University Advancement is a clearinghouse for all solicitations to corporations and foundations from the University and its representatives. Please consult with us before contacting any foundation.

Faculty and Staff Support

We work closely with Research Development in order to identify appropriate sources of funding.  We also develop and submit funding proposals, and help steward awarded gifts.  Funding requests should not be sent to corporations or foundations without consulting with the Director of Foundation Relations.

External Funding Workshop Series

University Advancement, in partnership with Research Administration, Sponsored Program Accounting, and the ASU System Foundation, offers workshops on various topics. Faculty/staff are encouraged to register and attend any of the following workshops. Announcements will be distributed through A-State’s Daily Digest with registration instructions.

The 2020-2021 Virtual Workshop Schedule follows. Workshops take place from 2-3 pm unless otherwise noted:

Overview of the External Funding Process at A-State
10/28/20
Presenters: Jessica Blackburn, Ashley Pinkard and Whitney Lumpkin

This workshop will outline A-State’s policies for applying for external funding for research, creative, or scholarly projects through federal, state, private foundations and/or corporate foundations. We will provide an overview of necessary approvals, training, internal paperwork, and processes to be obtained/followed prior to submitting grant applications. Further, we will introduce the teams responsible for proposal preparation assistance and the institutional representatives authorized to submit proposals on behalf of the university.

Finding Grant Funding
11/4/20
Presenters: Jessica Blackburn and Ashley Pinkard

This workshop will provide you with tools to find potential funding sources for your research and creative and outreach projects. You will gain insight and direction from grant research professionals and administrators who can show you what it takes to locate a viable funder. Presenters will demonstrate ways to access and utilize funding databases and other resources that are available to A-State faculty, staff, and students. Additionally, this course will address the importance of grant guidelines in determining a fit with potential funders.

Privately Funded Scholarship Process
11/11/20
Presenter: Patrick Edwards

This workshop is intended for faculty and staff that are responsible for awarding privately funded scholarships for their department or college.

Back the Pack: A-State’s Crowdfunding Platform
11/18/20
Presenter(s): Jessica Blackburn and Tara Thomason

This workshop is for any Registered Student Organization, Club Sport, Department or Student Researcher interested in their project being featured on A-State’s crowdfunding platform – Back the Pack. Participants will learn the campaign process and best practices for raising funding.

Writing Winning Grant Proposals
12/2/20
Presenter: Jessica Blackburn

This workshop will show you how to best craft and write an effective proposal in accordance with funders’ requirements, guidelines, and areas of interest. This workshop will provide you with valuable tools and information regarding how to structure and present your projects in a compelling way that tailors to the guidelines provided by a potential funding source.

Cayuse
1/20/21
Presenters: Ashley Pinkard

Learn how to use Cayuse, A-State's grant management system. This live demo will cover Cayuse SP, used for internal routing and approval of proposals prior to submission, and Cayuse 424, a web-based application that submits federal grant proposals to grants.gov and features real-time error validations.

Grant Budgeting - Pre-Award & Post-Award Perspectives
1/27/21
Presenters: Ashley Pinkard and Whitney Lumpkin

Developing a budget is one of the most challenging aspects of preparing a funding proposal. This workshop will offer insights into the Pre-Award budget planning process, including determining direct costs, indirect costs, and cost sharing. Presenters will demonstrate the process for determining anticipated, allowable costs related to a project such as wages, travel, supplies, consultants, sub-awards, and participant costs. This workshop will also introduce aspects of post-award grant management that one should be aware of when creating a project budget.

Administering Your Grant Awards
2/3/21
Presenters: Jessica Blackburn, Ashley Pinkard and Whitney Lumpkin

Attendees will learn how to effectively monitor and manage award funds and work with the Office of Sponsored Programs Accounting and University Advancement in complying with post-award financial requirements. The presentation will cover post-award functions such as how grant accounts are set up, obtaining access to grant accounts, understanding the budget screens, what expenses are allowable and unallowable, and performing functions such as budget transfers, travel requests, salary vouchers, and purchases. We will also discuss financial reporting requirements and who is responsible for submitting such reports.