APPLICATIONS FOR CONTRACTS AND GRANTS
The UM Libraries' Grants Management Office is responsible for the identification, solicitation, and stewardship of grant, contract and sponsored project initiatives. This office coordinates communication with corporate, government and foundation funders concerning grant opportunities. The following procedures have been developed to enhance the UM Libraries' grant-seeking efforts.
Announcements of Grant Opportunities - Announcements or anticipated announcements of all grants or requests for proposals should come to or through the Grants Management Office, which will confirm and disseminate information to the appropriate division, department or branch, or system-wide, through a Web site and/or other means.
Divisional Initiatives - Once a Library division selects a grant to pursue, the Director, with concurrence of the Dean of Libraries, will assign a principal investigator (PI). The PI will provide the Grants Office a brief description or copy of the proposed grant and may ask for assistant anytime during the proposal writing process.
The UM Libraries' Grants Office is available to consult with on any level of proposal development by Library divisions, departments and branches. The principal investigator administers the grant after it has been awarded. This administration includes meeting all goals and objectives and the funder's reporting deadlines. According to industry practice, an acknowledgment letter must be drafted and returned to the funding agency within a week's time of the receipt of the grant. The Dean of Libraries should sign all grant acknowledgment letters and letters of support. The Grants Office must be forwarded copies of the grant confirmation and acknowledgment letter from the funding agency. The Grants Office will then provide the principal investigator the dates that reports are due and remind the PI three weeks prior to each date. The PI must submit all copies of reports to the Grants Office.
The PI will ensure, to the best of his/her ability, proper stewardship of grant funds, including timely reporting on the use and management of funds and explicit consent by the funder before altering the conditions of a grant.
When the UM Libraries does not initiate the proposal, but participates in a partner's funding request, a copy of the letter of support must be sent to the Grants Office.
Grants Office Initiatives- If the Grants Office submits the grant directly, it will provide the PI the dates reports are due to the funding agency. The PI is then responsible to relay to the Grants Office information regarding the development and progress of the project, prior to the report deadline, to ensure that the reports are prompt and informed. The Grants Office will obtain appropriate signatures and will submit or deliver the reports within the funder's stipulated deadlines.
Annual Grants Research and Development Agenda - To develop a prioritized list of funding objectives, the University of Maryland Libraries will create and maintain a grants research and development agenda. This agenda will speak to the research, project plans and goals of the Libraries and current operational needs of the individual departments that grant funding could address. In developing this agenda, the following steps generally will be taken:
- The Directors, assisted by the Manager of Grants, will discuss with their staffs the research, project plans and goals of their divisions that could be addressed by grants funding. Each Director and staff will develop a prioritized list of grants research and project goals and operational needs. This divisional agenda should be user-focused and reflect the strategic plans of the library system.
- Once divisional agendas are done, the Library Executive Council will develop a system-wide research and development agenda for grants. Priorities will be considered in all three areas research, projects and needs. The final grants research and development agenda will reflect users' needs and the Libraries' strategic plans.
- The grants agenda will be a flexible document, which the Library Executive Council will review at least once a year and adjust according to changes to system-wide needs and goals that could be addressed with grant funding.
ADMINISTRATIVE MEMO # 10
Effective May 26, 1998Supersedes #10 March 28, 1990
Suggested revisions to any Administrative Memo should be addressed to the Director for Planning & Administrative Services.
