About Grants Administration
The Grants Administration team supports grant applications and awards that advance the missions of Carroll Hospital, Grace Medical Center, Levindale, Northwest Hospital, Sinai Hospital, Center for Hope and The Family Tree.
Our staff is actively involved in raising grant funds to support patient service programs and clinical research projects, as well as capital improvement projects.
Roles and Responsibilities
The roles and responsibilities of the Grants Administration include:
- Overseeing and coordinating all grant fundraising efforts, including applications submitted to any public, private and corporate entities on behalf of Carroll Hospital, Grace Medical Center, Levindale, Northwest Hospital or Sinai Hospital.
- Assisting LifeBridge Health team members in researching sources of funding for eligible programs and research projects.
- Assisting LifeBridge Health team members with the management of grant awards, specifically regarding programmatic and financial reporting requirements, in collaboration with the grants financial administrator in the Finance Department.
- Assisting LifeBridge Health team members with the review and processing of all grant contracts and agreements (including all institutional assurances and certifications) in collaboration with the general counsel’s office.
- Receipt, processing and documentation of all grant support given to LifeBridge Health. Grants Administration should be notified of any grant awards to any entity of LifeBridge Health.
- Maintaining complete grant funder records, including copies of applications, contracts, agreements, payments and reports submitted to the funder.
Policies and Procedures
- The Department of Corporate Development is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all fundraising for LifeBridge Health, including private, corporate and government grant funding.
- The Grants Administration team is responsible for registering all LifeBridge Health hospitals and employees to use federal and state government electronic application systems (such as eRA Commons, and Grants.gov).
- Excepting extenuating circumstances, Grants Administration requires a minimum of five weeks' notice (three weeks for grant and budget preparation lead time and two weeks for legal review and president’s signature — see item 8 below) for all grant application and contract submissions. Full budgets must be included in all grant application packages submitted for review and signature.
- The President of the hospital is the only individual authorized to sign grant applications and contracts or agreements on behalf of the hospital, unless the President grants written signature authority to a specific individual in her absence.
- Prior to submission, grant budgets must be reviewed by the department director and vice president to determine if all hospital costs are covered.
- Project Directors must obtain approval from their department director and vice president prior to submitting an application for grant funding.
- While Grants Administration staff reviews requests for proposals (RFPs) pertaining to grant applications being submitted in response to funding opportunities, it is the responsibility of each project director/principal investigator to familiarize themselves with RFP requirements and be actively engaged in proposal development.
- The responsible vice president must read and approve the grant proposal and any grant budgets by signing a contract Submission form that will accompany the grant proposals and grant agreements submitted to legal for review in advance of requesting the appropriate hospital President’s signature. The contract submission form will be drafted by the Grants Administration office. A minimum of two weeks is required for legal review and the president’s signature after the form is signed by the responsible vice president.
- Grant subawards from outside institutions are subject to the same review and authorization requirements as direct grant awards.
- Project directors must inform Grants Administration and the grants financial administrator in the Department of Finance when they receive notice of a new grant award, regardless of the funding source.
- All grant funds must be managed by the grants financial administrator, who oversees the Grants Module accounting system in Finance, to assure that LifeBridge Health is in compliance with all funder requirements as well as federal, state and local laws.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find funding for my program or research project?
Professional journals and listservs in your field often post notices of new grant opportunities. Also, the Grants Administration team subscribes to a number of grant databases and listings. Contact Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org for information and guidance.
I’ve been asked to participate in a colleague’s research grant application at another institution, how do I do this?
There is a formal process you must follow in order to commit your time and any LifeBridge Health site to participating in a research project, regardless of the funding source. Contact Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org for information and guidance.
Is help available to assist with my grant application?
Preparation of grant proposals can be very demanding, both in terms of time and technical expertise. It is important to begin exploring the feasibility of crafting a competitive proposal as early as possible in the grant seeking process. Contact Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org to discuss your project, the potential funding source, and available resources.
Is help available to develop my budget?
It is important that grant proposal budgets identify and cover all potential project costs. Contact Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org for suggestions and guidance. We will bring staff from other departments (Finance, Research, etc.) into the project planning to provide information and guidance as needed.
How do I submit my grant application?
Only Grants administration staff are authorized to submit applications for funding on behalf of the institution. Please contact Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org for information and guidance.
When my proposal is funded, how do I set up an account, hire people, or purchase supplies for my project?
Contact Erin Waller, Grants Financial Administrator (ext. 24453 or EWaller@lifebridgehealth.org) for further directions.
I’ve just been awarded a grant, what do I do?
Congratulations! Please notify Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org and Erin Waller, Grants Financial Administrator (ext. 24453 or EWaller@lifebridgehealth.org)
Is help available in meeting compliance requirements of my funder, especially if the funds are from the Federal government?
Yes! Contact Erin Waller, Grants Financial Administrator (ext. 24453 or EWaller@lifebridgehealth.org) for financial compliance assistance. Contact Haley Deutsch, Director of Grants Administration (410-707-6795) or HDeutsch@lifebridgehealth.org regarding all non-financial compliance issues.
Is training available to manage my funding?
Yes! Contact Erin Waller, Grants Financial Administrator (ext. 24453 or EWaller@lifebridgehealth.org) for further directions.
What is “time and effort reporting” and why is it important?
Time and effort reporting is a federally required reporting confirmation of an individual’s time spent conducting grant activities. It is important because most federal grant funding is for salary support. Discrepancies between time and effort reports are the main reason for cost disallowances on federal grants. It is important for all department directors to keep track of the percentage of time principal investigators and research staff spend on all grant-funded research-related activities.
What type of things do government grant auditors most often disallow?
Typical problem areas are: cost transfers over 90 days old and which appear to be transferred from an over-expended grant; cost transfers from a corporate grant to federal grant are prohibited by federal OMB circulars; expenditures not related to the grant; and discrepancies between time and effort reports and personal actions are major reasons for grant disallowances.
Is a Principal Investigator responsible for disallowed cost on a grant project?
Yes. The PI or project director is responsible for providing an alternate funding source for disallowed expenses. In the event that the PI or project director does not have an alternative fund, he/she needs to contact their Department Vice President for help.
What happens if I overspend or underspend my grant account?
Overspending a grant account is called a “cost-overrun.” A cost-overrun puts a department in the position of covering those expenses with other funds that are not restricted for this purpose. If a grant is under-spent, various scenarios could occur depending on the actual terms of the grant. For example, the funds may need to be sent back to the sponsor, which is often viewed negatively by the sponsors who may feel it signals either poor judgment in applying for grant funds or poor project management
