Grant Procedures

Purpose

• To provide a single point of coordination and information on grant application activities college-wide
• To prevent duplication – many grant sources prohibit more than one application from the same organization
• To increase success by providing expert initial consultation in areas such as:
• Feasibility of the identified grant sources providing funds for MCC and/or the proposed activities
• Alternative funding sources
• Strategies to strengthen the proposal
• Identifying situations where direct grant-writing services are feasible and appropriate.

Coordination & Consultation Process

• When grant idea or potential source is being considered, call Sara Vincent in the MCC Institutional Advancement office to describe your grant application ideas and intentions at 860-512-2909.
• Be prepared to explain the grant project ideas, proposed funding source, college collaborators and other possible partners.
• If an MCC application to the same proposed funding source(s) is/are already being developed, this new effort will need to be postponed or combined with the application(s) in-progress.
• Sara will provide consultation at various stages depending on the situation:  initially regarding feasibility; after reviewing the grant guidelines/concept paper; or throughout the grant writing process. 
• If after these discussions, the faculty/staff member or team proceeds with an application, follow the college protocol for involving supervisors and administration (see below).
• Email a copy of your final submitted grant application to Sara for the MCC Institutional Advancement central file.
• Notify Sara of the funder decision, and reasons if not funded.
• Include information on opportunity to re-submit if not funded; and/or renewal options.

Additional Grants Consultation via Institutional Development

• For grant application narrative and budgets being developed by faculty/staff, review and comment assistance is always available. 
• An ongoing Institutional Advancement strategy is to concurrently assess funding needs and explore grant opportunities.  When an ideal resource/need match is identified, where time permits Sara will initiate a collaborative grant development effort with appropriate college faculty/administration, including writing the grant and developing the project budget.
• To facilitate a timely response to feasible funding opportunities, faculty and staff are encouraged to communicate pressing resource needs to Sara on an ongoing basis.

Coordination, Review Steps & Checklist

• The proposal concept, budget, and college resources needed should be discussed with your supervisor initially, and whenever the proposal design/costs changes during proposal development. 
• Seek guidance from your supervisor on how to involve your unit dean.
• The respective program director/coordinator(s) of collaborating college units should support the proposal and be kept informed.
• Jim McDowell should review all proposed contributed/matching resources from MCC, and review the final detailed budget.
• Reviews per the MCC checklist form should be sought and provided in ample time to submit the grant proposal by its due date.   
• Manchester Community College reserves the right to decline acceptance of an awarded grant if appropriate reviews were not obtained before the proposal was submitted.

Download MCC Grant Opportunity Decision Matrix

Please be encouraged to seek consultation or assistance from Sara Vincent at any point in the grants development process (ext. 2909).   Your supervisor and collaborating units of the college should be involved and/or kept informed throughout as the grant proposal design and details are developed.