The College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP) offered a new professional development opportunity for faculty in partnership with Hanover Grants Academy over the 2022-2023 academic year.
Through this partnership, eight COSSPP faculty honed their grant application strategies, citing individual development plans, grants development training, prospecting reports, and direct edits and reviews as the most helpful part of the program.
The faculty members who participated in the program this year include (in order of appearance from top left):
- John Hamman, Ph.D. (Economics)
- Kelly Kinahan, Ph.D. (Urban Planning)
- Stephanie Pau, Ph.D. (Geography)
- Kerry Fang, Ph.D. (Urban Planning)
- Danielle Atkins, Ph.D. (Public Administration)
- Xiao Feng, Ph.D. (Geography)
- Matt Hauer, Ph.D. (Sociology)
- James Wright, Ph.D. (Public Administration)
“We have invested in research activity by increasing research staff support, as well as provided grants training and proposal support for faculty with the grant’s consultant, Hanover Academy,” said Associate Dean of Research, Stephanie Pau, Ph.D. “We are advancing knowledge in our respective disciplines, engaging in meaningful interdisciplinary collaborations to solve societal problems, and importantly, reaching more people in the community, at FSU and beyond, through our hard work.”
The Hanover Grants Academy model allows institutions to select a cohort of faculty to participate in structured support across one year, with the goal of equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and guidance needed to submit competitive grant proposals. Each faculty member receives the following support from Hanover as part of their participation:
- An individual plan – Receive an individual development plan outlining areas of focus based on your interests and experience.
- Grants training – Participate in grantsmanship trainings designed to develop your grant-seeking skills, in alignment with targeted needs and interest areas.
- Prospect research – Receive guidance on best-fit grant opportunities for your projects and advice on achieving strong alignment.
- Proposal support – Receive critique, editing, and revision support for a proposal with a focus on improving quality and competitiveness.
Several faculty members enjoyed the program immensely, saying that it widened the scope of their grant-seeking efforts.
“The Grant Academy provided valuable insight into obtaining external funding, and the content of the meetings was tailored to meet the group’s needs,” said Dr. Danielle Atkins. “Hanover’s grants specialist reviewing a submission and providing detailed feedback greatly improved my proposal.”
“The greatest value of the Grants Academy was that it helped me carve out time and space to think about grant writing and how it fits into my larger research agenda,” said Dr. Kelly Kinahan.
“Through the Grant Academy, I have met and communicated with colleagues from other departments that are also actively pursuing funding and have learned a lot from them about their successes and struggles,” Dr. Kerry Fang said. “I have also clarified and developed a grant-seeking plan for the following years with Hanover, which provides general guidance and a roadmap for me moving forward. As a part of this plan development process, Hanover consultants have also helped me navigate the landscape of funding sources relevant to my research interests. This broadens the scope of my grant-seeking efforts.”
To apply to the next cohort, email spau@fsu.edu.