The Grants Department is available to assist faculty and staff in the development of a grant proposal from conceptualization through the final submission of a proposal. This process is outlined in the Grant Development Flowchart. The level of assistance provided during the development process varies based on the complexity of the grant proposal, the experience of the proposer(s), the required subject matter expertise, and the need for a team approach to develop a project. Steps in the process to develop a grant request to an external sponsor are highlighted below, and described in detail in our Grant Development Guide.
External sponsor grant request process
Research Grant Opportunities
Grant opportunities can be identified in several ways. The Grants Department conducts ongoing research to locate opportunities and informs faculty and staff about requests for proposals as they become available. Faculty, staff and community partners can also identify potential grant sources and request that further research be conducted by the department. For assistance in identifying sponsors to support a specific project, contact the Grants Department.
Preliminary Planning
Faculty and staff are highly encouraged to inform the Grants Department of any grant-seeking activities before beginning work on a proposal. The Grants Department is available to coordinate planning meetings to discuss ideas, assist with preliminary program and budget development, and analyze proposals for consistency with college priorities and strategic fit with the requirements of the sponsor. To initiate the planning process, contact the Grants Department.
Initial Approval
Once a sponsor has been identified and matched with an appropriate project, it is necessary to seek the approval of a dean or supervising administrator prior to beginning the grant development process. A Supervising Administrator Pre-Approval Form is used to obtain formal approval.
A Grant Partnership Approval Form must be completed prior to the submission of a grant proposal in which GRCC is NOT the applicant.
Proposal Writing and Editing
The Grants Department reviews and edits all proposals submitted on behalf of the college to ensure that proposals are well-written and complete with information that is compelling to the sponsor. For most large government grants, the Grants Department serves as the primary writer(s) of the proposal and/or edits sections written by team members. Sufficient lead time for proposal review is required prior to submission and faculty and staff should inform the Grants Department of a pending grant deadline as soon as possible.
Final Approval and Submission
A Grant Submission Approval Form, along with the proposal and budget, must be submitted to the Grants Department at least one week prior to the submission deadline. This form requires the signatures of the VP for finance and administration, provost, and president.
Final submission of grant proposals is coordinated by the Grants Department. All grant requests are submitted by the Grants Department to ensure that forms are accurately completed, all required documentation is included, and that submission deadlines are met.