[Click here for printable version of
Guidelines for Grants Development]
OVERVIEW
TASKS & TIMELINES
FORMS
O V E R V I E W O F T H E G R A N T S P R O C E S S
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Grants provide a wonderful opportunity for faculty to pursue their professional interests and become involved in special projects that further the mission of the College. This section provides an overview of the grants process at Bergen Community College.
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Institutional Grants
A grant is the financial or material resources bestowed by a funding agency for the purpose of achieving specific, predefined goals and objectives. Institutional grants at Bergen Community College generally come in two forms: entitlement grants and discretionary or competitive grants. Entitlement grants allocate an equitable proportion of available funds to all eligible institutions on the basis of a particular formula. For example, the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education grant is an entitlement grant. Bergen Community College is annually awarded a share of available Perkins funding according to a formula that applies to all eligible educational institutions.
Discretionary grants, on the other hand, are competitive. Eligible colleges and institutions design projects that are consistent with the funding agency's guidelines and develop proposals that are judged by reviewers on the basis of specific criteria. Proposals determined to be of the best quality win the grant award. Recent BCC awards include:
- A multimedia computer center for English Language Minority Students.
- The upgrade of BCC's Surgical Technology program to include state-of-the-art equipment and operating room.
- Curriculum development and laboratory/instrumentation improvement for the interdisciplinary science technologist program.
- Assessment protocol enhancement and curriculum development in the American Language and Basic Skills programs.
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The Grants Office
The purpose of the Grants Office is to facilitate the design, development, and acquisition of discretionary as well as entitlement grants that further the mission and goals of Bergen Community College. Specifically, the Office:
- Assists in identification of appropriate funding sources.
- Facilitates planning and budgeting of proposed projects and activities.
- Provides technical assistance and support in development of proposals.
- Helps ensure project consistency with Bergen's mission and priorities, with funding agency requirements, and with applicable state and federal guidelines.
- Coordinates preparation and submission of all proposals for grant funding.
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Benefits of Grants at Bergen Community College
Grant funded programs provide significant and far-reaching benefits to the Bergen Community College community. The College encourages faculty and staff to develop projects for outside funding that further the college's mission and goals. Such projects often secure substantial resources that may not be available through BCC's normal operating budget. They may also provide extraordinary opportunities that:
- Enhance the quality and extend the scope of current programs and activities.
- Enable faculty to create innovative programs and engage in cutting-edge research and scholarship.
- Create new learning opportunities that meet emerging needs of faculty, staff, students, and the community.
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Costs of grants
While the benefits of grant funded projects and sponsored research are often great, few come without a price. Even the most richly funded project can bring substantial indirect and in-kind costs for the college. Release-time that gives a faculty member the opportunity to work on a special project will require classroom replacement. New or expanded programs may require additional space or facility renovations. Even a small project may require substantial college costs in the form of faculty or staff salaries and benefits; equipment and laboratory use; office or classroom space; counseling, tutoring, admissions, recruiting or other college services; clerical support; and more. Therefore, all proposals and applications for special projects must be carefully considered in the context of financial commitments that will be required by the College.
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Eligibility
Full time faculty and staff of Bergen Community College are eligible to develop grant funded research and project proposals for submission through the Grants Office. Adjunct faculty and part-time staff may participate in the development of proposals and may be included as proposed project staff, with department and division approval.
When a proposal is funded, potential employment will be consistent with terms and conditions of grant project personnel as specified in the Bergen Community College Policy Manual and appropriate employment contract.
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Authority for grants
The Bergen Community College Board of Trustees is the sole authority for approving the submission of grant proposals for Bergen Community College. The President reviews all proposals and makes recommendations to the Board. The President or her designee is authorized by the Board to execute necessary documents for grant proposals that have been approved.
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Academic Department, Division & Executive Approvals (click here for Board of Trustees schedule)
It is important to gain institutional approval for your grant idea before you invest too much time in developing the project. A brief description of your concept and a tentative budget must be submitted for review and approval by the relevant department head/coordinator, divisional dean, Academic Vice President or Vice President for Student Services, and the Executive Council before a final proposal is developed (See "Tasks & Timelines" below for additional information on concept and budget.). The review process is designed to ensure proposed projects are consistent with institutional priorities and will have the support required for success.
