Proposal Development Step-by-Step Guide for STAFF

Please use the following steps to guide youthroughout the process of seeking external funding of $5,000 or more from a Corporation, Foundation, or Government Agency. For detailed instructions, please review MICA’s External Fundraising Guidelines, available here. If you are a faculty member seeking external funds, please refer to the Step-by-Step Guide for Faculty.

Steps
1) Contact Lydia Kenselaar in the Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations Office(CFG Office) to discuss your project idea. She will assist you in assessing the viabilityof external funding and discuss MICA’s prospect research tools.
2) Develop your project description and budget. Your description should be 1-2 pages and summarize all aspects of the project, including: the project’s significance (to MICA, to the field, and the larger community); the role of key personnel and external partners (if applicable); institutional resources required or created by this project; and your plan for evaluating the success of this project. Your budget should capture all expenses necessary to execute the project, including a portion of your salary, equipment needs, promotion/marketing, etc.
3) Obtain Project Approval. Complete the Project Approval Form and circulate along with your project description and budget, obtainingall required signatures. Please allow ample time for these materials to circulate. (3 weeks is recommended.) You may also want to begin researching possible external funding sources during this time, using the tools available to you.
[See FORM A - Project Approval Form]
4) Obtain Funding Source Approval. Using the Funding Source Approval Form provided, please vet all potential sources by submitting this form electronically to Lydia () in the CFG Office, who will respond within a week of receiving your request.
[See FORM B - Funding Source Approval Form]
5) Develop full proposal, final budget and cover letterfor each funding source, according to the funder’s specifications. Submit final drafts to the Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations Office and your immediate supervisor for review4 weeks (20 business days) prior to the funder’s deadline to allow for review and revisions.
6)Make any suggested changes & e-mail final proposal documents to the Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations Office with completed Proposal Submission Form at least 2 weeks (10 business days) prior to the funder’s deadline.
[See FORM C - Proposal Submission Form]

After your proposal has been successfully submitted, you will receive an e-mail with a PDF of the full proposal package for your records from the CFG Office. A follow-up e-mail will be sent as soon as the CFG Office receives communication from the funder regarding the status of your proposal.

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