1. College Advancement
  2. Grant Programs Office

Grant Programs Office

The Grant Programs Office at 黑料社 partners with faculty and staff to secure external funding that supports research, innovation, and institutional initiatives. We collaborate across departments to align grant opportunities with the College鈥檚 strategic goals, fostering a culture of grant-seeking that enhances student success and academic excellence.

We are here to support you at every stage of the grant process鈥攈elping turn ideas into funded opportunities that benefit the 黑料社 community.

Grant Programs Stats

The Grant Programs Office can assist you in securing funding for your project.

$1,624,684 awarded from Grants in FY25

Of the awarded funds, 38% were federal dollars, 63% private faoundations' dollars

88% of grant funds awarded in FY25 directly support Simposn College's students through various programs.

Percentage of $ Awarded by Area

88% of grant funds awarded in FY25 directly support Simposn College's students through various programs.

Grant Resources

Hillman Hall

Grants Handbook

Find information on grant development and submission, draft proposals, award implementation and more.

View the Handbook

Looking for a Grant?

Free resources and search engines to find the perfect funder for your project.

View the Resources

Grant Writing Resource Hub

Explore the Grant Writing Resource Hub to build your skills with free grant writing trainings.

Grant Writing Resource Hub

黑料社 Grant-Seeking Approval Process

Click below to review the internal process flow

View the Process

黑料社 Grant Proposal Intent Form

Begin your grant seeking process here!

黑料社 Grant Proposal Budget Template

Use this template for your preliminary budget

黑料社 the Grant Programs Office

We support Principal Investigators, grant proposers, and their teams by providing expertise in:

  • Identifying external funding opportunities
  • Interpreting Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and funder guidelines
  • Coordinating proposal development efforts
  • Editing and refining grant proposals
  • Identifying and integrating relevant data sources
  • Providing required institutional documents (e.g., tax-exempt status, audited financial reports, assurances)
  • Developing budgets
  • Assembling and submitting grant proposals

The Grant Programs Office at 黑料社 advances the institution鈥檚 mission by securing external funding that expands innovative learning opportunities, enhances student success, and fosters inclusive educational access. We provide strategic guidance, technical expertise, and administrative support to empower faculty and staff in pursuing funding that enriches teaching, research, and community engagement.

To be a driving force in securing resources that cultivate a diverse community of learners, support individualized student experiences, and create transformative opportunities that prepare graduates to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Through collaboration and innovation, we strive to position 黑料社 as a leader in externally funded initiatives that strengthen academic excellence and social impact.

Student-Centered Impact 鈥� We seek and support grant opportunities that enhance the College鈥檚 mission by improving learning experiences and student success.

Collaboration 鈥� We foster partnerships across disciplines and with external organizations to advance shared goals.

Integrity & Stewardship 鈥� We uphold the highest ethical standards in grant development, ensuring responsible use of resources.

Innovation 鈥� We support projects that drive creativity, discovery, and transformative learning.

Community & Belonging 鈥� In accordance with our Methodist heritage, we champion grant initiatives that expand access and promote a diverse, inclusive academic community.

Sustainability 鈥� We seek funding that supports long-term institutional growth and strengthens 黑料社鈥檚 mission-driven work.

Grants Highlights

黑料社 Receives National Science Foundation Grant

All News

黑料社 Participates in I-RAISE Program Sponsored by NSF

Since 2024, 黑料社 has participated in I-RAISE, a cross-institutional program designed to build a more robust regional research administration and grants professionals鈥� workforce for the future. The program, which is spearheaded by Iowa State University, is funded through a competitive grant of $3.7 million over 4.5 years from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Up to two 黑料社 students will be able to be a part of the program per year and will be supervised by Marzia Corni-Benson, Director of the Grant Programs Office, for the on-campus portion of the internship. 鈥淎s a small, emerging research institution, we have limited capacity to provide training and support for faculty engaged in research,鈥� said Corni-Benson. 鈥淭hrough I-RAISE, we have the opportunity to engage students in research administration not only to extend the capability of our one-person office, but also, and more importantly, to develop a well-trained pipeline of local talent that can fill the current gaps in our workforce.鈥� I-RAISE will prepare undergraduate and graduate students from partner institutions for careers in Research Administration (RA) and as grant professionals through a classroom-based RA boot camp and summer internship at Iowa State, followed by additional mentored internship rotations at each student鈥檚 home institution. The other participating institutions include Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Drake University, Central College, and Dordt University.
2025-2026 Cohort

Meet the Interns: Lily McMahon

I am a third-year at 黑料社, and I am majoring in Health and Exercise Science, with a minor in History. I am from Kalispell, Montana. I am also a member of the women鈥檚 wrestling team here at 黑料社. After I graduate, I plan to attend graduate school to become a chiropractor.

I-RAISE is teaching me so much about the field of research administration. So far, the program has taught me how to find funding for non-profits and research, grant management skills, and how to help researchers communicate across different fields. It has been a great experience, and it will be very beneficial to me in the future as I continue my education, as well as helping me work with non-profits!

2025-2026 Cohort

Meet the Interns: Christopher Olds

I’m a senior at 黑料社, majoring in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. I’m a member of the swim team at 黑料社, as well as a member of the residence life staff. Originally from Louisiana, I’ve enjoyed my time in Iowa, getting to know the wonderful people here and experiencing so many new things. I plan to attend graduate school in the field of physics, and acquire my master’s degree. Then, I’d like to work in the research field, discovering the secrets of the universe and creating new technologies to assist in everyday life.
As an I-RAISE intern, I am learning the complicated and changing landscape of research administration. There is always something to do, funding to search for, awards to negotiate, and things to learn. Throughout my time I’ve also been able to acquire a holistic view of research and research administration, seeing both the front and back end of the story. This experience and knowledge will prove invaluable when I graduate from 黑料社 and pursue my master’s degree.
2024-2025 Cohort

Meet the Interns: Kayla Jensen听

I’m a third-year math and physics major from Des Moines, Iowa. Through this program, 滨鈥檝别 gotten the opportunity to work on exciting projects like website development, grant proposal reviews, and post-award data entry. I enjoyed leveraging my STEM background to learn and utilize technical resources, like Power Automate and Python, in the research admin field. My favorite part of the experience was learning the ins and outs of 黑料社鈥檚 grant department from Marzia Corni-Benson!

2024-2025 Cohort

Meet the Interns: Ilianna Muphy听

I am a senior at 黑料社, majoring in Political Science and Social Justice Studies, with minors in interdisciplinary studies. I am an Iowa native and spent my time at 黑料社 serving in the Student Government Association, working at a lobbying firm based out of the Iowa State Capitol, and being an active member in the Culver Fellows Scholarship Program. I plan to attend graduate school in the fall at the Sandra Day O鈥機onnor College of Law at Arizona State University. 听

During my time as an I-RAISE intern at 黑料社 and Iowa State, I have developed invaluable skills in research, drafting, and collaborating with others to create grant proposals. This opportunity allowed me to sharpen my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to diverse audiences. Furthermore, my time at 黑料社 was instrumental in opening the door to my current position at a grants office in Washington D.C. I am extremely grateful for the I-RAISE internship and all the people 滨鈥檝别 met along the way!听

Questions? Contact us!