Corporations & Foundations

Help Us Help You

How Can You Help Us Work With You?

• Contact CFR if you think that private foundations or corporations might have an interest in your project area.
• Realize that proposal development is a process that requires your involvement.  YOU are usually the best spokesperson for your project.
• CFR can provide advice and consultation in preparing your approach to corporate and foundation prospects.
• Discuss with your department chairperson and Dean about how to implement your ideas and the level of institutional support available for your project or proposed activity.
• Funders often want to see a demonstrated institutional commitment before awarding a grant.
• When do I contact the Office of Research?
• Start with the Office of Research for assistance with research support and any government funding (including NIH and NSF).  
• If your prospects include private foundations or corporations, you should contact CFR to seek clearance for such an approach.
• Notify the designated ORCA contact for your college/school of all corporate and foundation proposal submissions.
• TIME FRAME: It is critical to provide CFR with sufficient time to meet your needs in a helpful fashion.
• If you need to have institutional endorsement for a completed proposal, allow at least a week.
• If you want us to critique a proposal, allow at least two weeks.
• If you are starting with only a project idea, allow at least several months.
• Use Internet Resources
• Many foundations and corporations make their philanthropic or research interests and guidelines widely available on their websites.  A review of these can often be the best initial step in determining, prior to direct contact with CFR or the prospective funder, whether your project might be a match with the organization's interests.