Submitting Foundation Proposals at GW

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations can help you to navigate GW’s submission and sign-off processes and advise you on working through the appropriate internal channels to submit your grant request to a foundation or corporation. CFR officers can also assist with connecting you to appropriate representatives at the foundation or corporation who can provide insight into particular initiative or RFP to which you are applying.

The steps below can help to define the steps of the process, as well as the entities involved at every step of the way.

GW Entities:

CFR Office Lead

Faculty Lead

School Research Administrator Lead

Office of Sponsored Projects Lead

Grants and Contracts Accounting Services Lead

1. Define the Opportunity

Faculty lead develops project and general concept outline.

CFR Office identifies grant opportunities; shares with research deans and faculty members; connects with funder to gauge fit where appropriate.

2. Develop and Submit the Grant Proposal

CFR officer works with faculty member and school research administrator to set plan and timeline for developing and submitting proposal.

When appropriate, CFR officer arranges pre-proposal phone phone calls and submits pre-proposal questions to foundation staff.

CFR officer drafts letters of support from university leadership and project partners and secures appropriate signatures as needed.

School research administrators (SRAs) work with faculty member to develop proposal budgets, procure required internal forms and approvals, and submit narrative and budget in myResearch for OSP review and approval.

OSP reviews and approves proposal for compliance with university policies.

CFR officer obtains OVPR approval and works with faculty member to submit final proposal package to external funder where appropriate.

3. Negotiate and Accept Grant Award

OSP reviews, negotiates and accepts grant agreement. Works with GCAS to arrange accounts and processes for accessing grant funds. Sets up grant award to ensure university compliance.

CFR works with faculty member to develop stewardship and engagement plan for funder.

4. Manage Grant Award

CFR provides assistance to faculty member with interim narrative report.

Faculty member oversees and completes project deliverables and writes interim narrative reports.

GCAS submits interim financial reports.

5. Close Grant Award

CFR provides assistance to faculty member with final narrative report and assists them with stewardship and continued relationship building with funder.

Faculty member submits final narrative report.

GCAS submits final financial report.

For new grantseekers, the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) hosts pre-award and post-award “boot camps” and a number of workshops on grant management and budgeting throughout the year. You can learn more about OSP’s resources for faculty grantseekers on the OSP website under “Resources and Training.”