Project Ideation and Funding Identification
Project Development and Ideation
Conceptualizing Your Project
Start by clearly defining your project’s objectives and outcomes. Consider what makes your project innovative or impactful and how it fits within the broader academic, community, or societal context. Take into account any research or programmatic gaps your project might fill and how it aligns with the University’s goals and mission.
Brainstorming and Refining Ideas
Collaborate with colleagues or mentors to generate ideas and refine your project. Hosting interdisciplinary brainstorming sessions can help spark new concepts. Seek feedback from peers or department leaders to ensure your idea is well-rounded and feasible. Additionally, consider the broader impacts of your project beyond the university, such as potential benefits to the community or advancements in your field.
Exploring Collaboration Opportunities
Interdisciplinary and external partnerships can strengthen your project. Look for opportunities to collaborate with faculty from other departments or fields, as well as external partners such as industry professionals, community organizations, or government agencies. Early discussions about roles and responsibilities will help set the foundation for successful collaboration.
Preliminary Feasibility and Resource Assessment
Evaluate your project’s feasibility early in the process. Identify the resources, personnel, and infrastructure needed to carry out the project. Consider scalability—how can your project adapt if the funding is more or less than anticipated? This is also a good time to assess any potential challenges, such as compliance with regulations or resource limitations.
Early Funding Research
Begin researching potential funding sources as you develop your project. Early identification of grants that align with your project’s goals will ensure that you’re on track to meet funder expectations. Look into the funding priorities of potential sponsors and consider shaping your project to fit within their guidelines.
Developing a Preliminary Timeline
As part of the ideation process, outline a rough timeline for both proposal development and project implementation. Establish major milestones, from initial drafts to internal review, and think through how long each phase of the project will take once funded. This helps create a realistic plan for both the proposal and the project itself.
Consultation with the Grants Office
If you’re interested in pursuing grants for your project, start by meeting with your college leadership to obtain your Dean’s endorsement. Once approved, contact the Office of Research and Grants (Grants Office) to schedule an initial meeting where you can discuss your ideas and funding needs. We recommend meeting with the Grants Office early in your project’s development. Our team will assist in refining your ideas, identifying funding sources, and advising on any institutional or funder requirements. We are here to support you at every step, from project conception to submission.
Funding Research
The Grants Office is here to support faculty and staff in researching and identifying grant opportunities. Several web-based tools are available to help identify grants that align with your project. Most agencies have specific funding priorities and will support proposals that align with their goals.
Federal Databases:
Grants.gov centralizes grant programs across all federal grant-making agencies. It provides standardized grant information, application packages, and processes for finding and applying for federal grants. Users can search for grants. Individual researchers do not need to register with grants.gov.
FesBizOpps is the U.S. Government’s website for commercial vendors and government buyers. Select federal agencies also list their funding opportunities here.
Other Databases:
Fundsnet Services Arizona Grants and Foundations List
Funding Identification
When identifying a potential funding opportunity, it is essential to follow these steps:
The Grants Office will provide an additional review of the solicitation and guidelines, ensuring that the proposal is developed in line with sponsor requirements and university policies. The Grants Office will also monitor the proposal’s progress to maintain consistency and accuracy throughout the development process before submission to the sponsor.