How to Apply for External Funding
Develop an Application
An application for external funding comprises one step in a grants life cycle that begins with idea generation and culminates in sharing your scholarship with the broader community:
What is the Process to Develop an Application?
1. Ask for Support
• The Office of Research provides support at every stage of proposal development.
• Contact the Office_of_Research@stmarys-ca.edu as soon as you know you want to write a proposal.
• For foundation or corporate grants, please contact the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations in Advancement.
• Not sure which is the right office to contact? Connect with either office, and we will direct you.
2. Identify a Funder for Your Project
• Review slides from Finding Funding workshop.
• Check out resources on the Office of Research Find Funding page
3. Familiarize Yourself with Policies, Procedures, and Resources
Sponsored Research Policies and Procedures
• See the Office of Research Policies and Procedures page
Proposal Development Protocols and Resources
• Grant Writing Workshop Slides
• Grant Budget Development Workshop Slides
• Protocol for Faculty Time, Effort, and Salary Calculations for External Grants
• Standard SMC Rates for Grant Proposals
4. Plan Your Timeline
Proposal development typically takes several months, as shown below.
5. Develop Your Proposal
Required Intent to Apply Form
• Submit your Intent to Apply form to the Office of Research at least 8 weeks before the grant deadline.
→ The form will be used to notify key administrators and staff that you intend to prepare a proposal.
• Plan for Saint Mary's submission deadline, which is at least 3 business days ahead of the published deadline.
Writing Your Proposal
• Set regular meetings with the Office of Research (office_of_research@stmarys-ca.edu) to create proposal checklists and timelines; prepare supporting documents; and develop the budget.
• Reference Grant Writing workshop slides for general guidance.
• Read about PI responsibilities in the pre-award stage.
Application Routing and Approvals Prior to Submission
• Submit your Sponsored Grant Application Routing and Approval Form (instructions) to the Office of Research at least 7 business days before the published deadline.
• The Office of Research will route your form along with your project summary and budget.
• Applications must be approved by the PI/project director’s dean or supervisor, the Office of Research, Business Office, Provost, and Senior VP for Finance and Administration prior to submission.
Routing Flow
6. Collaborate to Upload and Submit Proposal Documents
Institutional Access to Grant Portals
• Submission for all sponsored grants must be coordinated through the Office of Research, which maintains institutional access to all federal grant portals and to many non-federal portals.
• You will collaborate with Office of Research staff to upload documents to the portal so that Office of Research staff may submit on behalf of Saint Mary's College of California and the PI.
• Submission for all charitable grants must be coordinated through the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations in Advancement.
• Please note that final submission may take several hours. Do not leave submission until the last minute.
7. Additional Guidance
Familiarize Yourself with Responsibilities in Pre-award
Responsibilities are shared among the PI / PD, the Office of Research, the dean or administrative supervisor, and the Business Office. Below is a summary of pre-award roles and responsibilities.
