Grant Administration

We are here to help you get funding for your programs! Always contact the CEI Grants Office as your first step and to obtain forms and approvals for all grant activity. 

The grant office will assist faculty and staff in the pursuit of grant funding, including identifying funding opportunities, developing proposals, and securing institutional support. The grant office will also engage with external partners to identify potential funding opportunities and collaborate on grant proposals. The office will be responsible for overseeing the administrative aspects of grant-funded programs, including compliance, reporting, and financial management.

Each Department seeking a grant shall provide advance notice to the appropriate authorities (See Policy 232: Grant Administration) so that the effects on the College of Eastern Idaho (budget, cash flow, procurement requirements, financial reporting, or compliance requirements) can be reviewed, understood, and approved beforehand.

The Grants Office can help turn your grant idea into a completed proposal. We provide the following services to support proposal development for the college community:

• Help identify potential funding sources for your proposal
• Gather relevant information on eligibility criteria, guidelines, and requirements
• Provide support, guidance, and assistance during the proposal process
• Offer suggestions for improvement, edits, and updates of proposals
• Point of contact with the grantor during the application process
• Edit the proposal narrative based on the content provided by you
• Draft letters of commitment/support
• Help review and adjust a project budget that meets the grantor's definition of allowable costs
• Help complete forms in the application package
• Ensure that the proposal contains all required documents and attachments
• Submit the proposal in advance of the application deadline
• Obtain and review reader comments when an application is not selected for funding
• Provide support in the management of grant programs, including review, compliance, reporting, and financial management.
• Conduct workshops and provide individual support on proposal development and grant writing.

Getting Started Pre-Proposal Checklist-Application

If you have an idea for a grant project, your first step should be to outline what you plan to do and how much it will cost. To do this, use the Pre-Proposal Checklist below to evaluate whether your idea is a good candidate for grant funding.

Pre-Proposal Checklist

The Grants Office suggests the following guidelines to identify proposals that advance the college’s mission and have the best chance of being funded:

• Have you completed a needs assessment to identify challenges a grant project can address?
• Is the proposed project consistent with the college's Mission and Strategic Plan?
• Is the proposed project consistent with the priorities of your Division/Department?
• Has the responsible Dean/Vice President approved the development of a project proposal or application?
• Will college resources (space, equipment) be needed if the application is successful?
• Is there sufficient evidence/data to demonstrate a need for the project?
• Have you assessed the criteria to determine if the project is feasible and has value for growth?
• Is there a strong, committed team ready to collaborate on proposal development?

Start Here to Build a Fundable Program:
Completing the CEI Program Design Form will help you turn your ideas into a clear, structured, and fundable project. It guides you through identifying community needs, defining goals, estimating costs, and planning for sustainability—everything funders want to see in a strong proposal.

If your idea is a good candidate for funding you may begin your search for funding sources. You will also want to complete the Pre-Research Form, once you have developed the Program Design and budget.

Find Funding-Grant Checklist

If you have identified a funding source or sources, compare the Grant Checklist below to each potential source. If you do not have a source in mind, use the Funding Source Links (an updated digital copy can be obtained from the Grants Office) to search for a suitable grant. If you cannot identify a funding source, the Grants Office can recommend appropriate choices or help you search. To request assistance, submit your Pre-Research Form to the Grant Office.

Grant Match Checklist

The Grants Office suggests the following guidelines to determine if a grant opportunity is a good match for the college and for the proposed project:

• Are higher education institutions eligible to apply for this grant opportunity?
• Are previous projects that have received awards under this grant opportunity comparable in scope and purpose to the proposed project?
• Are funding amounts sufficient to perform the proposed project?
• Will the number of awards ensure a reasonable probability of success?
• Does the grant require sustainability? If so, is there a plan or potential to institutionalize the project when grant funding ends?
• Does the grant require matching funds? If so, it is unlikely that the college will approve an application to this source.
• Does the grant require partnerships? If so, are relationships in place that could be leveraged to meet this requirement?
• Is there adequate time to write a quality proposal before the deadline?

Approval to Apply

Once a funding source has been identified as a good match and you’d like to proceed with applying. Contact the Grants Office at least thirty (30) days prior to the application deadline. All external grant applications are reviewed and can be submitted by the Grants Office, with prior approval by the Chief Financial Officer and/or the Director of Grants based upon a proposal’s alignment with CEI’s mission and Strategic Plan.  To request approval, please complete an Intent to Apply Form and submit it to the Grants Office.

• Funding Source Links
• Grant Pre-Research Form
• Grant Intent to Apply Form

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