In today’s competitive landscape of higher education funding, securing federal grants has become increasingly vital for institutions to thrive and innovate. Grants not only provide much-needed financial support to aid the institution’s bottom line but also provide dollars for student scholarships, critical mental health initiatives and innovative research on campus. Successful grant acquisition enhances an institution’s reputation, attracts top talent, and strengthens partnerships with industry and community stakeholders. You don’t have to be an R1, large private, or state school to secure these dollars. With the right coordination, leadership, and strategy in place, small and mid-size colleges and universities can cultivate a highly successful culture of grant seeking on campus.

Fostering Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Grant Writing

Interdisciplinary collaboration is key to securing competitive grants. Institutions should facilitate cross-disciplinary partnerships by organizing networking events, research symposiums, and collaborative faculty development workshops. By fostering a culture of collaboration, institutions can leverage the diverse expertise of faculty members and enhance the quality and impact of grant proposals.

Promoting Innovation and Impact

Grant-seeking should be driven by a commitment to innovation and societal impact. Institutions should encourage faculty and staff to pursue grant projects that address local or national challenges, contribute to knowledge advancement, and create tangible benefits for communities locally or nationally. Emphasizing the importance of impact metrics and outcome evaluation can help align grant-seeking efforts with institutional priorities and strategic goals.

Tips and Tools for Creating a Grants Culture

Interested in other ways you can set up a grants culture on your campus? GIS provides resources to help you cultivate and sustain a grant seeking culture on campus. Here are a few evidence-based tips we have found to be impactful at small and mid-size institutions as they seek to build a grants culture on campus:

  • Provide a portion of the indirect cost payments to the faculty who have written the awarded application. Faculty could spend this funding on conferences, equipment, and other professional development activities.
  • Issue an institutional course release or buyout policy.
  • Include grant activeness as an important prerequisite during the interview process for potential faculty. For instance, ask the candidate to talk about their extramural activity and emphasize the expectation that they should be grants active in this position. If the candidate has an active grant, ask them if they can bring the award with them to the new position.
  • Host grants workshops for faculty.
  • Encourage faculty to serve as federal panel reviewers.
  • Publicly recognize faculty who submit and receive grants through newsletters, press releases, and awards ceremonies. Sharing success stories and best practices can inspire others to pursue grant opportunities and foster a sense of community and camaraderie on campus.

Grants Intelligence Service (GIS)

GIS is a membership service designed specifically to help small and mid-sized colleges and universities navigate and win federal grants. Membership provides access to the tools and intelligence needed to develop a culture of grant-seeking on campus, get up-to-date information on federal competitions and deadlines, and submit competitive grant proposals.

Grants Intelligence Service provides the resources and tools to help make grant seeking a priority on your campus. Schedule a free demo today to learn more!