Overview

Sponsored Programs at SVSU supports a wide range of externally funded activities—not only research and programs, but also training, workshops, curriculum development, public service, fellowships, art exhibitions, and more.

A sponsored project typically involves external support with one or more defined expectations or obligations, such as:

• A clearly specified scope of work (e.g., a defined research or training project)
• A detailed (line-item) budget, often with required financial reporting or audit
• A set project period with start/end dates and possible return of unused funds
• Terms governing ownership or use of project outcomes (e.g., data, publications, inventions, or equipment)
• Funded by a governmental agency or private entity.
• Compliance requirements (e.g., human subjects, animal use, or other regulated activities)
• Deliverables, milestones, or performance expectations
• Sponsor rights related to intellectual property, publication, or project results
• Conditions such as audit requirements, indemnification, or insurance
• The possibility that funding may be withheld or returned if requirements are not met
• Support for research-related clinical care or sponsor-requested product testing

Some examples of a sponsored project are:

You want to apply for a grant to a local foundation.

You solicit funding from a business who provides money for your department to support a specific summer camp program.

Another government agency wants to sub-contract with your program to deliver a series of educational workshops and provides funding for you to deliver those sessions.

A state association provides a contract for you to give nursing students a stipend after completing their externship in a rural setting.

You may receive funds not considered a sponsored project, and instead it is considered a gift.

A gift is external support provided with no expectation of direct benefit or deliverables. Sponsored Programs do not manage gifts or unrestricted funds; those are managed by the SVSU Foundation. The distinction depends on whether the funding meets the definition of a sponsored project.

Gifts generally:

• Do not meet the criteria of a sponsored project
• Funded by a private entity
• Are irrevocable if used according to any agreed-upon restrictions and have loosely restricted purposes.
• Do not require formal deliverables or reporting (beyond optional updates)
• Are given without expectation of economic return (beyond indirect benefits like goodwill)
• No specific period of performance
• Commonly include donations to endowments or capital projects

All external funding must be classified appropriately. Final decisions regarding whether funding is a sponsored project or a gift are made by the Provost or the Executive Vice President for Administration and Business Affairs.

We are here to support the project journey from discovery, application, award, implementation and close-out.

• • Pre-Award
    • Identify resources to research funding opportunities
    • Serve as a liaison between SVSU and the funder for communication
    • Support for the grant lead to write for the grant, including early guidance on best practices on how to write the narrative to increase the odds of award success
    • Provide a budget template appropriate for the program and guidance on establishment of budget
    • Assistance on budget development and budget review prior to submission
    • Assigning an ID # and routing the project for Institutional approval prior to submission
    • Tasks related to receiving, reviewing and finalizing the award
  •  Post-Award
    • Provides grant lead notification of award and timelines
    • Kick-off meeting to ensure awareness of critical policies to get the work of the grant done
    • Tasks related to subaward agreements, account set up, award modifications
    • Tasks related to debarment for hired grant personnel
    • Establishing regular meetings to monitor progress, budget spend and assist in removing barriers
    • Monitors every purchase to determine if it is within grant compliance, eligible, and included in budget
    • Provide budget reports to funder and submit cash requests to the funder if necessary
    • 90 Day close out meeting to assist in the winding down of grant activities
    • Perform audit duties, compliance and reports

The most important first step is to meet with Sponsored Programs before starting an application—this saves time, confirms eligibility to pursue the opportunity,  and strengthens the chances of success. Sponsored Projects are legal agreements between the sponsor and SVSU, it is necessary for the grant lead to be a full-time faculty member or administrator. If a part-time employee is appointed to a grant, they must have a full-time staff or faculty member who will be the grant lead and responsible for the overall project.

As a grant/project lead, major responsibilities include:

• Seeking approval from your Dean or Director prior to seeking funding
• Meet with Sponsored Programs prior to writing for opportunity
• Write the grant and create the budget– you are the subject-matter expert
• Provide all grant materials to Sponsored Programs to route for approvals
• Monitoring, award management and oversight for budget and grant activities/expenses ensuring expenditures are made for intended purpose of the project and in accordance with the sponsor requirements, University policies and procedures.
• Hire student workers; Entering of invoices & charges to grant via Workday
• Tracking of time and effort per Sponsored Programs and University procedure to met OMB Circular A-21 Section J.8.a requirement.
• Provide necessary narrative to support reports to Sponsored Programs
• Perform grant close out activities
• Communicate on an ongoing basis with Sponsored Programs and attend necessary pre and post award meetings.
• Providing technical and financial yearly required reports in a format acceptable to SVSU and the sponsor. Guidelines for what this entails will be provided by Sponsored Programs.