Faculty and Staff Handbook

Grants Planning and Developing Process

1. GCC employees may pursue grant opportunities to strengthen an existing program, move a program in a new direction, or provide initial funding for a new program. These grants may be internal grants that are funded through the District or they may be grants funded by an external agency.

2. When an employee identifies a potential grant/funding source that would enable the person, department, or the college to move in a direction identified by the college strategic plan and/or the college mission, that person needs to discuss the idea with the applicable department chair or manager, his/her department members and others who may be directly affected by the grant.

3. If the idea has support at the department level, it should also be reviewed by the appropriate dean.

4. The appropriate dean will inform the president about the potential grant and provide a brief synopsis of the proposal idea, the potential funding source, and the lead person on the project.

5. If the idea is supported, a determination would be made as to who would take the lead in writing the grant proposal. The process for the development of the proposal may involve few or many depending upon the potential funding source and the requirements of the grant program. Regardless, someone needs to be the lead person for compiling and writing the final effort.

6. Drafts of the grant proposal should be circulated to others within the college for either content review or technical assistance. Offices that might be able to provide assistance include College Research Services for data resources; Business Services for details on pricing and staffing costs, indirect costs, and fringe benefits; the district grants office for general agency information.

7. Early on, a rough draft of the budget should be shared with the appropriate dean, along with a brief synopsis of the project so that advice can be given relating to potential costs. The final budget should be reviewed by the Dean of Administrative Services prior to submission to the college president and prior to project submission to the potential funding agency.

8. Should an external grant be funded, the appropriate dean will draft the Governing Board Agenda Item (text and budget information) for the president's review and submission.

9. The appropriate dean will monitor the budget, with assistance from College Business Services, and will ensure the submission of any required reports.

10. At the conclusion of a grant, the appropriate dean will submit, to the President a copy of the final report to the funding source.