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Pre-Award Phase

The Pre-Award Phase encompasses all activities relate to proposal preparation up until a funding decision has been made. Throughout this phase, faculty/staff will craft compelling narratives, outline project plans in alignment with grant criteria, develop realistic budgets, and gather supporting documentation. This phase culminates in the submission of a meticulously crafted application.

All proposals require institutional review and approval prior to submission to ensure that any commitments included are consistent with federal, state, and college policies. As such, you may not apply for funding directly without proper approval.

Proposal Preparation

Once an opportunity has been identified and the concept approved for proposal development, it is time to prepare the proposal. Before diving into the intricacies of proposal writing, it is important to understand the diverse requirements set by the funding agencies. Each funder operates under unique guidelines and priorities, requiring a tailored approach for each application. It is vital that individuals interested in preparing proposals familiarize themselves with the expectations outlined in the requests for proposals (RFPs) and the specific requirements of each funding agency. Some common grant proposal components can be found below.

Common Grant Proposal Components

  1.  Abstract: a brief overview of the project, including its objectives, significance, and anticipated outcomes.
  2.  Table of Contents
  3.  Introduction/background: contextual information about the issue or need the project aims to address.
  4.  Statement of Need: clear articulation of the problem or need the project seeks to address, supported by evidence and data.
  5.  Project Goals and Objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound objectives (SMART) that outline what the project aims to achieve.
  6.  Project Description: detailed explanation of the project’s activities methods, timeline, and key personnel involved in the implementation.
  7.  Project Timeline
  8.  Evaluation plan: description of how the project’s success will be monitored and evaluated, including data collection methods, indicators, and evaluation criteria.
  9.  Sustainability Plan: strategies for ensuring the project’s long-term sustainability beyond the grant period
  10.  Organizational Capacity:
  11.  Other Components:
    1. Budget
    2. Budget justification
    3. Letters of Support
    4. Partnership Agreement
    5. Bibliography
    6. Resumes and/or position descriptions of key personnel
    7. Current & pending support
    8. Dissemination plan
    9. Resources and Facilities

For examples of the different components please contact the grants coordinator.

Budget Preparation

A detailed budget is a key component of a successful proposal that outlines the financial resources necessary to execute the proposed project. We will assist you in developing your grant budget to ensure consistency with WVC policies and funder guidelines. The Business Office must approve all budgets prior to proposal submission.

In assessing the appropriateness of costs, we rely on the cost principles outlined within. The Office of Managements and Budget’s Uniform Grant Guidance for Federal Awards wherein expenses must be:

A cost is reasonable if the nature and amount does not exceed costs incurred by a “prudent person” under similar circumstances.

Scenario: Alex McLabcoat needs to purchase a drone for a grant funded project. They purchase one from the vendor, “OverpricedGizmos Inc,” despite their inflated prices. Mclabcoat does not compare prices with more affordable, reputable vendors to ensure responsible fund use. This purchase was not reasonable.

A cost is allowable if it meets the following criteria:

  • “Be necessary and reasonable for the performance of the Federal award and be allocable thereto under these principles.
  • Conform to any limitations or exclusions set forth in these principles or in the Federal award as to types or amount of cost items.
  • Be consistent with policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both federally financed and other activities of the non-Federal entity.
  • Be accorded consistent treatment. A cost may not be assigned to a federal award as a direct cost if any other cost incurred for the same purpose in like circumstances has been allocated to the Federal award as an indirect cost.
  • Be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), except, for state and local governments and Indian tribes only, as otherwise provided for in this part.
  • Not be included as a cost or used to meet cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally financed program in either the current or a prior period. See also § 200.306(b).
  • Be adequately documented. See also §§ 200.300 through 200.309 of this part.
  • Cost must be incurred during the approved budget period. The Federal awarding agency is authorized, at its discretion, to waive prior written approvals to carry forward unobligated balances to subsequent budget periods pursuant to § 200.308(e)(3).”

A cost is allocable if the goods or services involved that are reasonably assigned to the project based on their benefit and usage for that project’s purpose.

Scenario: Alex McLabcoat is leading a grant funded project focused on student retention. While preparing the budget they include an extravagant DJ system within the budget with the hopes of improving student morale. This purchase is not allocable.

A cost is considered “consistently treated” when all costs incurred for the same purpose in similar circumstances are treated uniformly.


Common Budget Categories
Most budgets will consist of two funding elements – direct and indirect expenses. Direct expenses are those needed to carry out the specific goals and objectives of the sponsored projects while indirect expenses are meant to reimburse WVC for the costs of supporting the award activity.

Faculty that intends to expend significant effort on a sponsor project may be eligible to request summer salary, reassigned time (course release), or other forms of support. Note. The majority of WVC faculty are on a 9-month contract representing the academic year. NSF grants restrict salary expenses to no more than 2/9 of salary per faculty.

