Getting started: the Proposal Process

Proposal Development

Lesley University encourages faculty to seek external funds to support research and outreach projects related to Lesley's mission and the interests and activities of its faculty as scholars, teachers, and practitioners. The Grants Officer housed in the Provost's Office, serves as a central resource, reference point, and source of support for faculty members at Lesley in the development and submission of grant proposals. The Grants Officer will orchestrate the proposal development and help manage the process of securing the necessary administrative approvals.

This guide may not provide answers to all the questions that may arise and should be seen as a tool to help faculty and administrators navigate through institutional channels. It is an effort to provide faculty with information that will contribute to the organization, efficiency, and quality of the grant process at Lesley University. Please contact the Grants Officer at (617) 349-8795 with questions or requests for additional information.

Step I - Research Grant Opportunities

Faculty are encouraged to talk individually with the Grants Officer about specific research and project interests. Faculty are also encouraged to identify funding opportunities on their own by using the Grants Search database, maintained by the Grants Resource Center in Washington, DC, of which Lesley University is a member organization. To access this database, you must have an ID and password, which is attainable by emailing Linda Warner. To access foundation databases, please email the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Marianne Galvin.

Step II - Approvals

All proposals submitted by Lesley University must be in concert with the University's overall mission. Lesley University is considered the project applicant and bears fiscal and legal responsibilities related to the timely and adequate completion of the project activities. As such, it is critical in the proposal development stage to secure preliminary approval for the project from a School Dean. Grant applicants are encouraged to review all sections on this Web site before proceeding.

In some cases (e.g. funding programs for dissertation completion, individual fellowships such as the NEH), applicants will apply on their own behalf and grant funds, if awarded, will be paid directly to the individual and is usually taxable income. In these cases, no formal administrative approval is needed, although applicants are urged to inform their Deans and program directors of their application. Applicants must secure their Dean's approval before submitting the proposal if award funds will be used to release the faculty member from full- or part-time teaching responsibilities.

Lesley has developed a new Grant Proposal Preliminary Application Form which must be signed by the appropriate dean and the Provost before any University-sponsored grant application is sent.

Step III - Grant Meeting

Contact the Grants Officer to schedule an appointment. Please review the Finance Office Grant Writing and Management Guidelines and Grant Seeking Criteria prior to meeting. This information will guide the grant meeting discussion. After meeting, if the grant application is to move forward, the faculty member will need to plan the preliminary budget with the Grants Officer and receive approval from the School Dean.

Step IV - Proposal Development and Submission

Four to eight weeks is usually necessary to complete the grant application process. A timeline of responsibilities will be agreed upon which will help guide the process. For example, the budget should be developed as early as possible in the process using the Finance Office Grant Writing and Management Guidelines. The completed application must be submitted to the Grants Officer one week (five working days) before the deadline. The Grants Officer will secure final approvals and obtain signatures on all necessary forms, and will electronically submit federal applications.

Step V - Grant Award and Project Completion

Usually faculty PI's receive notification from the funding agency and you will need to notify the Grants Officer if the project is funded or not funded. If funded, the applicant should forward a copy of the award letter from the agency or foundation to the Grants Officer, the School Dean, Provost, and the Grants Accountant in the Finance Office. As soon as possible you should schedule an appointment with Amoy Ewing-Chow, Grants Accountant in the Finance Office at (617) 349-8725, who will review the post-award process outlined under the Finance Office Grant Writing and Management Guidelines.

The Grants Accountant will work with you to establish a budget account number and a schedule of progress reports that is consistent with the requirements of the funding agency and Lesley University. The Grants Accountant will also explain procedures for documenting expenses and matching commitments. Receipt of grant funds, particularly those from government sources, commits Lesley University to specific legal and financial requirements; therefore, it is critical for faculty involved with sponsored projects to document use of funds in a timely and accurate way. As the project proceeds, you will need to review budget printouts and complete progress reports according to the schedule developed with the Grants Accountant. Copies of progress reports should be forwarded to your School Dean and the Grants Officer in the Development Office.

Upon completion of the project, please contact the Grants Accountant to assure that all financial records are complete. In addition, send the final report to the funding agency and forward a copy of the final report to the Grants Officer.