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Grant and contract awards
Grants and contracts are awarded to the Board of Trustees of Bergen Community College or to the Bergen Community College Foundation. They are not awarded to an individual who may be the initiator of the grant. The Board of Trustees of Bergen Community College or the Foundation accepts the programmatic and fiduciary responsibility for all grants and contracts awarded. As such, the College bears ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the objectives of the project and for complying with all fiscal, legal and contractual requirements.
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Priorities for grant project development
Grant projects are most effective when they are developed to address real needs that are consistent with the College's mission and goals. Priority is generally given to projects and activities that support:
- Equipment and resources for programs to which the College is already committed.
- Other elements of programs (e.g., curriculum development, student support) to which the College is already committed.
- New programs that enhance specific aspects of the College's long range plan or current priorities and are self-supporting for their duration.
- New initiatives that may not be self supporting, but would enhance specific aspects of the College's long-range plan or current priorities. Such projects could be limited to the life of the grant or be designed for integration into the ongoing operation of the college.
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Regulations and Requirements
Proposals must be consistent with the mission and goals of Bergen Community College, policies established by the Board of Trustees of Bergen Community College, laws of the State of New Jersey, the State of New Jersey Administrative Code, and applicable federal laws and regulations.
Resources you may find useful include:
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Responsibilities of grant project directors
Project Directors or Principal Investigators have a number of critical responsibilities. These will be detailed in the section dealing with Grants Management. In general terms, however, PDs or PIs are fully responsible for carrying out all the tasks that were specified in the proposal which, when funded, becomes a legally binding contract. Usually these include:
- Implementation of project activities.
- Purchasing and maintaining equipment and supplies.
- Supervising staff and subcontractors, as appropriate.
- Preparing and submitting quarterly, interim, and final reports, as may be required.
- Ensuring project evaluation and quality control.
- Integrating or institutionalizing the project at the conclusion of funding.
However, the PD does not work in isolation. Ongoing assistance is provided by the Grants Office, Purchasing, Accounting, Buildings and Grounds, and other support offices as needed.
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T A S K S & T I M E L I N E S F O R G R A N T P R O P O S A L D E V E L O P M E N T
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It is important to consider institutional tasks and timelines as well as the requirements and deadlines that arespecified by funding agencies. While BCC tasks may at first appear to be cumbersome, they are designed to ensure that your grant-funded project is consistent with the college's mission, goals, priorities, and capacity to support the initiative. They will also make it more likely that the facilities and resources you need to implement your project are in fact available. General tasks and timelines required both by Bergen Community College and by typical funding sources are discussed below.
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Review the Request for Proposal (RFP) or Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO)
Funding agencies generally release notification of funding 45 days or so in advance of proposal due date. The RFP or NGO typically contains the complete grant application materials and guidelines. These should be reviewed carefully to determine if grant purposes are consistent with your interests and those of the college.
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Attend Technical Assistance Workshops
Most funding agencies arrange sessions for proposers to learn more and ask questions about proposal and grant requirements. These are usually scheduled about 30 days prior to the proposal submission deadline. Even if you feel totally comfortable with the application process, you should not miss this opportunity. New regulations, corrections, or changes to application materials are often presented at the sessions.
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Meet with Grants Office
It is helpful to discuss your grant ideas with the grants office early in the development process. The office can help in developing the initial concept by assisting in your consideration of:
- Long and short term implications for BCC;
- Additional funding sources and potential partners for the project;
- Requirements for cost sharing;
- Project design and evaluation issues;
- Potential impact on facilities as well as ancillary services, i.e., clerical support, mail room, payroll, telephone, etc.
Once your initial planning is complete and approvals are obtained, the office can assist in preparing application forms and writing the narrative, editing and proofing the final proposal, obtaining Board of Trustees' authorization and necessary signatures, and expediting delivery.
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Develop the Concept and Draft Budget
A one-page project description (abstract) and an estimated draft budget are generally enough to facilitate discussion and approval by your department head, divisional dean, vice president, and the Executive Council. The abstract should provide your colleagues with a general understanding of the project concept and purposes, the need it addresses, goals and activities, benefits to the target audience and the college, and college resources that will be required. A draft of the budget needed to carry out the project must be attached. (See guide to indirect cost allocations if applicable.) The Grants Office can assist in the development of the proposal concept and draft budget for administrative review, if necessary.
