Solicitation and Management of External Grant Funding (Procedure 1.1900)
Purpose
To define the procedure for soliciting and managing external grant awards. Seminole State College (SSC) external grant awards will be obtained to advance the achievement of the college mission and strategic priorities of the College.
Procedure
- The Grants Department shall serve as the clearinghouse, facilitator, information resource and trainer, compliance monitor, and records custodian for all institutional efforts to obtain external grants funding. No College employee or student shall solicit or accept grant funds, either public or private, on behalf of the College, without consulting the Grants Department. The Grants Department will actively pursue external grant funding from appropriate sources for the support and enhancement of the college's mission, goals and strategic plan. No proposal will be developed without the endorsement or knowledge of the Executive Team.
- Each year, each Dean, Director or department head will identify and prioritize the external funding needs in their area that further the college mission and annual goals. They will assign faculty and/or staff to function as Project Directors (PD) and Project Development Teams (PDT) and serve as content experts in the development of proposals. This information should be included in the area's annual plan and should be communicated to the Grants Department at the start of each year as well as when new funding needs become apparent.
- After reviewing the proposed funding needs from all units, the Grants Department will research funding opportunities and assess the College's capacity to implement the provisions of the grant and successfully achieve its objectives and goals. College faculty and staff can also identify funding opportunities; however, they must coordinate all applications with the Grants Department.
- The Grants Department will provide support and leadership to Project Directors and Project Development Teams in preparing grant proposals. This support and leadership include, but are not limited to, assistance in interpreting grant project and grant proposal requirements, assistance with grant writing, coordination and submission of grant application documents, assistance in understanding reporting and budget compliance requirements, and other tasks related to the development of grant proposals. The Grants Department will coordinate the review, approval, and submission of all proposal applications. No applications will be submitted by individuals outside the Grants Department without prior approval from the Director of Grants Development and Management.
- The Director of Grants Development and Management will prepare and submit a summary of each proposed grant concept for acknowledgement by the Executive Team. This summary does not indicate agreement with the project scope or timeline on the part of the Executive Team. This summary will address institutional impact, adherence to the College's mission, budgetary considerations and will provide an opportunity for members of the Executive Team to ask questions, voice concerns and/or indicate any potential conflicts of interest.
- The Grants Department will prepare and submit a consent agenda report for the Board of Trustees detailing all applications in progress and submitted grant proposals as well as any grant awards received. This report represents the Grants Department requesting permission to apply for a grant opportunity and to accept funding if approved. The report will also outline the outcomes of our grant activities.
- The Grants Department shall enter the project in the institutional grants database, maintain a file of all development materials, monitor the progress of awarded projects, and act as institutional liaison with grant funding agencies. If the Executive Team declines to endorse the proposal project, the Grants Department will advise the Project Directors and/or the Project Development Team Captain of the decision and then guide them in determining the next course of action given the specific circumstances.
- All grants are subject to the policies and procedures of the funding source in accordance with established College policies and procedures including all Federal and State Wage and Hour Rules, the College Compensation Policy as outlined in the Annual Salary Schedule and College Policies governing Academic Freedom (4,010), Salary (2.130), Personnel Contracts (2.010), Full Time Instructor Loads (2.140) and Overloads (2.150). Grant activities must be documented as required for audit and as outlined in the College Procedures for Release Time (2.0703). The College department hiring or assigning employees or work study students to perform grant activities must provide the Grants Department with copies of all Human Resources forms or other forms submitted to document these activities. If an employee of a grant is terminated, the Grants Department should also be notified.
- Upon notification of funding, the Grants Department will contact the assigned Project Director to schedule a grants management orientation. This training session will include a review of the responsibilities of the PD, the expectations for compliance and reporting of the funding agency and the applicable institutional policies and procedures including purchasing, hiring, facility/space use and maintaining records for audit.
- Following the orientation, the Project Director, with the assistance of the Grants Department, will complete the Office of Finance and Budget Project Identification Form. Upon receipt of the completed form, the Grants Department will review it and retain a copy for the institutional grant files. The original will be forwarded to the Project Accountant. The Project Accountant will open a project account and monitor expenditures to ensure that they comply with the proposal objectives and project budget. The Director of Human Resources will assess the time commitments of all grant personnel and advise the Project Accountant, the Director of Grants Development and Management, the appropriate Dean and the grant-supported employee of any irregularities or excesses in grant personnel time commitments and/or salaries and recommend an appropriate solution. Appeals to this recommendation will be forwarded to the Associate Vice President, Organizational Culture and Strategy/Title IX Coordinator and Executive Staff for resolution.
- The Grants Department shall be the official repository of all grant files, including applications, award and amendment documents, reports and financial/expenditure information. Grant files shall be retained in compliance with state and federal record keeping.
- If a proposal is not funded, the Grants Department will request the reviewer's comments and discuss with Project Director or team to determine if re-submission is warranted for a future application period.
- The Manager of Grant Support and Effectiveness and the Project Accountant will monitor the progress of funded projects to ensure compliance and effectiveness, including assisting Project Directors in developing and filing required reports and other appropriate stewardship activities throughout the project period to grant close-out.
- The Manager of Grants Support and Effectiveness will also collect and monitor monthly Time and Effort forms as submitted by all grant-supported employees including employees paid fully or in part by grants, faculty receiving additional pay or release time for work on a grant, employees performing in-kind services for grants and work study students whose assignment involves the work of a grant.
The Grants Department will facilitate training for all collegewide grant project managers and project directors as well as all staff whose activities are deemed relevant to the administration of grants at the College. Training will allow the Grants Department to disseminate new internal procedures and will help project staff better understand procurement, budgets and project goals and changes to state or federal rules governing grants.
Rulemaking Authority and Law(s) Implemented: Florida Statutes§§ 1001.64, 1001.65 and Policies 1.020,1.190
History- Date Adopted 4/2002, Revised 7/2025
