K3: Grant Proposal Development, Submission and Acceptance

Responsibility for Maintenance: Academic Affairs; Financial Services; Onondaga Community College Foundation

Date of most recent changes: June 26, 2023

I. Policy Statement

This Policy establishes the process for developing, submitting, and accepting externally sponsored projects (grants). The Policy outlines appropriate procedures for (a) developing and submitting grant proposals, (b) reviewing grant proposals, and (c) submitting grant proposals to external funding agencies. 

II. Reason for Policy

A sponsored project or grant is a legally binding agreement between the College and the funding agency.  When a grant is offered, accepted, and awarded, the College is responsible for fulfilling the granting agency’s programmatic, fiscal, and reporting requirements as stated in the project documents and applicable federal, state, or local regulations or private foundation guidelines. Therefore, grant seeking must be connected to the College’s mission, strategic plan, departmental operational plans, and other identified priorities.  Further, any grant proposal submitted to an external funding agency must be thoroughly prepared, reviewed and approved within the College Division that will serve as the lead investigator on the project, Financial Services, the College’s Institutional Review Board if research involving human subjects will be undertaken, and all other areas of the College that will be impacted by the project’s implementation, if awarded (e.g., Information Technology, Human Resources, Facilities, Institutional Planning, Assessment & Research, etc.). 

III. Applicability of the Policy

This policy is applicable to all employees of the College.

IV. Related Documents

IV. Contacts

Subject Office Name Telephone Number Email/URL
Grants Development  Academic Affairs (315) 498-2594 occgrants@sunyocc.edu
Grant Award Acceptance Financial Services (315) 498-2268  m.r.manning@sunyocc.edu
OCC Foundation Grants OCC Foundation (315) 498-2225 k.a.daprix@sunyocc.edu

V. Definitions

Term Definition
Grant A sum of money awarded by a third party to the College for a specific purpose, such as, but not limited to: education, research, programs, or capital construction, based on approved deliverables to be completed and reported on within a specified period of time.
Corporate/Private Funding Requests for philanthropic, sponsorship, and other corporate or private support are coordinated through the OCC Foundation. The OCC Foundation and Grants Administration will communicate all requests that may have any shared implications to ensure institutional coordination and perception of College unity to outside entities.

 

VI. Procedures

1. Pre-Award: Identification of Grant Projects 

a. Pre-Planned Priority Projects: Identification of grant projects is driven by the College's planning process and is informed by the strategic goals established by the College, assessments, and key initiatives included in department operational plans and OCC Master Plans. Resource needs related to high-priority projects form the focus of the College's grant-seeking efforts, which are guided by the President and Executive Council. 

b. Emerging Opportunities: Although grant seeking is focused on pursuing priority projects identified in annual and multi-year plans, any Onondaga employee may propose a grant idea in alignment with the College’s strategic plan or departmental operational plans. Grant project ideas that are proposed by employees or by partner organizations during the year will adhere to the following process.

i. The project proposer discusses the grant concept, anticipated benefits, and potential cost implications, including staff, space, construction/renovation, supplies, and equipment, as well as the potential sustainability of the project, if applicable, with his or her immediate supervisor or department chair.

ii. The project proposer completes a grant idea form that is endorsed by his or her division head and forwarded to Grants Administration and the OCC Foundation.

iii. Grants Administration and the OCC Foundation will review each request relative to the feasibility of proceeding and will seek approval from the members of Executive Council responsible for the project or key components of the project to proceed with proposal development.

2. Pre-Award: Proposal Development and Submission Process

a. Process for Proposal Development: Once a grant proposal has been approved to proceed with proposal development, a funding search will be conducted, if not identified at the time of submission. Once a prospective funder has been identified, proposals planned for submission will be added to the grants calendar. The project proposer, and proposal development team, as applicable, will develop the proposal in accordance with a development and review timeline established in coordination with Grants Administration, Financial Services, and the Division head responsible for the project. Grants Administration will facilitate internal reviews and approvals prior to submission. 

b. Approval for Submission: At least one week prior to a submission deadline, Grants Administration will request authorization to submit the proposal from the President, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or OCC Foundation Executive Director, as appropriate to the funding source and amount. For grants that require presidential approval, presentation of the proposal to the President will be made once all involved or impacted areas of the College have reviewed and approved the proposal. Further all project budgets must be reviewed and approved by the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or designee, prior to submission.

c. Submission of Proposals: Grants Administration, and in the case of Foundation grants, the OCC Foundation, are the only departments authorized to submit grant proposals that have received appropriate College approval. No other individuals or individual departments are authorized to submit grant proposals on behalf of the College or Foundation. When all appropriate approvals and signatures have been received, Grants Administration or the OCC Foundation, as appropriate, will submit the final proposal to the funding agency.

d. Post-submission contact with funding agencies: While the proposal is in the review process, any required follow up with the funding agency will be the responsibility of Grants Administration at all funding levels, except in the case of local or other private foundations where the OCC Foundation Director or his/her designee has requested to serve as the primary point of contact.

3. Acceptance of Grants

a. The OCC Foundation Executive Director is the only person authorized to approve acceptance of grant awards on behalf of the Foundation. The approval process for OCC will follow Policy B1 Signature Authority for Contracts.

b. Prior to acceptance of any grant, the grant award document, agreement, and/or contract will be reviewed by the division head responsible for oversight of the grant, Grants Administration, Financial Services, Management Services, and legal counsel if necessary, to ensure the grant does not contain any obligations or restrictions that are contrary to the College’s policies or the approved project proposal and budget.

c. Upon acceptance of the award, Grants Administration will submit a copy of the grant award document and/or contract to the project director/principal investigator. Original contracts will be filed in Management Services and a copy will be maintained by Grants Administration and the OCC Foundation if applicable.

4. Declined Grants

a. In the event that a grant proposal is not funded, the project director/principal investigator and all involved departments will be promptly notified by Grants Administration.

b. Requests for reviewer comments and proposal evaluations/ratings will be submitted to the funding agency by Grants Administration. Information will be forwarded to the project director/principal investigator and other key project personnel when received.

5. External Requests for Grant Partnerships or Support

The College often receives requests for letters of support or invitations to participate on local, regional, or statewide partnerships or consortia. All letters of support and/or inquiries about partnerships on grant opportunities will be coordinated through Grants Administration. Letters of support and other materials requested by partner organizations must be approved and signed by the President or designee.

6. Requests for Copies of Submitted Grant Proposals

Due to the competitive nature of grants, grant proposals will not be shared with external partners or organizations, except under special circumstances. Grant proposals deemed appropriate to share will be sent through Grants Administration to the requestor.

VII. Forms/Online Processes

The Grant Proposal Form and Grant Budget Reference Manual is available on College’s intranet site.

Approved by the OCC Board of Trustees April 3, 2006

Updated and approved by the President January 5, 2010

Updated and approved by the President April 16, 2012

Updated and approved by the President April 14, 2014

Updated and approved by the President June 19, 2015

Updated and approved by the President March 28, 2016

Updated and approved by the President April 3, 2017

Updated and approved by the President June 15, 2020

Updated and approved by the President June 26, 2023