DEVELOP AN IDEA

The grant process begins with your idea. Whether you have identified a problem you would like to solve or a strategy you would like to implement, you will need intellectual, organizational, and financial support. Research your idea, determine whether it is novel and feasible and evaluate how it may benefit THR, your entity, your community or your patients. Once you are confident that your idea is solid, discuss it with your colleagues and manager. Their thoughts may help you refine your plan and gauge internal support. Your next developmental step will be to determine the type of funding that would best fit your project.

Grant Development/Submission Process Flow

IDENTIFY FUNDING SOURCES

Grants vs. Gifts

These two types of funding are very different but are sometimes mistaken as the same. Grants and gifts are awarded by different funding sources and usually have different types of applications and conditions for award. In fact, the development and submission of each is handled by different departments within THR. You may contact the Grants Office to help you determine the type of funding that best suits your proposed project and which department can assist you with your submission.

Grants are awarded by a government or other organization (the grantor) to an eligible recipient (the grantee) for specific purposes. Grants are usually conditional upon certain qualifications as to the use, standards, or fund matching. Grants typically require performance monitoring and periodic budgetary reporting to the sponsor to ensure the conditions for award are being satisfied during the award period and also at the end of the project. Award/Post-Award explains these requirements in more detail.

Gifts are made by an individual or an organization to a nonprofit organization, charity or private foundation. Charitable donations are commonly in the form of cash, but can also take the form of tangible assets or services. Gifts are typically for a specific endeavor, short in duration, and do not require post-award reporting to the donor. The THR Foundation is your resource for information on available gifts and the application process.

Once you have determined the most appropriate type of funding for your project, review and search funding opportunities. Geographic, demographic, timing, and funding considerations will all play a part in your decision to apply. Refer to the Grant FAQ for more detail about grant types and Helpful Resources to access potential grant agencies and available funds. If you are still unable to locate a suitable grant, contact the Grants Office for assistance.

WRITE A PROPOSAL

Follow the sponsoring agency guidelines (These can usually be found in the specific Request for Proposal [RFP], Program Announcement [PA], Funding Opportunity Announcement [FOA], or Agency Guides). These guidelines will include format and font requirements, as well. Helpful grant writing guidance is available at How to Write a Grant Proposal.

SPONSORING AGENCY REQUIREMENTS

Registration (Individual or Corporate)

Some grant agencies (especially state & federal) require pre-registration before they will accept your application. Some require that a Point of Contact for all THR grants be identified. Check with the Grants Office to determine whether THR and its contact person have been registered and that these registrations have not expired. The registration process should be completed early since some agencies may require several weeks to activate the account. It is recommended that the Grants Office complete and submit these forms for you.

Some sponsoring agencies may ask for information not readily available to you (e.g., DUNS & district numbers, etc.). The Grants Office can provide or help you obtain much of the ‘boiler-plate’ information.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Approvals

• Entity & Management must approve all projects prior to your submitting your proposal to the Grants Office. Preliminary budget and resource allocation review to determine the feasibility of the project must be completed by your management.
• Entity Safety Officer must approve projects involving radioisotopes or biological materials.
• Projects involving human subjects, or animals must have approval by the appropriate Committee.

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO GRANTS OFFICE

Be sure to work with Grants Office to ensure a timely review and submission.

• Provide an on-line link to the sponsor’s guidelines and funding announcement.
• Submit your final budget to the Grants Office a minimum of fourteen (14) days prior to the sponsor’s deadline for submission. Your budget will be reviewed to determine its compliance with THR and agency guidelines.
• Submit your application copy/completed grant forms to the Grants Office for review 21 days prior to sponsor’s deadline for submission. Your application will be reviewed for:
• Format
• Completeness
• Special Considerations e.g., human subjects, animal studies
• Internal Approvals
• Contact the Grants Office if you have questions.

PROCESSING BY THE GRANTS OFFICE

• Grants Office submits application that has been approved by all required departments and individuals to funding agency.
• Grant’s Office sends a submission confirmation to the Principal Investigator.

PENDING STATUS

• Technical questions - Grants Office will notify the PI of questions from the sponsoring agency.
• Budget questions - The PI will notify the Grants Office if the sponsor has any administrative or budget questions.
• Application status - The PI is encouraged to contact the Grants Office for status updates after submission.

AWARD

• Notification - The sponsoring agency will contact the PI directly to announce whether an award has been granted.
• Post-Award Process - The sponsoring agency should send the award document directly to the Grants Office. If it is sent to the PI, he/she should send this document promptly to the Grants Office to be fully executed. The award document will then be submitted to Accounting so that an account number can be assigned. Refer to Post-Award Process for more detail.

Award/Post-Award Process Flow