Pre-Award & Contract Services

Buffalo State College
Office of Sponsored Programs
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Bishop Hall B17
Buffalo, NY 14222-1095

A 1977 agreement between the State University of New York and the Research Foundation defines the type of programs which must be administered by the Research Foundation. Specifically it states that all formal applications to donors and sponsors seeking support of research and research-related programs, training programs and technical assistance activities must be submitted through the Research Foundation who will also handle all fiscal reporting and other monitoring of expenditures on an awarded program. This specifically includes all federal and state applications.

It is important to clarify the roles of the Research Foundation and the Buffalo State College Foundation. Typically the College Foundation solicits and administers gifts and endowments to the college which require no sponsored program activities. Sponsored programs are defined as those programs which have the following characteristics:

Funds are made available for an express purpose or objective;
Sponsor requires periodic fiscal and programmatic reports;
Sponsor imposes time limitations for the use of the funds and typically includes return of the unused funds to the sponsor.
The distinction between the roles of the Research Foundation and the Buffalo State College Foundation has been clarified in a recent resolution adopted by the SUNY Board of Trustees (April 29, 2003). This resolution identifies that the College Foundation supports the fundraising efforts of the campus and is to receive and manage gifts in support of campus programs. Please see this link to Where to Route a Funding Request.

Pre-Award and Contract Services assists College faculty and staff in proposal preparation including the initial grant award process. This begins with searching for funding opportunities, enrolling faculty in e-mail alert services (SMARTS), and interpretation of Requests for Proposals. Supportive proposal preparation services include liaison activities among groups of faculty and/or outside agencies and community representatives; editing narrative; budget preparation; and proper completion of governmental forms. Expertise and guidance in electronic proposal submission is also provided.

As part of our outreach to the campus, we offer periodic presentations to faculty, staff and students on a variety of grant writing topics. These include orientation for new faculty, hands-on training in electronic submission systems (i.e., National Science Foundation’s FastLane), and “Introduction to Grant Writing” for specific groups ranging from undergraduate students to faculty and administrators.

If a sponsor is considering funding a proposal, the Pre-Award and Contract Services department participates in negotiating the award budget and terms, including preparation of contractual documents. It is this office’s responsibility to accept award conditions, as well as obtain proper signatory approvals.

NEW: NSF Releases New Guide for Proposal Writing

Last week, the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) within the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) released a revised Proposal-Writing Guide. The Guide provides detailed advice for prospective applicants. It includes proposal-writing tips offered by program directors, panel reviewers, and successful grantees. While NSF provides assistance to prospective applicants in the form of workshops, correspondence, and presence at national meetings, the Guide, according to NSF, is "the essence of the advice often given to inquirers.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities | SUNY Research Foundation | Buffalo State College
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