Wright State University
Policy number: 3703
Subject: Soliciting and Administering Financial Support from External Sources
Date issued: December 1999
Authority: Board of Trustees Resolution 95-21 (February 2, 1995); Board of
Trustees Resolution 95-37 (June 8, 1995); Board of Trustees Resolution 96-46
(June 7, 1996); Board of Trustees Resolution 97-10 (October 4, 1996); Provost;
Vice President for University Advancement
References: Office of University Development; Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs
3703.1 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to clarify the roles and responsibilities of
the Office of University Development/Wright State University Foundation, Inc.,
and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs in the process of soliciting
and administering funds from external sources.
3703.2 Definitions
- Gifts and charitable grants. Gifts and charitable grants are bestowed
voluntarily with donative intent and without expectation or receipt of direct
economic benefit or any other tangible compensation on the part of the donor.
Wright State University is responsible for using funds received through
charitable contributions for the purpose(s) specified by the donor.
- Contracts and project-specific grants. Contracts and project-specific
grants are awarded to support a project with a defined scope of work under
the direction of a principal investigator, from whom the sponsor expects
certain performance objectives to be achieved. Usually, a specific period
of performance is provided, and use of the funds may be reviewed by or on
behalf of the sponsor.
3703.3 Office of University Development/Wright State University Foundation,
Inc.
- The Office of University Development, as the outreach arm of the Wright
State University Foundation, Inc., solicits philanthropic support for the
university from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other private-sector
sources.
- University Development is responsible for coordinating the solicitation,
processing, acknowledging, accounting, and reporting of all gifts and charitable
grants received in support of Wright State University. The Development office
maintains the university's central records for private donors and their
contributions. The office also provides services for identifying and researching
current and prospective donors. University Development coordinates with
the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs all activities for securing,
receiving, and administering charitable grants from corporations, foundations,
and other private-sector organizations.
3703.4 Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
- The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs facilitates the submission
of proposals from faculty and staff members to external sponsors for the
support of research, training, and public service projects.
- Research and Sponsored Programs is responsible for administering the solicitation,
processing, acknowledging, accounting, and reporting of all contracts and
project-specific grants at Wright State University. In addition, Research
and Sponsored Programs coordinates with the Office of University Development
the solicitation, processing, administration, and reporting of project-specific
grants from foundations, corporations, and other private-sector sources.
Research and Sponsored Programs also assists faculty and staff members in
identifying agencies that have priorities and interests related to Wright
State projects.
- All government grants and contracts for research and service, all awards
that support work involving laboratory animals or human subjects, and all
awards that have an associated intellectual property agreement must be processed
through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
3703.5 Relationship and Coordination Between University Development and
Research and Sponsored Programs
- Communication, Solicitation Clearance, Prospect Tracking
- To assist Wright State University in avoiding duplicate and inappropriate
solicitation of corporations, foundations, and other private-sector sources,
faculty and staff members who are seeking corporate and foundation gifts
and charitable grants should confer in advance with the director of corporate
and foundation relations and with the development officer assigned to
the respective collegiate unit.
- To facilitate regular coordination of the solicitation and management
of gifts and grants from corporations, foundations, and other private-sector
sources, the Office of University Development and the Office of Research
and Sponsored Programs maintain systems for consistently reporting and
sharing information through regular written reports and meetings. The
systems provide information about faculty and staff requests for assistance
in seeking gift and grant support, as well as the status of each prospective
donor/grantor, including the following classifications:
a.) Wright State projects and programs targeted for potential support
from the prospect
b.) Key research information about the prospect
c.) Calls or letters of inquiry to the prospect
d.) Grant proposal submission, solicitation, and other contacts/communications
e.) Responses from the prospect (money awarded, rejections, etc.)
f.) Fund stewardship/reporting
- Charitable Grant Processing and Accounting
All charitable grant money from foundations, corporations, and other private-sector
sources shall be received initially by the Office of University Development
through the Wright State University Foundation, Inc., in order to update
the university's official central donor records and to generate acknowledgments
from appropriate university officials. When charitable grant funds need
to be separately line item budgeted and accounted for to satisfy sponsor
requirements, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs will establish
an account and administer the funds in the same manner as it does for project-specific
grants.
- Reporting External Financial Support
Annual reporting of external financial support has an impact on the university's
financial position and the institution's reputation and prestige as viewed
by people in academe, the philanthropic community, government agencies,
business and industry, and the general public. It is important that the
Office of University Development and the Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs regularly share information about gifts and grants that have been
received to enable the university to report accurately the highest totals
of external financial support. The following guidelines apply:
- The Office of University Development may count all private gifts and
charitable grants received by Wright State University in its reports of
total charitable support of the university. The office shall follow the
reporting standards established by the Council for Advancement and Support
of Education (CASE), National Association of College and University Business
Officers (NACUBO), Council for Aid to Education (CFAE), and the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB).
- The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs may count all project-specific
grant and contract revenue, as well as gifts and charitable grants designated
for research purposes in its reports of total research support for the
university.
3703.6 Clarification
Questions may arise from time to time about the definitions and principles
stated in this policy. The assistant vice president for university development
and the director of research and sponsored programs will review any questions
and provide an answer. If a question still persists, the chief advancement
officer and the chief research officer will provide a final resolution.