SOCY461: Grants

Grants. In general, most university-based research, scholarship, and creativity is funded through grants. Grants provide money, equipment, or both to eligible researchers to carry out approved projects or activities. The grantee is responsible for conducting the project activities, reporting on progress, and preparing the results for publication. The granting agency monitors the use of funds it disburses, but it normally has minimal involvement in the substance of the work.

Cooperative Agreements. In cases where federal agencies do have substantial involvement in the substance of a particular project, they typically will enter into a cooperative agreement with the funding recipient. For example, the National Science Foundation uses cooperative agreements with organizations that manage national user facilities, such as astronomical observatories. The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health uses cooperative agreements to promote interaction among its own and outside basic researchers and investigators conducting clinical trials.

Contracts. Contracts are agreements between an institution and an awarding agency that generally involve the creation of a tangible product or service. Contracted activities include testing or evaluation of a proprietary product; development of equipment, technical reports and evaluations; and consulting services.

Grants have the following characteristics:

• There is a Solicitation, sometimes called a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Request for Applications (RFA)
• Awards are given based upon merit determined by disciplinary peer review
• Substantial application process
• Detailed Budgets and Justification required
• Lead Project Personnel must demonstrate expertise (most often through a type of biography or curriculum vita)
• Accountability tracked via reporting and auditing requirements
• Often requires several Planning Documents:
  • Project/Management Plan
  • Data Management Plan
  • Risk Assessment and Contingency Plan
  • Letters of Support and/or Letters of Commitment
• Expectations of dissemination and impact tracking

Internally, Grants are:

• Written by the Principal Investigator
• Development services are offered by the campus Unit (Libraries)
• Budget approved by the Office of Research Administration
• Documented, Routed (for unit approval), and Tracked by the central Kuali system, which is interoperable with other financial (Human Resources, procurement) and institutional databases (Faculty Success)

Contact Patti Cossard pcossard@umd.edu for more information.

Gifts have the following characteristics:

• Are funded by individuals, Foundations, and/or Corporations
• Can be solicited or unsolicited
• Awards are given based upon review at the philanthropic source
• Have broad or general funding areas
• Agreements are governed by Memorandums of Understanding 

Internally, Gifts are:

• handled by the Development Office
• Proposal Development services are offered by the campus Unit (Libraries)
• Budget approval is internal to Unit
• Documented, Routed, and Tracked by the College Park or University System Foundations

Contact Kenna Barrett cbarret4@umd.edu for more information.