Resource

Development &

Administration

Grant Process

Training

• RDA seeks to provide system-wide grant writing support

that maintains a strong campus presence, upholds Lone

Star College System strategic goals and initiatives, and

successfully attains external funding.

RDA Overview

• The role of the Grant Writer is to be the "process expert.”

• Our role is to provide expert guidance on grant writing, with

the ultimate goal of improving instruction and supportive

services to benefit Lone Star College students.

• Grant Writers (located throughout the system) will help• analyze and break down a Request for Proposal (RFP),

• develop a writing time line and a writing team,

• facilitate meetings, interview, research, gather written

sections, and

• fully coordinate the final draft of the proposal.

RDA

Roles and Responsibilities

Process Expert

The identified Grant Writer is responsible for guiding

the writing team and all stakeholders through the

development process in time to meet all internal

and external deadlines

Subject Matter Experts

Lone Star College faculty and staff will be involved to

the extent their schedule allows; guiding the project

development and writing sections of the grant

whenever possible.

Definitions

RDA Workflow

Grant Writer researches opportunity Concept

Development -Summary

Paper for GRC

GRC Discussion -

Decision Made

Meetings with stakeholders

Grant Writer works with

team to write grant

Location and System

Approvals

Submission to Funding Agency

Funding Agency Decision

Project Implementation

Project Management

Project Close Out

Audit

Idea generation

from referrals, scanning, reasearch

Ongoing SystemSupport

Training

Compliance

IRB

Technical Assistance

Funder Contact

Accounting

Grant Process

The grant process begins with ideas and an

application is developed as a team effort. Once

the application is funded, new team members

are added to implement the project. The

success of each grant is dependent on the

efforts of many stakeholders working together

to produce a quality project.

Grant Writer researches opportunity

Idea generation from referrals,

scanning, research

Grant Process

Seeking out resource opportunities that are

aligned with the mission and strategies of the

Lone Star College System.

Continuation from the previous phase; potential

grant opportunity has been identified or

assigned.

Concept

Development -

Summary Paper

for GRC

GRC Discussion -

Decision Made

Grant Process

Share GRANT CONCEPT FORM with the

Grant Review Committee.

Grant Review Committee reviews and

provides feedback on the grant concept

form

Collect initial research on the topic, such

as examples of funded awards/proposals.

Find LSCS Needs Assessments and

Research Data to support the concept or

demonstrate a need.

Meetings with stakeholders

Grant Writer works with team

to write grant

Grant Process

Large group, small group and individual meetings

and telephone calls are essential in developing the

components of an application. The Grant Writer,

often working with 1-6 members of the writing team,

will facilitate this process and take the lead in

providing correspondence.

Writing Team, facilitated by the Grant Writer, will

identify tasks towards creating the final application

package.

Assigns tasks; may include breaking project into

sections that include Abstract, Project Description,

Budget, Goals & Objectives, Evaluation and other

sections as defined by the RFP.

Location and System

Approvals

Submission to Funding Agency

Grant Process

This is a ten day process which makes

sure that the application meets the needs

of LSC and the funder.

RDA Review- 2 days

Legal Review- 5 days

Chancellor Review- 3 days

Once the application package is returned

to RDA from the Chancellor’s office, the

Director will proceed with the submission.

Funding Agency Decision

Project Implementation

Grant Process

•Receiving information back from a funder can

take anywhere from several weeks to several

months.

•A grant is not considered active until the RDA

Office has received an official notification in

writing (email, NOGA, contract). Quite often, the

award contract must be signed by the chancellor.

•Expenses cannot be incurred for a grant until the

begin date, unless otherwise stated in the

contract or in a written document directly from

the funder.

•The Compliance Office will schedule a Kickoff

Meeting with the Project Implementation team .

Project Management

Project Close Out

Grant Process

•The Compliance Office provides Grant Management

Support throughout the life of a grant.

•Our office also makes sure that the project is on track

with deliverables, timelines and budgetary spending

•Our office will assist with the Project Close-Out but it is

the responsibility of the Project Manager to insure all final

reports, and deliverables are turned into the funder on time.

•Some funding agencies require elaborate Contract Close-

Out Packages which our office is happy to assist with.

Many require official signatures.

•A grant is not considered “closed” until the Awarding

Agency has closed out the contract. This can sometimes

take several months from the actual project end date.

Audit

Grant Process

•Any grant can be selected at any time for

an audit by the LSCS Compliance Office,

the Funding Agency, and/or External

Auditors.

•It is the responsibility of the Program

Manager to keep all grant records

(timesheets, invoices, receipts, registration

forms, sign-in sheets, etc) to comply with

audit requirements .

•Most grants require all documentation to

remain on file for a minimum of three (3)

years from the final close-out date.

Contact Information

Grant Writing Contacts

Eileen Booher

Director 832.813.6615

Kristin A. Lue King

Lead Grant Development Manager 832.813.6725

Allison Boyd

Grant Writer, LSC-North Harris 281.618.5713

Janis Fowler

Grant Writer, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery 281.312.1564

Elizabeth LoCaste

Grant Writer, LSC-CyFair 281.290.3953

Amy Welch

Compliance Manager 832.813.6603

Janice Dover

Compliance Coordinator 832.813.6806

Questions?

Grant Management

Support

Grant Management Support can include: • Tips for successful grant management • Information on laws and regulations • Guidelines on policies and procedures • Tips on submitting program reports • Helpful financial information • Tips on conducting productive grant status meetings • Tips on setting up shadow budgets, timelines, etc. • A user-friendly, interactive project director manual that can

be found online at: http://www.lonestar.edu/12753.htm

Our office is here to help. How? • Providing Grant Kickoff Meetings • Providing technical assistance throughout

the project • Assisting the project director with grant

contracts and agreements • Assisting the project director with budget

set-up • Setting up status meetings as needed • Keeping project directors informed of

new policies or procedures • Assisting the project directors with grant

extensions, close-out and other grant activities

Common Compliance Items • Be realistic when projecting the number

of objectives to be met in the grant (i.e. trainings, attendees, classes, etc.)

• Produce all of the deliverables specified in the grant (i.e. modules, CDs, websites)

• Make sure sub-grantee agreements and contracts are turned in on time

• Make sure the grant budget is set-up as quickly as possible

• Keep on top of grant spending • Make sure to charge all expenditures to

the grant prior to the end date of the project, as well as the year end date for grants that cross the fiscal year

• Keep all documentation for expenditures (i.e. invoices, receipts) including journal entries

• Only purchase items that are allowed per the grant guidelines

• Keep track of timesheets and time and effort forms for all positions paid for with grant funds

• Travel only to events that have been approved within the grant

• Submit detailed program reports on time

Contact Information: Amy M. Welch

Compliance Manager Resource Development & Administration

5000 Research Forest Drive The Woodlands, TX 77381

Ofc: 832.813.6603 Fax: 832.813.6654

Email: Amy.M.Welch@lonestar.edu

Contact Information: Janice Dover

Compliance Coordinator Resource Development & Administration

5000 Research Forest Drive The Woodlands, TX 77381

Ofc: 832.813.6806 Fax: 832.813.6654

Email: Janice.E.Dover@lonestar.edu