Grants Office

Resources

Successful grantmakers rely on many resources throughout the grant proposal process. We've compiled a list of key on-campus offices you'll need, as well as monthly deadline reports and very useful internet links.

On Campus

Grants Checklist [PDF 55KB]
This checklist serves as a guide to essential campus resources and consultations that should be considered as you develop your proposal.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)
The purpose of the IRB at SSC is to protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects recruited to participate in research activities conducted under SSC's auspices.

Financial Services
Financial Services will assist you in preparing your grant budget and provide guidance regarding grant payments, invoices, and financial reporting requirements.

Human Resources
If your project requires staffing, paying consultants, fringe benefits or other personnel needs, consult HR for the proper documentation and procedures.

Events and Conferences
If you plan to conduct meetings or use conference or housing space on campus, please consult with the Special Events and Conferences office for availability.

Purchasing
Purchasing will help you follow the purchasing policies & procedures of SSC & find the best vendor source for your needs.

Facilities
If your project includes renovation, installation, or improvement to any areas on campus, consult with Facilities to coordinate and determine the appropriateness and cost of the work.

Information Technology
Consult with IT for any questions regarding your technology needs or the purchase or installation of any computers or other technology related equipment. If your project requires website hosting and/or development, you will need to consult with IT to coordinate services and estimate costs.

Grant Search Databases

Associated Grant Makers
Regional association of grant makers. SSC is an AGM member, contact Grants Office for passwords for access.

Massachusetts Department of Education

Massachusetts Board of Higher Education

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

AASCU / Grant Resource Center
SSC is an AASCU member, contact the Grants Office for passwords for access

Grants.gov
Allows organizations to electronically find & apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies.

The Chronicle of Higher Education
Published weekly, the No. 1 news source for college and university faculty members and administrators

The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Weekly online periodical listing grant opportunities.

The Foundation Center
Provides education and training on the grantseeking process.

Grantsnet
A "one-stop resource to find funds for training in the biomedical sciences & undergraduate science education."

New York Foundation for the Arts
A state-wide service organization that provides this free national info resource for artists in all discipline

Proposal Writing Guides

No grant can be secured without a firmly grounded, well researched, and articulately written proposal. Available to the SSC community is a very useful and detailed Proposal Writing Tutorial from The Foundation Center. Among the topics covered that will help you to develop a solid proposal are:

Proposal Writing Tutorial

Additional Proposal Writing Guides

Non-profit Guides
Grant writing tools for non-profits

GrantProposal.com
A very well organized site on proposal writing

Basic Elements of Grant Writing
Some good, clearly-stated tips from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Proposal Writing: Selected Web Sites
Provides some good links for university scholars and researchers.

Developing a Grant Proposal - Federal
A must-read for those applying for federal grants.

EPA Grantwriting Tutorial
An online tutorial from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Glossary of Grant-Related Terms

bricks and mortar grant

a grant program for building construction or renovation.

budget period

periods of time (usually 12 months) into which a project is divided for budget and reporting purposes; for multi-year projects, a continuation proposal is usually required each year the project continues.

cash match

cash contributions made to a project by the grantee or another party, usually at the requirement of the grantor.

challenge grant

also known as a matching grant, this grant is paid only if the grantee is able to raise additional funds from other sources. Challenge grants are often used to stimulate giving from other donors.

cooperative grant or consortium

the joining together of one or more organizations to participate in one funded project.

cost-sharing

a requirement that a portion of the project costs be assumed by the grantee; also known as matching.

direct costs

total costs directly attributable to carrying out a grant project, including salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, services, etc.

endowment

funds intended to be invested in perpetuity to provide continued support of non-profit organization.

evaluation

an assessment of the project's success in meeting its intended outcomes; usually includes a formative evaluation and summative evaluation (see formative and summative evaluation).

fiscal year

a twelve month period for which an organization plans the use of its funds; for the federal government, the fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30.

formative evaluation

evaluation of an ongoing project for the purpose of providing immediate feedback to the grantee about the status of project activities.

fringe benefits

amount paid by the employer for employee benefits such as retirement, health insurance, unemployment insurance, etc. Total personnel costs are determined by adding fringe benefits to salary.

grant

financial assistance in the form of money, property or technical assistance awarded by a government agency or private organization to an eligible applicant.

grantmaker or grantor

(also known as funder or funding agency) any legal entity, public or private, that awards grants to other organizations or individuals. Grantmakers include local, state, or federal government agencies, private foundations, private or public non-profit organizations, and corporations.

grant period

the period of time specified in the grant award notice during which costs may be charged against the grant.

indirect costs

also known as administrative costs or overhead; costs incurred in the overall functioning of the institution; costs not readily identified as direct project expenditures.

in-kind contribution

dollar value of non-cash contributions to a project by the college or another party other than the funder which directly benefit a grant (examples: volunteer services, equipment use, facilities, staff time already allocated in the budget).

letter of inquiry or letter of intent

a brief letter outlining an organization's activities and its request for funding that is sent to a prospective funder in order to determine whether it would be appropriate to submit a full proposal.

primary investigator (P.I.) or project/program director

usually the original grantwriter, the individual is responsible for the administration of a project including its management, submission of all required documents, communicating with the funding agency and other appropriate agencies, and carrying out project activities.

program announcement or solicitation

press release, booklet, catalog, form or advertising a grant opportunity.

proposal

formal written document that provides detailed information to a funder on the components and cost of a proposed project in response to some substantiated need or problem. The proposal is more a plan for change than a request for funds.

request for proposal (RFP)

a solicitation sent out by the government to organizations that might be qualified to participate in a new contract or grant program. The RFP lists project specifications and application procedures.

seed-money grant

provides support to initiate research activities or other innovative scholarship which has the potential of generating future funding after the seed grant period.

solicited proposal

a proposal that has been invited by a sponsoring agency.

stewardship

the process of acknowledging, managing, and reporting on a grant after it is awarded.

summative evaluation

reporting or measurement of final program results.

target audience/group

a specified group or category of persons which the project will serve or impact.

time-line

a management tool detailing the schedule of project tasks to be accomplished, by whom, and over what period of time.

unsolicited proposal

proposals submitted by the applicant without formal invitation from the grantor agency.