9-3: External Funding: Grants Request Process Policy

Policy Overview

This policy establishes and describes the authorization for Santa Fe Community College (SFCC or College) employees to apply for external grants on behalf of the College.

Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to external grants (including grant sub-awards, cooperative agreements, and other external funding, such as, congressionally directed spending requests, Research and Public Service Projects, etc.) when applying on behalf of the College. This policy does not apply to grants for the sole benefit of an employee or a student. It also does not include contracts. This policy applies to all SFCC employees.

Policy Statement

SFCC pursues external funding for the purpose of expanding support of the College, enhancing its programs and facilities, and furthering professional development for faculty and staff.

Definitions

1. Employee is any member of the college workforce: all staff (regular full-time, regular part-time, term, temporary, probationary, sensitive position); all student employees; all faculty (full-time, part-time, adjunct, probationary); all administrators, including interim; all contract employees.
2. Executive Team Is an advisory group to the President; members include representation from management, Faculty Senate and Staff Senate. Its membership is identified on the College’s organizational chart.
3. Grant for the purpose of this policy, is a sum of money given by an external entity for a particular purpose through an application process and is not part of local appropriations or a bond.

Policy Process

1. All applications for external grants submitted on behalf of the College or SFCC Foundation must be coordinated through the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness and reviewed by the Office of Human Resources, the Financial Services Department, and, when appropriate, SFCC Foundation.
2. The President or designee shall review all applications for external grants sought to be submitted on behalf of the College or SFCC Foundation and approve or reject the applications.
3. The Grants Director must review all grant applications prior to submittal.
4. The Financial Services Grant Accounting Office must review all grant budget items prior to submittal.
5. The Office of Human Resources must review all grant personnel obligations prior to submittal.
6. The SFCC Foundation Office must review all grant applications directed to private foundations, corporations, and institutions (SFCC Policy 6-9 Fundraising Activities and Acceptance of Donations).
7. The Executive Team must review all grant applications that have a yearly budget that exceeds $100,000 and/or require any amount of matching funds.
8. All grant requests must support the College’s mission and strategic plan.
9. The President or designee is authorized to make application on behalf of the College to private and governmental agencies for grant funding.
10. Prior approval of the Governing Board shall be required for any grant application:
    1. That is in support of new construction, and
    2. When the terms require specific Governing Board approval (SFCC Policy 1-2 Governing Board Authority, Roles, and Responsibilities).
11. If a grant project is outside of the normal activity of the College the Governing Board shall be notified. (SFCC Policy 1-31 Governing Board Financial Oversight).

Statement of Accountability and Responsibility

The President, through the Vice President of Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness and the Office of Human Resources, shall be responsible for enforcing external grant policies and procedures. The Financial Services Department, Office of Human Resources, and Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness shall work with the different departments and offices to comply with this policy and to develop procedures that will enforce this policy regarding awareness, prevention, and remediation.

Authority

U.S. Federal Regulations 31 U.S. Code § 6303, § 6304, § 6305 and 2 CFR 200.330 (Subrecipient and contractor determinations)
SFCC Policy 1-2 Governing Board Authority, Roles, and Responsibilities
SFCC Policy 1-31 Governing Board Financial Oversight
SFCC Policy 6-9 Fundraising Activities and Acceptance of Donations

Approval

SFCC Governing Board approved: 1/15/2002
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 8/19/2003
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 11/25/2003
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 4/26/2017
Revised: 11/15/19
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 9/25/2024

Associated Procedures

• External Funding: Grants Request Process Policy – Procedures