Supporting SPC Through Grant-Funded Projects

The Grants Development department at St. Petersburg College supports the college's mission by seeking, obtaining, and managing external funding obtained through grants and collaborative partnerships.

Department Overview

This department supports the college in securing and implementing grants from government and private sources that assist in achieving SPC’s strategic objectives. With extensive and highly touted experience in managing a multitude of grant-funded programs, including state and federal grants, SPC’s Grants Development department manages an average of $20 million in grants and gifts annually. The grants team acts as a liaison between SPC leadership, deans, provosts, faculty and program staff, as well as funders and partners, to help support the college’s strategic goals through grant-funded projects.

The key role of the Grants Development department is to:

  1. Research and identify potential funding sources.
  2. Work with college staff and faculty to develop proposals that respond to funding opportunities and meet the college's needs.
  3. Support the programmatic and fiscal management of awarded grants to meet the expectations of the funder. The department can help you find opportunities, develop a proposal, obtain the necessary approvals and navigate the process of applying for a grant.

Have an idea?

Complete our Idea Summary form so our staff can better assist you.

  • The project must be aligned with SPC’s Strategic Plan.
  • The project must meet the eligibility requirements of the grant agency/funder.
  • The project must promote a positive change that is measurable and attainable within the grant period.
  • The grant solicitation must be followed, and all materials must be submitted on time.
  • The budget must support the activities outlined.
  • There must be a plan for the sustainability of the project once the funding period is completed.
  • The grant proposal or application must address the grant guidelines and priorities.

SPC’s Grants Development department is the college’s authorized official and point of contact in the grant awarding process. Therefore, grant applicants should not be submitted on behalf of the college without going through the department for prior approval and submission.

Our pre-award team provides support to faculty and staff preparing and submitting grant proposals, including: 

  • Writing or assisting in the writing of grants
  • Securing President and senior-level cabinet approvals
  • Reviewing Request for Proposals (RFP)
  • Developing and reviewing budgets
  • Preparing and submitting proposal packages based on sponsor guidelines and using online submissions systems

Grant applications can take weeks or even months to develop. Federal applications can take up to six months for development, often requiring data research and analysis. For this reason, advance notice is required to adequately plan and develop an application/proposal.

For Pre-Award services, the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) should follow the timeline below:

Tasks

Due to SPC grant office

1.

Complete Request for Grant Support

Minimum of one month prior to application deadline

2.

Complete application narrative with Department support (including timeline and proposed outcomes)

Two weeks prior to deadline

3.

Complete project budget for Grants Accounting approval

Two weeks prior to deadline

4.

Complete all attachments, as required by the grant (such as letters of support, resumes, logic model, etc.)

One week prior to deadline

Learn More about writing a grant proposal

Have an idea for a grant proposal or project that needs funding?

Request Grant Support

Once the Grants Development department is notified of an award, the Post-Award team will generate and distribute an internal email and schedule a kickoff meeting to review the timelines, grant deliverables, and budgets with the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI), program staff, grants accounting, marketing and external partners.  

The Post-Award grant management team provides support for the following:

  • Regular check in meetings with program staff to assist in staying on track of deliverables
  • Preparing and submitting subcontract agreements
  • Providing onboarding training for new PD/PIs (See the Grant Management Handbook on the Grants SharePoint.)
  • Coaching and instruction in grant development management and compliance; reviewing budget, cost-sharing and related documents
  • Reviewing and approving budget modifications
  • Reviewing and approving progress reports

Quarterly Meeting Dates for Grants Program Managers:
February, May, August and November

Gretchen Mullin-Sawicki
Executive Director of Grants Development
Mullin.Gretchen@spcollege.edu
727-341-3002

Elizabeth Miller
Grant Writer
Miller.Elizabeth@spcollege.edu
727-614-7231

Melanie Kielich
Grant Management Specialist
Kielich.Melanie@spcollege.edu
727-614-7075

About SPC

Grants Annual Report

Grants Annual Report

This report provides an overview of the department’s performance and highlights some of the year’s grant-funded programs.
Read the 2021-22 report.