Frequently Asked Questions
1) I have a great idea, but I
haven’t written a grant before. How can I get help?
2) How can I contact the Grants Office?
3) Where is the Grants Office?
4) Will someone be able to help me
once I get there?
5) I am thinking of writing a grant.
How soon should I contact the Grants Office?
6) Do you have information on proposal
writing?
7) Are there sample proposals available?
8) Can you help me locate grants?
9) How about help in writing or reviewing
my propasal?
10) Can someone help me with federal
grant forms?
11) How do I find information about
fringe benefits or travel rates for my grant budget?
12) What is an indirect cost rate?
13) What is the difference between
an indirect and direct cost?
14) Who needs to sign a proposal?
15) How much paperwork is involved
in the grant process?
16) I want to write a National Science
Foundation Grant. How do I register for FastLane?
17) How do I submit a grant through
Grants.gov, NSPIRES, NIH, e-grants, or other federal websites?
18) Who funds grants?
19) How do I find out about federal
grants?
20) I want to submit a proposal to
a private foundation. What do I need to do?
21) What is a foundation? Is it the
same thing as a charity?
22) What is the difference between
private and public foundations?
23) Some foundations state that they
will only fund 501C (3) or 170(b)(1) A) organizations. Huh?
24) What are 990-PFs?
25) How much time does it take
to get a grant?
To Top
I have a great idea, but
I haven’t written a grant before. How can I get help?
Contact the Grants Office. We are here to help you!
To Top
How can I contact the Grants
Office?
Leslie Paige is the Grants Facilitator, and may be reached at
628-4349. Her office hours are 1- 5 pm Monday – Friday afternoons.
Her email address is lpaige@fhsu.edu.
A voice mail or email message may be left for her at any time.
To Top
Where is the Grants Office?
The Grants Office is located within the Graduate School, Wiest
Hall B709.
To Top
Will someone be able to
help me once I get there?
Feel free to schedule an appointment and we will be happy to assist
you.
To Top
I am thinking of writing
a grant. How soon should I contact the Grants Office?
As soon as possible! Large proposals, or those involving significant
institutional commitments of time, equipment, matching funds and/or
personnel will require more lead time for review and approval.
Even if we are not heavily involved in the proposal development,
we may need to adjust schedules to be available WHEN you need
specific services (such as editing or review). Please consider
that Grants Office staff time may already be committed to other
faculty members.
To Top
Do you have information
on proposal writing?
Yes-we can provide support in various ways, including print or
electronic references, and 1:1 or group consultations.
To Top
Are there sample proposals
available?
The Grants Office maintains files of grant proposals. Current
and past requests for proposals and information about funders
are maintained on file.
To Top
Can you help me locate grants?
The Grants Office actively seeks information regarding potential
funding sources. Please complete the form in Foundation
Funding Resources or contact Leslie
Paige to request a funding search.
To Top
How about help in writing
or reviewing my proposal?
Please contact us! We are here to assist faculty and staff.
To Top
Can someone help me with
federal grant forms?
The Grants Office can assist.
To Top
How do I find information
about fringe benefits or travel rates for my grant budget?
The Grants Office Quick Reference Guide (Word)
or (PDF) provides
information. You may also contact the Personnel Office with specific
questions.
To Top
What is an indirect
cost rate?
Indirect cost rates are an agreement between the university and
the federal government. Indirect rates are sometimes called administrative
or facilities and administrative cost rates. Indirect rates are
calculated as a set percentage of the salary and fringe. This
rate is 41% for on campus activities, and 21% if off campus. If
there are no salaries or fringe benefits included in the grant
budget, then indirect costs cannot be charged to the grant. Some
funders will allow a certain percentage of direct costs (for example,
8% of direct costs may be used to calculate the indirect costs),
but this amount can NOT exceed the 41% of salary and fringe. Please
contact the Grants Office
for more information.
To Top
What is the difference
between an indirect and direct cost?
Typical direct costs include salaries, fringe benefits, equipment
and supply purchases, travel, consultant fees, etc. Direct costs
are easy to track. Indirect costs are difficult to account for,
and include the use of the facility, office space, heat, lighting,
custodial services, business office time associated with grant
bookkeeping, etc. Funders will frequently (but not always) allow
a grantee to include these in the budget as an indirect cost.
