction), you will need to fill out the Matching Funds Request Form, in which you must include a budget request and a rationale indicating how this grant would serve to advance the academic mission of the College. Where appropriate, these proposals will be submitted to the Committee of Division Chairs for its review and recommendation.
3. Proposal Development Form: Please fill out this form and submit it to the Office of Foundation & Corporate Relations at least one month before the proposal due date. This form will serve as a checklist to make sure you have followed the procedures necessary to submit a grant proposal from Whitman College, and will also help us understand how we can best help you with your proposal.
4. Here are some things to think about as you are writing. Make sure to do these things early in the writing process, as approval will be required on the Proposal Development Form before you submit the grant application:
   1. Does the proposal involve animals, human subjects, or biohazards? If so, you will need to gain approval from the appropriate Whitman committee.
   2. Does the proposal involve purchase of new equipment, building renovations, or institutional matching funds? If so, you will need to gain approval from the Dean of Faculty (see #2 above).
   3. Does the proposal involve creation of new positions? If so, you will need to gain approval from the Dean of Faculty (see #2 above).
   4. Does the proposal involve extending sabbatical leave, release time, or course reductions? If so, you will need to gain approval from the Dean of Faculty (see #2 above).
   5. Are you seeking federal or government money? If so, you will need to work closely with Tana Park, Sponsored Programs Coordinator.
      1. Tana will help you develop your budget. Information about OPE, indirect costs, and other federal requirements can be found at the Office of Sponsored Programs website.
      2. If you are applying for any type of federal grant or fellowship, you will need to register with Fastlane or Grants.gov as early as possible in the process. Contact Tana for assistance with this.
      3. Tana is the primary Whitman institutional official authorized to submit federal research grants (via Fastlane, Grants.gov, etc). You will need to coordinate with her to submit the proposal online by the deadline. Be sure to give her adequate notice — at least two weeks — to make sure someone is available to submit the grant. (Note: faculty/staff can submit individual fellowships [e.g., NEH] on their own).
   6. Feel free to ask us if you have questions. We are happy to help you obtain the required approvals.
5. Administration of Grants: Congratulations! If you have reached this stage, your grant proposal has been approved. If you are notified by the granting agency or foundation, please let us know the good news. Then, we will do several things:
   1. The Office of FCR will publicize your award through the Office of Communications and our website.
   2. The Office of FCR will circulate a Grants Management Form. This will outline the division of responsibilities between the Principal Investigator, Office of FCR, and Office of Sponsored Programs
      1. Tana Park, Sponsored Programs Coordinator, is in charge of managing most grant accounts. She will set up accounts, manage funds, and issue monthly budget reports.
      2. The Office of FCR can help with preparation and submission of required periodic status reports to the funding agency. Make sure to keep us informed as deadlines approach.
      3. The Principal Investigator is responsible for providing information on the project to both the Sponsored Programs Coordinator and the Director of FCR.