The Office of Sponsored Programs secures funding primarily from government sources and professional associations.
If you are interested in securing funding for a program or research project, please complete the Intent to Submit a Grant Proposal form. The office will contact you after reviewing your proposal.
Mission
The Office of Sponsored Programs supports scholarship, programs, and creative activities that advance the mission of St. John Fisher University by providing comprehensive guidance throughout the life cycle of a grant.
Scope of Work
The Office of Sponsored Programs works to secure external support for scholarly activities by:
Identifying funding opportunities;
Reviewing, approving and submitting proposals to sponsoring agencies;
Advising on allowable costs during the pre-award stage;
Offering education and training in project development and design; and
Developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with University, state, and federal regulations.
The Office of Sponsored Programs is responsible for researching, cultivating, securing, and stewarding extramural grant funders both in the philanthropic and sponsored-research realm. These external funders include professional associations or societies, governmental agencies, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and select foundations. Serving as a one-stop-shop for grant seeking on campus, staff assists faculty/staff in meeting their funding needs by guiding them through the grant submission process—from evaluating grant opportunities to reviewing and editing proposal drafts. The director of sponsored programs serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative for grant applications submitted through Grants.gov and NSF Fastlane. The full range of services include the following:
Pre-Award Services (non-philanthropic grants and research grants):
Research and identify potential funding opportunities using databases, such as SPINPlus and Grants.gov;
Disseminate funding announcements to faculty through electronic grants bulletins targeting specific disciplines and sharing grant opportunities with appropriate department chairs and deans;
Assist faculty in registering with the SPINPlus database, allowing them to keep apprised of upcoming funding opportunities in real-time;
Offer grant-seeking workshops, covering topics from grant writing basics to preparing data management plans;
Meet with faculty/staff on a one-on-one basis to discuss proposal concepts;
Coordinate the University’s approach to a funder, avoiding multiple grant requests unless otherwise permitted;
Work with the sponsored programs office at other higher education institutions to submit proposals which include a subaward;
Support the proposal development process:
Review grant guidelines;
Contact the funder to clarify grant guidelines, including eligibility requirements;
Establish a timeline for the proposal submission;
Edit the proposal narrative;
Develop the budget;
Obtain letters of support;
Facilitate the internal approvals process; and
Submit applications and proposals on behalf of faculty, staff, and the University.
Post-Award Services:
Meet with the faculty/staff member to review responsibilities, including grant reporting, and answer any questions;
Work with Financial Affairs (Controller’s Office) to monitor grant compliance with funder guidelines; and
Assist with non-financial reporting requirements on an as-needed basis;
Ensure the tracking of inventory/equipment purchased with grant funds.
The Office serves as a liaison between the faculty/staff grant seeker and various college administrators, including the department chairs, deans, vice presidents, finance manager, controller, and/or chief financial officer, provost, and president.