For assistance in calculating grant funded salaries, each faculty/staff must sign the Authorization to Release Salary Information form and submit the signed form to the Grants Office. They will then forward the form to the Human Resources (HR) office. The salary information provided by HR reflects the current year; if the grant will be realized in subsequent fiscal years, it is necessary to incorporate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for each year.

Fringe benefits may include the following: health insurance, retirement benefits, life insurance, worker’s compensation, tuition credits, and FICA expenses. For the current fringe rate for full-time faculty/staff, please contact the Grants Office.
Fringe benefits may include the following: health insurance, retirement benefits, life insurance, worker’s compensation, tuition credits, and FICA expenses. For the current fringe rate for full-time faculty/staff, please contact the Grants Office.

Equipment is a tangible piece of property with a useful life of at least one year and a per-unit acquisition cost that is equal to or exceeds $5,000. Some funders have different definitions for equipment.

Note: Effective 10/1/2024, the per unit acquisition cos threshold will rise from $5,000 to $10,000.

Travel expenses are defined as any cost which requires travel to a domestic or foreign destination that directly relates to the sponsor project. Allowable expenses include conference attendance (including registration and associated travel expenses), travel for planning meetings, research collaboration, travel expenses for project consultants, airfare, lodging, mileage, ground transportation, and meals.

For statewide per diem rate information click here. To find the per diem rates in different cities click here.
Supplies are defined as any consumable materials essential to the sponsored project. Generally, this includes all tangible property below the $5,000 equipment threshold.
Publication expenses are defined as any cost associated with disseminating, publishing, and sharing sponsored project findings.
Participant support expenses are defined as costs associated in supporting participants or trainees (not employees) in connection with a meeting, workshop, or training project conducted under a sponsored project. Costs include stipends, travel allowances, registration fees, training materials, etc.
A consultant is an individual who provides a temporary service in support of the sponsored project. A consultant cannot be a WVC employee and is not entitled to fringe benefits. Consultants typically provide a quote identifying an hourly rate, the scope of work to be performed, and the projected time necessary to complete the work.

Any expenses not applicable to the previous headings are otherwise referred to as "other direct costs.”

Examples of budget items under this category include equipment service/maintenance, space and facilities rentals, postage, internet services, subawards, etc.

Note: Please check the specific grant guidelines to determine whether your line items are allowable expenses.

Indirect Costs are expenses used to reimburse colleges for the overhead incurred to support sponsored projects. These are mission-related costs that cannot be readily identifiable or directly assigned to a major project or activity with a high degree of accuracy. Indirect cost recovery is important because it allows WVC to reinvest in infrastructure that drives programs and services.

Examples: Library expenses

Contact the Grants Office for the current indirect cost rate.

Some funders might require that WVC contribute a certain portion of institutional funds to the cost of the project to express institutional commitment and leverage resources. Contributions are requested as cash and/or in-kind. If a project requires cost-sharing, the PI/PD is required to receive written approval from their respective dean/VP and the VP of Administrative Services. This is to ensure that WVC is capable of matching and tracking the funder’s cost-share requirement.
 
Institutional Approval and Submission

So, your peer reviewed proposal is ready for submission, now what? It’s time for institutional review and approval. This internal review process begins with the completion of the Grants Review Form and ensures that grants pursued on behalf of WVC are in alignment with the mission and strategic priorities of the college. Outlined in WVC Procedure 1200.220 Grant Development & Approval Procedure, institutional approval must be obtained by everyone applying on behalf of WVC  or its associated foundations (WVC Foundation and WVC at Omak Foundation) and applies to all types of funding sources (state, federal, private, etc.)

We require at least 10 business days before the submission deadline to thoroughly review all proposals. If the Grants Review form arrives late, we cannot guarantee institutional approval, and thus proposal submission. Applications/proposals containing significant typos, misspellings, incomplete information, or those not aligning with grant guidelines will be returned to the PI for revisions before submission approvals are granted.

Institutional Approval Process

The Grants Review Team reviews all proposals but only has authority to approve proposals that:

  • Are $49,999 or less
  • Do not have match or in-kind requirements
  • Do not require the College to make a commitment to institutionalize project staff at the end of the grant period
  • Do not redefine or reclassify the status of a given position
  • Do not involve significant partnerships or sustainability requirements
  • Only last one fiscal year or less

The Grant Review Team reviews the proposal for these grants first and makes a recommendation to the Cabinet.

The President’s Cabinet reviews proposals that:

  • Are $50,000 or more
  • Have match or in-kind requirements
  • Require the college to make a commitment to institutionalize project staff at the end of the grant period
  • Redefine or reclassify the status of a given position
  • Involve significant partnerships or sustainability requirements
  • Involve grant activity that will continue for more than one fiscal year.

 

Note: After the final draft has been approved for submission, the Initiating Individual may only make minor revisions to the application. Significant changes to the project plan that impact the budget or deliverables should not be made. Any changes made to the proposal or budget need to be communicated promptly to the Grants Coordinator. This helps maintain transparency and allows for any necessary adjustments to be made.

Once your proposal has been approved for submission, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) will sign off on the submission and submit the application to the funder.