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Gain Department, Division & Executive Approvals (click here for Board of Trustees schedule)
Submit your abstract and draft budget to your department head, division director, vice president and the Executive Council for approval. Schedule an initial meeting to explore staffing, facility, equipment and other issues you and the department head and dean can anticipate. Approval at this stage will minimize the possibility of devoting time and effort to a project that cannot be completed. Use the approval form as the cover sheet for your concept and budget.
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Mobilize Your Grant Planning Team
Project planning should include colleagues who will work with you on the grant project as well as those who will be affected by it. It can be useful to present plans at a department or division meeting. In addition, if the project involves new room arrangements or equipment acquisition, you will need to involve appropriate representatives from facilities, OIT, and the department/division early in your development process.
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Develop Your Plan
Effective grants begin with a comprehensive plan for proposal development. Thorough planning will result in a grant proposal that serves two distinct purposes. First, it will function as a persuasive and compelling justification for funding the project. Second, as a contract with the funding agency, it will provide you and your project team with clear and measurable action steps for implementation. Poorly planned projects sometimes get funded, but they are terribly difficult to manage and monitor.
Depending on the project's complexity, planning can be fairly labor intensive. The RFP will provide specific details, but planning elements to consider for nearly all proposals will include:
- The need or problem your project addresses.
- Your project plan for meeting the need or problem.
- Specific goals and objectives you will accomplish.
- Timelines, personnel, and indicators or benchmarks that will aid in determining project success.
- An evaluation plan that will measure the project's impact and value.
- How the project will be continued when funding ceases.
In planning, it is essential that you consult with all departments of the college that will be affected by the project. This must occur at the start of the planning process, not when the proposal is nearly completed. For example, a proposal to create a state-of-the-art-training program might require curriculum development, tutorial and counseling support, alternative recruitment methods, specialized equipment, upgraded facilities, cutting-edge instructional supplies and resources, and more. To ensure project success, potentially affected college departments and programs should be consulted as soon as your project concept is approved. Include them in your project plans. The Grants Office will work with you to facilitate planning with needed college services. These may include:
- Counseling services.
- Facilities renovation or equipment installation.
- Computers or instructional technology.
- Institutional research for student performance and other data related to project evaluation.
- Special admissions or recruitment procedures.
- Adaptive technologies or other specialized services.
- Tutoring and academic support.
- Scholarships and financial aid.
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Build the Budget
Your budget can make or break your project. Funding agencies are reluctant to support even the best proposal if the budget is too rich. An inadequate budget, on the other hand, will be disastrous should your proposal get funded. Construct your budget carefully, following the guidelines in your RFP. The Grants Office will assist with budget development, but you can get a start by brainstorming costs with your project team and using the budget estimate form.
Begin with specific objectives that need to be accomplished and the individual tasks that are required to complete those objectives. Determine your staffing needs by estimating the amount of time needed to complete individual tasks. Then consider additional resource needs. The Grants Office will assist in determining cost projections.
In addition, when allowable and appropriate, indirect costs should be built into the budget, either as requested funds or as institutional match funds. Indirect costs are those facilities and administrative expenses that are not a direct part of the grant, but are nonetheless necessary for ensuring its success. For most educational and training grants, indirect costs are computed at a rate of 7 to 8% of the total direct costs minus subcontracts.
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Submit Proposal for Administrative Review
The Grants Office will submit the completed proposal to the appropriate executive officer, either the Academic Vice President or the Vice President for Student Services, for review about (10) ten days prior to the monthly Board of Trustees meeting. The Vice President, Administrative Services will receive the budget for fiscal review at the same time. With their approval, the complete proposal is then discussed at the Preview Agenda meeting and forwarded to the Board of Trustees Education & Student Affairs Committee. The Approval to Submit Proposal form is required to document administrative review, determination, and approval to submit.
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Education & Student Affairs Committee Review
The Education Committee of the Bergen Community College Board of Trustees meets on the Monday prior to the Board's monthly meeting to review educational issues and developments, including proposals for grant funding. If the committee approves a proposal, it then recommends that the Board approve a resolution to submit the proposal.
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Board of Trustees Authorization
The Bergen Community College Board of Trustees meets the first Wednesday of each month. Board authorization is required both for submission of grant proposals and for acceptance of grant awards.
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