Resource development efforts at Mount Union College must be carefully linked to educational planning and the process of setting institutional goals, priorities, and funding needs. Obtaining funds from external sources, such as corporations and foundations, is a sophisticated, time-consuming process that demands the cooperation of individuals in leadership positions in various areas of the College.
There are several reasons for seeking grant funds: (1) seeking money for new programs, (2) expanding or modifying an existing program, (3) capital needs, (4) travel/research, (5) scholarships, fellowships and stipends, and (6) fulfilling a community need consistent with the College's mission.
Whether or not our assistance in identifying corporate and foundation prospects is sought, faculty should coordinate their proposal submissions with the Office of Stewardship and Grants for several reasons. First, coordination by a central office prevents one area of Mount Union College from unwittingly subverting the efforts of another. Second, and most importantly, most foundations will not accept more than one proposal from an institution within a given time period. Without coordination, a faculty member unaware of a grant-making strategy for an institutional priority might submit a request for several thousand dollars that would preclude the foundation's approval of an institutional request for several hundred thousand dollars.
Should a foundation receive more than one proposal from Mount Union College roughly at the same time, not only would both proposals be declined, but Mount Union College would find it difficult to be taken seriously by that foundation in the future. Thus the need for coordination.
The Office of Stewardship and Grants in collaboration with the Vice President for Advancement and the Dean of the College identify institutional grants for which corporate and foundation support can be sought. The Office of Stewardship and Grants writes the proposal in consultation with the relevant committees, administrators, etc., and submits it for a signature from the President.
Faculty grants work differently in that the faculty member prepares the proposal for such a grant after consultation with the Office of Stewardship and Grants. At the request of the faculty member, the Office will provide assistance in identifying the project's most likely source(s) of funding.
The Office of Stewardship and Grants will provide institutional-wide assistance to all faculty, administrators, and staff members in the pursuit of external funding. Since proposals are neither conceived nor developed in a given manner, the department of Institutional Advancement is designed for maximum flexibility. The department of Institutional Advancement will provide technical expertise during the five phases of grant development.