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Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

  • 1.  Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-24-2021 09:33
    Hi, all!  I'm looking at possibly revamping our internal grants programs.  These are our two programs: Research Funding at Gallaudet University   I wanted to know how you are evaluating your internal programs.  I attended a NORDP session on internal grants and it was a great discussion.  Does anyone request diversity, equity, and inclusion in their application process or as part of their evaluation?  I guess I'm asking 2 things: Do you evaluate your internal grant programs?  Is there a way you're including diversity, equity, and inclusion when it comes to running your internal grant programs?  Thanks!

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Asst Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    202.651.5497
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 05-24-2021 10:15
    Hi, Audrey!

    Our office doesn't have oversight over the internal grants programs, but I like the idea that diversity, equity and inclusion be considered more broadly than it has in the past and will mention it during the next funding cycle.

    In the past, which includes my prior institutions as well, we have particularly made efforts to include and fund new faculty.  I've always been a big believer that these programs should be seed money, to help people get started in the grant world, so I've always advocated for trying to fund those who are "new to the game."  If we follow this thinking, it should naturally help those who have been underrepresented in getting grants, but I do agree that more can be done to more fully consider diversity, equity and inclusion in the process.

    As for evaluating the internal funding program, I've been at institutions where we have, and where we haven't.  I'd certainly advocate for evaluating it.  I think it helps to know where the internal funding is going and if it helps to bring in external opportunities down the road, for example.  Of course, that is something that will take some time to determine, so the evaluation will not be immediate.

    ------------------------------
    Pamela Vargas
    Director, Research & Grant Development
    Southeast Missouri State University
    Cape Girardeau MO
    573-651-2018
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-24-2021 15:16
    Pamela and Nichelle, thank you for your responses.  Internal grants was just recently placed under my purview.  We take the approach of doing our best to include and fund new faculty, too, although some of the same folks do continue to submit applications.  I'm thinking though that we could be a bit more impactful by having the applicants take into consideration DEI.

    We've also looked at how to get more applications from the humanities departments that sometimes feel neglected.  They do research, too!  And we've struggled to get these seed grants to translate into external funding but without much luck.

    As far as evaluating, I'm thinking in terms of evaluating the overall program.  The NORDP session was very informative.  They talked about things like getting qualitative data such as stories from successful PIs and/or students who participated.  I think student involvement might be one of the ways we might ask our reviewers to consider applications.

    I'm hoping to get some additional discussion and ideas from folks here.  Running an internal grants program is a different animal, so any and all feedback/suggestions/ideas are welcome.

    Thanks, again!

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Assistant Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    202.651.5497
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-24-2021 14:50

    Hi Audrey,

     

    I ditto much of what Pamela has shared. Our internal grant program focuses on providing seed support to new investigators to leverage the funding to external opportunities. The program has not included anything related to diversity and inclusion. Although, this year, we did pilot an internal grant opportunity with a specific focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Given that this is the first round of grants on this topic, we have no measurement for success at this point. But I agree that both programs should be evaluated in the future for effectiveness in reaching their goals.

     

    Nichelle

    ------------------------------
    Nichelle Edwards
    Director, Office Sponsored Programs
    The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
    Washington, D.C. DC
    +1-202-706-5014
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 05-24-2021 20:42
    Internal grants are only sort of under the purview of the Research Office at OU.  We receive the applications and manage the awards, but  -per the faculty contract- award decisions are determined by a committee of faculty members.  So, when I say we "evaluate" the program, I don't mean that in a technical sense.  It's not ours to evaluate.  But.... we notice things ;)    I/we do keep an eye on who receives them - and whether or not these internal awards are actually a springboard to external funding.  We particuarly look for funding in departments that want to become involved in grants and funded research but haven't found a lot of traction.

    I deeply love your questions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.  We have not had the good sense to include that in our  *ahem* noticing, but we will now.  It could very well be that, just as we want under-represented departments to find a foothold with these internal grants, they could serve to support marginalized faculty.  I'm on this now.  A retrospective analysis/review is entirely possible.  Let's see what I can come up with.

    Thank you!

