Find resources for starting and sustaining productive relationships with foundations and government sponsors.

We work with a range of public and private organizations supporting Institute research, educational programs, scholarships, and capital projects. With a high win rate, we typically have well over 100 active grants at any given time and in FY22, the Institute endorsed and submitted 86 formal grant proposals to external sponsors. 

Ready to start working on external funding? Faculty and staff can contact Meghan Rasmussen, MIIS Director of Sponsored Programs.

Support

Grants staff can help you define your approach; develop a high-quality, competitive proposal; serve as a liaison to the funder; and advise you on grant reporting and stewardship. The Institute has tools, data, and templates to assist faculty and staff with all phases of a grant.

Most grant-making organizations require that the Institute’s grants office submit applications on behalf of our faculty and staff. Others do not explicitly require this but request information about institutional budgets and resources that require internal approvals. To facilitate and expedite this process, the Institute has implemented InfoEd for proposal routing and tracking.

Your proposal must be reviewed and endorsed before being submitted. This applies to all proposals regardless of the type of funder and size of the budget, and includes grants awarded directly to faculty members.

Resources

  • Access the SPIN database to search grant opportunities.

  • To advance their research and prepare for grant applications, faculty members can apply for funding to hire Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs). The Endowment for Academic Excellence Fund gives MIIS faculty members the opportunity to hire students as GRAs, supporting faculty scholarship and student learning. Applications are accepted each semester through the Office of the Vice President’s faculty development awards process.

  • Review the Middlebury-wide policies that impact grant proposals and awards.

  • Approval is required before asking outside organizations to sponsor campus events. Please see guidance here.

Quick Links

Contact

Meghan Rasmussen

MIIS Director of Sponsored Programs

McGowan 300B

(831) 647-3556

mrasmussen@middlebury.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

A

Each sponsor is different, and we are here to guide you through their processes. Contact us before approaching a foundation, government agency, or company—this may greatly increase your chance of success and is required by the Institute. Start with us, and we will help.

A

We have developed relationships with some of the Institute’s top foundation donors. With some foundations, we can help connect you with someone at the Institute or across Middlebury who has a relationship with them. We usually know if someone else at Middlebury is in conversation with a foundation and can work with you on the best timing and strategy for your approach. We often have examples of previously funded proposals to share, notes from foundation program officers about their current priorities, or other useful information to help increase your chances of success. If you are interested in a particular foundation, we will work closely with you to determine the best approach.

A

Although some institutional grants include student funding, grants staff do not help students with their individual fellowship applications. Please contact Professor David Wick, the 2018-19 Faculty Director of Fellowships or email institutefellowships@middlebury.edu.

Featured News