Do you have an idea that you want to implement? The BC Grants Office is in charge of providing grants and guiding BC members through the process. The Grants Office offers funding for programs such as Running Start, the RISE Institute and Japan Week, as well as for research that aligns with BC’s mission. The office receives funding for these grants from the federal government, state government, local government and private or corporate foundations. Last year, the Grants Office brought in $5.4 million for grant projects.
When initiating a project, individuals or departments should contact the Grants Office about their idea. The project leader(s) can discuss the grant idea, funding opportunities and aligned programs with the Grants Office. Depending on whether the project is department-specific or college-wide, the grants director will help provide the appropriate leadership. From there, the interested parties or individuals should fill out a case statement and submit it to the grant pre-approval committee.
Since all applicants meet with the Grants Office, they receive advice from the directors. When coming up with an idea, it’s important to keep in mind that it should be specific, focused and achievable. This will help BC meet the needs of the students and community through grant applications. Additionally, the Grants Office does not handle scholarships and tuition grants. That falls under the jurisdiction of the Financial Aid Office. As an example, Director of Grant Development Brandon Lueken says, “If someone asked for $100 million to build a zoo on campus, that may be cool, but it’s not specific on how it’s going to help students, it’s not focused on any one department and it would be difficult to achieve. But, a request for $250,000 to support emergency funding for students is specific (it’s helping students with emergency needs), it’s focused on students and it’s easy to spend the money.”
The office provides many resources to assist applicants in the pre-approval process, including a grant pre-approval flowchart and a step-by-step guide that includes the pre-approval committee. In addition, a calendar outlining upcoming opportunities is available. For example, coming up on Feb. 18, the Bank of America Economic Mobility for Individuals application is due. The office has also created a grant manual that provides guidance on seeking and managing grants.
The Grants Office is currently collaborating with BC Governance to address issues such as applying, registering for classes and upgrading physical spaces on campus. For more information, contact the grant director, Brandon Lueken, or the grant coordinator, Linda Foley.
