FAQs

• Whom do I contact for assistance?
• May I request extra compensation (i.e. salary, on a grant)?
• How far in advance must I submit a proposal for review?
• I am only a subcontractor or a partner on a grant with another university. Do I still need to submit a Proposal Routing Form?
• Must I build in indirect costs into my proposal?
• What is the difference between a "grant" and "gift"?
• How can I commit my time as match on a grant?
• What are some other sources of match that I could build into a grant?

Whom do I contact for assistance?

PreAward Assistance

(Jayne Smith and/or Christina Sibouih)

• Identifying funding agencies
• Prepare forms, appendices, etc. associated with grant submission
• Edit proposals/prepare budgets
• Coordinate institutional review and routing
• Assist with electronic submission
• Submit requests requiring sponsor approval (i.e. extensions, budget revisions, programmatic changes, key personnel changes, etc.)
• Draft and issue subcontracts and contractual agreements
• Ensure compliance with internal external policies and regulations
• Coordinate intellectual property and patent rights

PostAward/Grant Management Assistance

(Kristine Plagman or Kathy Horner)

• Invoice grantors and completing financial reports
• Approve expenditures
• Coordinate Rate of Effort reports
• Establish fund numbers and accounts
• Ensure compliance with internal and external policies and regulations

Learn more: SPA Staff

Back to Top

May I request extra compensation (i.e. salary) on a grant?

Yes. Nine or ten month faculty may request summer salary on a grant application.

Example:

Professor Smith is a faculty member on a nine month contract and wishes to work two (2) summer months on a grant funded project that will be conducted primarily on the Drake Campus. His nine month salary is $48,000. What should he build into the grant application for salary on his grant? Annual salary ($48,000) divided by 9 months = $5,333. Monthly salary is $5,333.

Drake would use his monthly salary ($5,333) to calculate what he can earn per month on a summer contract. So, if Prof. Smith wants to work two summer months on a grant funded project, then he would request that $10,666 + fringes be built into the grant budget for his summer salary. In this example that amount would total $11,498.

Salary for Smith $5,333 x 2 months = $10,666
Fringes for Smith @7.8% = $10,666 x 0.78 = $832
Total Salary/Fringes = $11,498

Learn more: Proposal Development

Back to Top

How far in advance must I submit a proposal for review?

Allow up to five (5) business days for SPA to review the package and route it for institutional approval. Investigators are encouraged to allow more time than this for electronic grant sumissions (i.e. grants.gov).

Learn more: Proposal Checklist

Back to Top

I am only a subcontractor or a partner on a grant with another university. Do I still need to submit a Proposal Routing Form?

Yes. If you are submitting a budget or committing Drake space (laboratories, classrooms, other facilities, etc.), you need to submit your proposal through SPA.

Learn more: Forms

Back to Top

Must I build in indirect costs into a proposal?

The short answer to this question is "Yes" drake's facilities and administrative (F&A) costs are currently 30% of modified total direct costs.

Modified total direct costs are the total direct costs, excluding capital equipment (items costing $5,000 ore more), tuition and fees, and that portion of each subcontract exceeding $25,000.

F&A costs must be requested at the current negotiated rate, unless the sponsor has a published policy restricting the payment of F&A costs or will only pay F&A costs at a specific rate. The Provost and Vice President of Business & Finance jointly approve all waivers of indirect cost recovery.

Learn more: Budget Template

Back to Top

What is the difference between a "grant" and a "gift"?

Grants:
Externally funded programs (e.g. research, program development, public service and training) at Drake University are supported by grants, contracts and cooperative agreements funded by government agences, foundations, associations, industry and other external sources. Sponsored Programs Administration is the primary office responsible for accepting grants and processing contracts and cooperative agreements on behalf of the University in support of specific projects developed by University investigators. The following are characteristics of sponsored-program funding:

• Funding is given to the University in repsonse to a proposal submitted by an investigator.
• The University enters into an agreement with the sponsor regarding how funds are to be spent and accounted for. A report of expenditures or billing is required or unexpended funds must be returned to the sponsor at the end of the project period.
• Project work is subject to guidelines and regulations of the sponsor, i.e. progress reports, other deliverables, specified performance period and completion date, etc.
• The proposal activity involves human subjects, laboratory animals, use of radioactive materials, recombinant DNA or biohazards requiring review from the appropriate committee for compliance with university policies.

Gifts:
The University also receives gift money from foundations, corporations or individuals interested in supporting Drake University. The Institutional Advancement Office is responsible for accepting gifts and administering the spending of such funds according to the wishes of the donating parties. The following are characteristics of gifts:

• A gift is a voluntary, non-reciprocal, irrevocable transfer of money or property specified by a donor (e.g. individual, corporation; or corporate, private or community foundation, etc.).
• Gifts meet the determination of having no "quid pro quo" relationship with the university and may come in a variety of forms (e.g. cash, products, property, securities, life insurance contracts, charitable trusts, etc.)
• A gift to the university implies no responsibility to provide the donor a product, service, technical or scientific report or intellectual property rights, other than recognition and disposition of the gift in accordance with the donor's wishes
• The donor's gift may be restricted (for scholarships, faculty research, construction, etc.) or be unrestricted for use in meeting the needs of the university.

If you are unsure whether funds are designated for a sponsored project or are gift funds, please contact either Jayne Smith, Director, Sponsored Programs & Grants Management or the Alumni and Development Office.

Learn more: Types of Funding

Back to Top

How can I commit my time as match on a grant?

You are going to be spending time on this project. Let's say you will spend 15% of your time on the project. If your salary were $50,000 x 0.15 = $7,500 in-kind match. But wait! You have benefits on that salary (30%) $50,000 x 0.30 = $12,000; $12,000 x 0.15 = $1,800 in-kind match.

Back to Top

What are some other sources of match that I could build into a grant?

Other examples for sources of in-kind match:

• Travel grant from the Dean's Office
• Arts and science grants
• Capital equipment and small-cap equipment funds
• Grants from the Provost's Office

Back to Top