Corporate and Foundation Relations Humanities Information Session Friday, October 4, 2019 12 PM
About the URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement The University of Rhode Island (URI) Foundation was established in 1957 by an act of the R.I. General Assembly as an independent, charitable, 501(c)(3) corporation. In 1933, the URI Alumni Association was established as an independent 501(c)(3) organization. On July 1, 2019, The URI Foundation merged with the URI Alumni Association to become a single 501(c)(3) organization, called the URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement (URIFAE). As has been common with universities across the U.S., the URI Foundation and Alumni Association have merged to further synergize their efforts to improve alumni engagement and increase philanthropic support of the institution. The organization exists to benefit the University of Rhode Island by administering and overseeing the full scope of charitable fundraising activities and manages the University’s endowment. It also exists to inform and engage alumni of the institution.
About Corporate and Foundation Relations As a major office within URIFAE, the Corporate & Foundation Relations (C&F) staff offers expertise and guidance to members of the University community in regards to funding strategies, prospect identification, proposal review, editing and writing, and in building relationships with corporations and foundations. We promote the development of interdisciplinary partnerships and help coordinate an effective, University-wide approach to corporate and foundation donors and prospects.
Services • Identification, qualification, cultivation, and stewardship of corporate and foundation prospects in support of individual colleges, projects, programs and the University as a whole. • Matching funding needs to prospect guidelines. • Assist in preparation and development of proposals (hard copy or online applications). • Coordination with the URI Division of Research & Economic Development/Sponsored Projects, as needed. • Coordination with the URI Business Engagement Center, as needed. • Preparing and submitting required grant reports. • Corporate/Foundation visits
How It Works: Getting Funding Project/Idea Do you have a funder in mind? Yes No If you answered yes, C&F will: If you answered no, C&F will: Identify the application questions you will Help you to identify any funders that might fit • • your project need to answer Identify the application questions you will Work with you on finessing the application • • need to answer Submit the application on your behalf • Coordinate any required phone calls or site Work with you on finessing the application • • visits as part of the application process Submit the application on your behalf • Help you to identify any additional funders Coordinate any required phone calls or site • • visits as part of the application process that might fit your project
How It Works: Receiving Funding My project has been funded. What do I do now? C&F will: Help you identify an account or create an account where you can place the funds so they are available for • your use Send an acknowledgement to your funder • Coordinate any required phone calls or site visits as part of the award process • Work with you to submit any required reports • Will keep track of any reporting deadlines • Will identify report questions you will need to answer • Work with you to finesse reports • Submit reports on your behalf •
FAQs Do you work with departments/colleges across the University? Yes! Come and talk with us! I’m not sure if my application should be filed with the URI Office of Sponsored Projects or C&F. What do I do? You can call C&F. We’ll help you determine the best and most accurate way to file your application. What is the overhead rate for grants going through the URI Foundation? The URIFAE applies a 5% gift fee to all gifts that come through us. If a funder does not allow these fees as part of a request, we will honor that. I have never written a grant before. What do I do? The C&F has grant writers to help you write the best application possible.
Grant Writing Tips • Carefully review their funding guidelines • The project budget is key • The budget needs to clearly outline what you need funding for • The significance and/or need for the project needs to be clearly defined • You need to make a strong case to the donor why they should fund your project • You need to be as specific as possible about what you will be doing and when • It is important to include measurable goals and outcomes • Increasingly funders are looking to see the overall impact of the project and their funding • Demonstrate why they should pick you and your project • Clearly explain your expertise in this area
Important Things to Remember • Every corporate/foundation funder is different • The reviewers of your proposal will likely not be aware of the science, theory, or background behind your project • Avoid jargon and wording that would be unknown to the reviewer • Keep it concise • The reviewers of your proposal will likely have to make some difficult decisions about which projects they fund • The reviewers of your proposal are people • Follow all of the directions!
National Funders: Henry Luce Foundation • The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to enrich public discourse by promoting innovative scholarship, cultivating new leaders, and fostering international understanding. • The Luce Foundation funds projects through programs—American Art; Asia; Clare Booth Luce Program; Higher Education; Luce Scholars; Public Policy; Religion in International Affairs; and Theology. • In 2017, the Luce Foundation, through its Higher Education Program, gave a $225,000 grant to American University to create a Humanities Truck to document the stories of diverse, underserved communities throughout the DC region • Deadlines: LOIs accepted on rolling basis
National Funders: Andrew W Mellon Foundation • The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation seeks to strengthen, promote, and defend the centrality of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well‐being of diverse, fair, and democratic societies. To this end, our core programs support exemplary and inspiring institutions of higher education and culture. • Grant Programs: Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities; Arts and Cultural Heritage; Scholarly Communications; and International Higher Education and Strategic Projects. • Deadlines: LOIs accepted on rolling basis
Interested in Talking With Us? Katharine Hazard Flynn, Executive Director (401) 874-7084 | khflynn@uri.edu Sharon Pavignano, Associate Director (401) 874-5124 | spavignano@uri.edu Katie McGwin, Assistant Director, Communications (401) 874-9509 | kmcgwin@uri.edu Jennifer Dunwoodie, Grant Writer (401) 874-5809| jdunwoodie@uri.edu
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