6-10: External Funding: Grants Pre-Award 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) 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 its faculty and staff. All applications for external grants submitted on behalf of the College or the Santa Fe Community College Foundation require prior review and approval by the President or their designee.

Definitions

1. Contract A legally binding document where one party promises to deliver a product or service in return for consideration from the other party (31 U.S. Code § 6303, § 6304, § 6305 and 2 CFR 200.330).
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 A more flexible agreement (than a contract) that supports a public purpose, initiative or achieves a particular aim.
4. Indirect Costs are those that are not directly attributable to project activities. For example, the following costs incurred by the college: Facilities and Operations provides services related to using campus buildings and grounds; Human Resources hires staff and addresses employee-relations issues; Financial Services pays invoices and ensures fiscal accountability; Institutional Effectiveness collects data; and the Grants Office prepares and submits funding applications

Policy Process

1. All applications for external grants submitted on behalf of the College or the SFCC Foundation must be coordinated through the Grants Office.
2. Grant applications must be reviewed by the SFCC Grants Director prior to submittal.
3. All grant budgets must be reviewed by the Finance Grant Accounting Office prior to submittal.
4. The Executive Team must review and approve any new external grant that has a yearly budget that exceeds $100,000 and/or requires any amount of matching funds.
5. All external funding requests must support the College’s mission and strategic plan.
6. The President or their designee is authorized to make application, on behalf of the College, to private and governmental agencies for grant funding. Prior approval of the SFCC Governing Board shall be required for any grant application:
   1. that is in support of new construction, and
   2. when the terms require specific Board approval (Policy 1-6 Administrative Services, D. Signatory Authority, 2. Grants).

Statement of Accountability and Responsibility

The President, through the Vice President for Finance/Chief Financial Officer, the Grants Director and the Finance Department, shall be responsible for enforcing finance-related policies and procedures. The Finance Department shall work with the different departments and offices to comply with this policy and develop procedures that will enforce this policy regarding awareness, prevention and remediation.

Authority

Policy 1-6 Administrative Services

Approval

SFCC Governing Board approved: 1/15/02
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 8/19/03
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 11/25/03
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 4/26/17

Associated Procedures

• External Funding: Grants – Procedures