Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) in the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) helps members of the Â鶹ƵµÀcommunity obtain the funding they need to excel, succeed, and further the College’s mission. We do this by establishing and managing relationships with corporate and foundation funders, and by providing assistance at all stages of the fellowship and grant-seeking process. In a nutshell, here’s how we can help Â鶹ƵµÀfaculty:
- We can work with you to find appropriate funding opportunities from foundations and corporations, as available
- We can review your proposal and help you with editing
- We can help provide guidance on and submit administrative materials required by the College, including the Request for Proposal Approval and Submission (RPAS) and proposal budgets
Once a fellowship or grant is awarded, the Sponsored Research Office will support budget approvals and related items, while CFR can assist Â鶹ƵµÀfaculty with reports and liaising with the funding organizations.
See below for answers to the most commonly asked questions about how our office can help faculty seek and obtain external sources of funding.
FAQ for Faculty
Q.What are the steps in getting the College’s approval to apply for an external grant opportunity?
A. All external grants must be approved by the Sponsored Research Office prior to submission. To give the College an idea of your project, to ensure your project and budget proposals do not violate any campus policies, and to ensure all relevant parties on campus are consulted as necessary, a Request for Proposal Approval and Submission (RPAS) must be submitted, along with a copy of the proposal and budget, to SRO in advance of the proposal deadline. The OSI team can assist you in completing and submitting all the necessary paperwork and all required forms, including the RPAS. Please be aware it takes a minimum of two weeks for the College to approve these forms.
Q: I’ve identified an institutional or corporate funding prospect for my research/scholarship, and have received the go-ahead to apply from Sponsored Research. Who do I contact for assistance in reviewing and editing my proposal and compiling the required paperwork?
A: We’re here to help! You can start by reaching out to the Office of Strategic Initiatives at osi@oxy.edu to set up a time to discuss your project/research and how we can assist you. If you have a short concept paper or outline of your project, please share it in advance of the appointment. In addition, the director of the Center for Research & Scholarship can also serve as a resource for providing feedback on narratives.
Q: What if I need assistance finding appropriate funding opportunities?
A: You can start by filling out and submitting a that will give us context and background about what kind of funding you’re looking for and what your area of focus is. Upon receipt, a team member from OSI or Sponsored Research will be in touch to assist you with finding appropriate funding opportunities. You can also email the Office of Strategic Initiatives at osi@oxy.edu. Additionally, the Center for Research and Scholarship emails faculty a monthly newsletter that includes a list of external funding opportunities that have been vetted and approved by College leadership. A regularly updated list of funding opportunities for faculty can also be found .
Q: What if I want to apply for a federal grant opportunity?
A: If you’re interested in applying for federal grants (NSF, NIH, DoE, DoEd, etc) contact the Sponsored Research Office at sro@oxy.edu.
Q: Some funding opportunities require a nomination from the College, and some limit the number of nominees the College may put forward (these are called "limited submission grants"). What is the procedure for applying for such grants/fellowships?
A: The process of applying for a limited-submission grant is as follows:
- An official call for nominations will be posted to the faculty listserv by a representative of the Dean’s Office, with a description of the opportunity, eligibility requirements, required materials, and a deadline for faculty to express interest in applying by a certain deadline.
- After you express interest, you will be instructed to share a preliminary proposal and other relevant materials that may be required by the funder.
- The Dean’s Office will establish a committee to review preliminary materials and select the nominees.
- Faculty who are selected as the College’s nominee(s) will be notified with time to polish their proposal and prepare other materials required by the funder. Our team will be available to the selected nominees to assist with applications and College approval forms as needed.
Q: Where can I see examples of prior successful grant applications by Â鶹ƵµÀfaculty?
A: The Center for Research and Scholarship can share grant materials from successful Â鶹ƵµÀapplicants upon request.
- We’re here to be a helpful resource to you in the search for funding and the assembling of proposals. Get in touch at osi@oxy.edu with any questions about how we can help.