    ------------------------------
    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
    Rochester MI
    (248) 370-3789
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-25-2021 09:22
    Oh, Andrea, you're so right!  We definitely back off the review process.  We provide a process while they provide the expertise.  But you raise a great point about "evaluating" the program.  I'll be seeking the dean's perspective and guidance on how to evaluate.  The faculty are definitely a necessary resource to include as we look to revamp and evaluate.  The folks on the NORDP webinar asked a critical question for me:  What's the difference between impact and success?  Are they equally important?  I could say we haven't been successful because these seed grants have not led to external funding.  But I could say that the impact has been great... the only thing is we haven't been measuring for that.  There have been new collaborations, publications, anecdotal stories from student and faculty recipients, and other things that are impactful but may not been seen as successful if I don't recognize both success and impact.  That's one thing I want to ask our faculty: What's their definition of success and impact?

    Thanks so much!

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Assistant Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    202.651.5497
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-25-2021 08:05
    Hi Audrey,

    This is a great question and an interesting topic. At the moment we only run smaller faculty grants overseen by the Office of Research and they are not managed in OSP. The grants work a seed grants with the hope that it will lead to a larger grant proposal. Our university is in the middle of a five-year implementation of our strategic plan and as part of the grant application, we ask how it ties in with the strategic plan initiatives, DEI being one of them. I am not sure how it is measured/quantified.

    Following this thread with interest.

    ------------------------------
    Vibeke Svensson
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    American University
    Washington DC
    202-885-3980
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 05-25-2021 08:37
    Hi, all!

    A little follow up based on other replies:  The last time our internal funding guidelines were revised, we made an effort to add information to help the arts and humanities faculty in their proposal preparation and to ensure that they knew their projects were eligible for funding.

    Pam

    ------------------------------
    Pamela Vargas
    Director, Research & Grant Development
    Southeast Missouri State University
    Cape Girardeau MO
    573-651-2018
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-27-2021 10:37
    Such a good point.  Our humanities folks do feel excluded and we need to pay particular attention to that.  Thanks, Pam!

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Assistant Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    202.651.5497
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-26-2021 12:43
    Vibeke, thanks for your response!  Definitely need to take a look at our strategic plan and see how DEI is incorporated there. -- alwf

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Assistant Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 05-26-2021 09:20
    Our office (OSP) is not responsible for internal funding, however, we have discussed the fact that Cayuse could be a helpful tool in evaluating the success of the "seed grants."  We are considering adding a question to our IPF related to whether or not past internal funding was used in the development of the current project.  We have not discussed the specific wording and how far we will go with that question but at least it is something that can be tracked.

    ------------------------------
    Jennifer Mills
    Senior Grants and Contract Specialist/ERA Administrator
    University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
    Tuscaloosa AL
    ------------------------------



  • 12.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-26-2021 12:49
    Hi, Jennifer and thanks for your reply!  So you're using Cayuse to evaluate the success of these grants?  We're beginning to start including internal grants in Cayuse.  I'm also asking Cayuse more about SmartForms which I think will help me with collecting and making sense of the data from the forms.  -- alwf

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Assistant Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 05-26-2021 13:06
    We haven't started yet but that is what we are planning to do when we go through the upgrade.  Right now, we capture internal funding that comes from the Office for Research and Economic Development, not at the school or department level.  We mainly started doing that to help the PI's become more comfortable with using Cayuse and creating an IPF.  We find it to be helpful for our Compliance department as well since they have one place to find the proposal and all information related to the project.

    ------------------------------
    Jennifer Mills
    Senior Grants and Contract Specialist/ERA Administrator
    University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
    Tuscaloosa AL
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 05-27-2021 10:31
    Hey, Jennifer,

    I'm glad you brought up the issue of getting the Compliance office onboard with Cayuse.  It has saved us SO much time to simply include a link to the proposal/award in a return email when they ask for details in the course of assuring congruency of protocol to project, for instance.  In SP classic, we've manually added appropriate departments to the routing chain if certain items are checked on the IPF (export control issues, positive answers to potential IP, unusual/large capacity vertebrate animal issues or requirements).  I'm really looking forward to being able to program the smartform to automatically include certain teams dependent on form answers.

    cheers,
    -Lisa

    ------------------------------
    Lisa Churchill
    Sr. Grants Information Manager
    The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: Internal Grant Programs at Your Institution

    Posted 05-27-2021 10:42
    I'm really interested to see how Smart Forms can help us with our ISF.  I recently sent our ISF to Cayuse folks to see if something could be created in Cayuse.  I'm looking forward to learning more!

    ------------------------------
    Audrey Wineglass Foster
    Assistant Dean for OSP + Research Svcs
    Gallaudet University
    Washington, D.C. DC
    202.651.5497
    ------------------------------