Navigating Funding Challenges: How University Foundation Relations Teams Are Leading the Way

The current climate is massively accelerating the role of university foundation relations teams. Daily news about changes in federal funding is generating an influx of inquiries to foundation relations teams from faculty and administration, all seeking solutions to cover potential shortfalls through foundation support. The need for greater administrative efficiency in foundation relations has never been more critical.

In talking with a number of CFR professionals as recent events and meetings, I’ve discovered some of ways they are successfully managing this influx of requests.

1. Centralized Online Resources: Posting all funding opportunities in one accessible location for the entire campus and educating the campus community on its importance as the go-to hub for foundation RFPs.
2. Engaging and User-Friendly Tools: Ensuring that hub for RFPs is engaging, searchable, and sortable, making it easy to navigate.
3. Targeted Communication: Delivering tailored funding opportunities to principal investigators that align with their fields of research.
4. Streamlined Proposal Collection: Establishing a clear process and centralized location for researchers to submit their proposals.
5. Proposal Development Support: Collaborating with researchers to refine and align their proposals with foundation priorities.

When it comes to limited submission RFPs, the most effective foundation relations teams implement a transparent and streamlined process for collecting, reviewing, and selecting proposals to send on to the foundations. An internal rubric that complements and amplifies the foundation’s goals is often key to success.

Centralization is a recurring theme. It simplifies access for faculty, making funding opportunities easier to find, while also ensuring better oversight of communication between the university and sponsors.

Not surprisingly, an IT platform is instrumental in executing these best practices. By reducing time spent on administrative tasks, foundation relations teams can focus on what truly matters—developing relationships with foundations, crafting strong proposals, and securing funding for meaningful research.

At InfoReady, we are proud to provide a platform that can power all of these best practices. As we face uncertain times, the months ahead will undoubtedly bring new challenges and the pressure on foundation relations teams. InfoReady stands ready to support CFR teams every step of the way.  Reach out to us at info@inforeadycorp.com to learn how we can help your company.