To Top
Who needs to sign
a proposal?
Principle Investigator/Project Director, Chair, Dean, Grants officer
and Provost or Vice President for Administration and Finance.
Please allow sufficient time for the proposal approval process.
To Top
How much paperwork
is involved in the grant process?
In general, foundations have fewer application and reporting requirements
than the federal government. Some large foundations have increased
the amount of required paperwork, and are more interested in documentation
of outcomes and activities. Small foundations have fewer staff
and may prefer a letter rather than a full proposal. Federal grants
typically involve more paperwork in applying, management, and
reporting. The grants office can assist with the preparation of
grant paperwork.
To Top
I want to write
a National Science Foundation Grant. How do I register for FastLane?
All National Science
Foundation (NSF) grants must be uploaded electronically using
FastLane.
Registration is easy. Contact the Grants Office for the registration
form.
To Top
How do I submit a grant
through Grants.gov, NSPIRES, NIH, e-grants, or other federal websites?
All grants must be approved prior to submission. Federal grants
using electronic submission processes require specific permissions
from the Authorized Organizational Representative. Contact
the Grants Office for information.
To Top
Who funds grants?
The major sources of grant funds include:
Federal
State
Private Foundations
Corporate giving
To Top
How do I find out about
federal grants?
Grants.gov is a one-stop
shop for federal grant announcements, applications, and reporting.
However, because announcements may occur 4-8 weeks prior to a
deadline, it is more proactive to go to the agency websites to
learn what will be funded in the future. Other federal sites to
become familiar with include NSF,
NIH, NEA,
and NEH. The
Grants Office can also assist with federal grant seeking. Be sure
to check the InfoEd
website.
To Top
I want to submit a proposal
to a private foundation. What do I need to do?
All corporate or private foundation contacts are coordinated through
the FHSU Endowment Association. The Prospective
Donor Clearance Request Form must be approved by the Development
Coordinating Committee prior to submitting a grant proposal. The
Grants Office can assist with this process.
To Top
What is a foundation? Is
it the same thing as a charity?
A foundation is a nonprofit corporation or a charitable trust,
with the purpose of making grants to unrelated organizations or
institutions or to individuals for scientific, educational, cultural,
religious, or other charitable purposes.
To Top
What is the difference
between private and public foundations?
Most funds for private foundations come from one source, such
as a family, individual, or a corporation. Private foundations
must pay out at least five percent of their value of their investment
assets.
A public foundation receives its assets from multiple sources,
such as individuals, private foundations, government agencies,
and fees for service. In order to keep its status as a public
foundation, they must continue to receive money from multiple
sources.
To Top
Some foundations state
that they will only fund 501(c)(3) or 170(b)(1)A organizations.
Huh?
Nonprofit organizations must obtain recognition as a charitable
organization from the IRS in order for contributions to it to
be tax deductible. Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code covers
organizations that are exempt from federal income tax, and for
religious, charitable, scientific, public safety, literary, or
educational purposes. An organization that meets the definition
of IRS Section 501(c)(3) is a private foundation. FHSU Endowment
is in this category.
Organizations described as a 170(b)(1)A include churches, schools,
colleges, etc.; hospitals, medical research institutes, etc.;
support organizations to public colleges or universities; certain
governmental units; and publicly supported organizations. FHSU
is in this category.
To Top
What are 990-PFs?
The Internal Revenue Code requires all private foundations to
file IRS Form 990 PF, which is made publicly available. This form
shares valuable information about finances, board members, and
grants. Form 990 PFs are posted on the Foundation
Center website. The grants office also uses this information
in a funding search.
To Top
How much time does it take
to get a grant?
That depends. Some private foundations have monthly meetings to
discuss applications; others may meet quarterly or annually. Many
private and corporate foundations have specific guidelines regarding
deadlines and grant making cycles. Decisions about federal grants
may take 4–6 months or longer, depending on the number of
applications and the federal agency.
To Top
