Internal Funding Sources
Public Funding Sources
Private Funding Sources
Additional Resources
Books and Periodicals
Internal Funding Sources
The Academic Support Committee has funds for faculty development in areas related to research and teaching. These funds are available to all full-time faculty and typically are used to support a specific project, either while on sabbatical leave or during summer/semester breaks, or for small supply/equipment funds (on a one-time basis).
In addition, the Provost’s Office administers several funds for faculty research and travel, and the Academic Support Committee has funds available for travel. More information about these internal funds, including guidelines for application, is available in the Faculty Handbook, or you can contact the Provost at (814) 332-3393.
Aside from these internal sources of support, generally there are two sources for grant money: public and private. Public sources, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), are funded by the federal or state government. Private sources of funding include foundations and corporations.
Public Funding Sources
The federal and state governments support a number of agencies that award grants for different purposes. Public agencies attract large numbers of proposals and usually have very stringent guidelines about proposal formats and required institutional information. These vary widely from agency to agency. Information about the grants available, application guidelines and deadlines can be found at each agency’s website (see links below) or through the Office of Foundation & Corporate Relations.
A note about deadlines: If you are submitting a proposal to a public agency, please allow extra time before the deadline for our help with such steps as checking your proposal against the guidelines, proofreading, typing the forms, making the necessary copies and gathering signatures. (Most agencies will not consider a proposal that does not conform exactly to their requirements.) In addition, federal agencies require you to follow special electronic submission procedures. Because so many institutions submit proposals to federal agencies, however, electronic submission programs may be overwhelmed at deadline times, so you need to submit your proposal well ahead of the deadline.
The following websites can provide you with information about funding priorities, application guidelines and deadlines:
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- U.S. Department of Education
Private Funding Sources
Private foundations and corporations represent another source of funding. Although private sources tend to be more relaxed about the proposal process, unsolicited proposals to private sources are rarely funded. Generally, a successful proposal requires an ongoing relationship between the College and the foundation or corporation.
If you have identified a foundation or corporation as a potential source of funding, please call the Office of Foundation & Corporate Relations. We will research the organization, its history, and its relationship (if any) with Allegheny for you, and – together – we will develop a strategy for approaching the organization.
Additional Resources
The Office of Foundation & Corporate Relations (FCR) subscribes to the Foundation Directory Online, a comprehensive database that includes information about funders and the grants they’ve made. If you would like more information about a certain foundation, or if you have an idea and are looking for potential funders, we would be happy to use the Foundation Directory as well as other resources to help research funders and funding opportunities.
In addition, we belong to two professional organizations, CLASP (Colleges of Liberal Arts Sponsored Programs) and SCAFRO (Some Corporate and Foundation Relations Officers). We can run ideas past these groups to help us brainstorm funding possibilities and approaches.
We also have compiled a comprehensive list of fellowships and funding opportunities.
Books and Periodicals
The Office of Foundation & Corporate Relations has a number of reference books and periodicals that provide information about the grant seeking process. These include:
- Foundation Fundamentals: A Guide for Grantseekers
- The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing
- The “How to” Grants Manual