Grant Funded Project

Common stack: 1 lead (PI), Primary collaborators (typically librarians, faculty members), Hired assistants (often students), Financial tech, Research Office, Grant Advisors, Incentivized partners and collaborators, Hired Developers

Static projects and frameworks are ripe for support by funding agencies in that their outputs are inherently preservable and reusable and their infrastructure investments are minimal. The stack which typically makes a grant happen often relies on 1 lead or a couple co-leads to drive the application, execution, and administration of the grant.

In the application process, it’s important to try and convey the preservation, reuse, and non-proprietary nature of static projects; these concepts can sometimes be difficult to convey. Also, because they forgo the purchasing of pre-made systems or content management platforms, those working on grants for static applications should understand that the time commitment from participants will be greater and that the investment from the grant might need to lean more towards investment in hired assistants and salary hours than typical grants.

In terms of administration, clear communication with your financial tech and the research office will save you time and trouble as you go along, as will understanding the nature and requirements of your budget. For instance, the difference in the treatment of “stipends,” “honorariums,” and “subawards” can vary from grant to grant and institution to institution; knowing the requirements and ramifications of the budgetary language conventions of both the granting agency and your institution will help you to both create stronger grant applications and to be better able to execute the grant if you receive it.

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contributor: Devin Becker (University of Idaho Library)
last update: 2021-08-04