External Grant Processes & Procedures | Faculty

To support/advocate for TCVPA faculty through the entirety of the grant writing process and submission.

Communication Protocol & Procedure for Initiating a Proposal

• Initial contact should be with Director of Grants & Innovation, Geneva Aragon-Allen.
• This should coincide or lead to communication with the Director or Chair.
• A request for proposal (RFP) should be shared with the Director of Grants & Innovation, and the Director/Chair if the external agency has already published it.
• The Associate Dean will work collaboratively with the Director of Grants & Innovation, the Director/Chair, and the Dean to ensure procedures are followed.
• The Director of Finance and Administration, Lyn Jackson, will also serve to consult and advise on the budget.

Initial Meeting

What is the purpose of this initial meeting?

• To get the conversation started, brainstorm and discuss resources. 
• To consider what is known and what is unknown, and support with information sharing.
• To support the forward momentum of the planning. 

What should faculty prepare for the initial meeting with the Director of Grants & Innovation?

• Project Outline: Aim for a working title and drafted description to highlight known goals.
• Estimated Budget:  A general idea of the funding needs – does not need to be itemized initially.
• Projected Duration: An idea of what it is you would like to do, who it serves, possible length of the project (e.g. 12 months, 24 months), sustainability, and growth.

It is important to contact the Director of Grants & Innovation even if the above three points are not clear, she is here to discuss and help you consider your ideas and options.

 Important Deadlines

Please note that project proposals and budgets should be shared with the Director of Grants & Innovation as early as possible to facilitate a collaborative working process. It is understandable that in some instances opportunities may become known later, but in all cases, the Dean's office and ORS must complete a full and comprehensive review prior to submission to the sponsor, therefore proposals are required to meet the following internal deadlines:

Budget Submission Deadlines

1. The Budget must be submitted to the Dean no less than 10 Days before the sponsor deadline. This will be done in collaboration with the Director of Grants & Innovation and the Associate Dean.  The budget must include any cost share, teaching buyouts, teaching assistants, and subcontractors.
2. The budget must be submitted to ORS no less than 5 Days before the sponsor deadline. It will then be reviewed and finalized by ORS.

Completed Proposal Submission Deadlines

1. A completed proposal must be submitted to the Dean no less than 5 Days before the sponsor deadline. This will be done in collaboration with the Director of Grants & Innovation and the Associate Dean.  A completed Proposal will include:
   1. All documents required for submission such as cover letter, abstract (or project summary), project narrative, budget, budget justification, biographical sketches of key personnel, current and pending support, facilities and equipment, letters of support, etc.)
   2. In addition, a complete submission will include applicable supporting documents (e.g., cost share documentation, subcontract documentation, compliance certifications, etc.)

Important NOTE for LIMITED SUBMISSIONS

What is a Limited Submission?

Many funding agencies issue requests for proposals that limit the number of applications they will accept from an institution. Texas Tech University has established a process to identify limited submission opportunities and internally select applicants to submit full proposals in response to a particular program based on the sponsor's restrictions.

Before speaking with ORDC on limited submissions or ORS regarding the grant in general, the faculty must first contact Geneva Aragon-Allen to make her aware of the interest and potential intent. Please place a Link to Limited Submission Steps Here:

• Steps for Limited Submission Grant

Procedure & Timeline for Limited Submissions

1. Email the Director of Grants & Innovation to express interest and potential intent to submit.
2. Set up a meeting after step 1 – aim for a 3-day turnaround period.
3. The Deans Office will be made aware of all faculty interested in a limited submission to ensure all interested parties are known. If more than one interested party is interested in a limited submission, the Dean will weigh in on prioritization and timing for the projects. 

External Grant Workshops

April (post colloquium) - “Let's Talk Grants” – need to plan this, when, where, etc.

September - TBD

January - TBD

Our Goals

• To ensure all are informed and up to date on details and specifics early on towards supporting proposal submissions.
• To act as liaison between faculty and the Office of Research & Innovation Services (ORS). Please note that ORS is not an official advisory body, and will need correct and agreed-upon information from their Department, the Dean's Office, and any other collaborators within the University or outside of the University.
• To support and streamline aspects of drafting the budget.