Grants Application Process

The Grants and External Funding Office provides assistance in the pre-award process, from identifying a funding opportunity, to application submission. Below is the Grants and External Funding Office workflow and ideal timeline:

1. Funding Opportunity (also referred to as Requests for Applications, Funding Opportunity Notices, Notice to Apply) is discovered by campus personnel (faculty, administrator, or staff) from being on a unique list servs OR Grants and External Funding office forwards the Funding Opportunity to college administration based on college mission, vision, and priorities for the year.

2. Notice of Intent: Depending on who is requesting to initiate the grant (faculty, administrator, or classified staff member), a Notice of Intent (NOI) form is submitted for signatures. The NOI gives campus-level permission to begin writing the grant, which the initiator will sign, the initiator's supervisor, the Vice President of Administrative Services, and the campus President. Once all have signed off, the initiator has permission to begin grant writing. Grants and External Funding staff should be notified once an NOI has been signed and initiated to begin district-level support.

3. Kick-off Meeting: Once notified of a signed NOI, the Grants team will kick off initial meetings with faculty and administrators on the grant project. All established timelines and necessary documentation to be completed are established during the kickoff meeting. Timeline and workflow will vary based on dates of notification, and grant submission deadlines. 

4. Grant Support: At the request of faculty/administration, the Grants team meets weekly/biweekly to discuss grant progress and approval progress with budgets and narratives.

5. Approval: Once approvals have taken place, the Grants and External Funding office will put together the routing package for approval. This includes: the final project narrative, the budget, and proof budget approval from the District Office Finance and Administration team. This routing slip is approved by the initiator, the initiator’s supervisor, the Vice President of Administrative Services, the campus President, and finally the Vice Chancellor of Finance.

6. Vice Chancellor Approval: Only with the Vice Chancellor of Finance's approval can a grant be legally submitted. The routing slip provides the Grants and External Funding office with the legal authority needed to submit a grant wherever the funder has requested it to be submitted.

7. Submission: Once the grant has been submitted, the Grants and External Funding office will notify all personnel involved that the grant was successfully submitted. Additional information will be provided once we know if the grant is awarded or denied.

8. If not funded: If the grant is denied, the Grants and External Funding office will notify the personnel involved and will notify them once the grant reopens for new applications or if a similar grant project is opened.

9. If funded: If the grant is funded, the funder will either notify the Vice Chancellor of Finance through a Grant Award Notification (GAN) or will notify the Grants and External Funding office and listed personnel that the grant has been funded.

10. Begin Work: Personnel listed on the GAN begin work at their local campus and follow the GAN and work objectives as agreed to by the funder and the campus that submitted the project.