Access to existing University relationships with foundation program officers.

The University Development Office cultivates long-term relationships with program officers and board members within the private foundation community. A far-reaching network of foundation contacts, coupled with strategies for appropriately responsive proposals, can be put to use on behalf of University faculty seeking grants.

Access to extensive research into private foundation funding priorities.

Foundation websites and published funding alerts often speak to what foundations have done in the past rather than future funding priorities. The University Development Office has important background information that USC faculty needs to know when approaching a private foundation for grant money.

Access to the expertise of successful grant-seekers and foundation program officers.

The University Development Office offers tips from the experts about how to make letters of inquiry, concept papers and proposals more competitive. Copies of successful grant proposals, insight from colleagues at other universities and the benefit of advice from foundation program officers can be made available to USC faculty.

Private foundations are critical to the University's ability to build dynamic research and academic programs.

• Money for graduate fellowships, postdoctoral awards, undergraduate research, new faculty awards, individual investigator awards, book research, foreign travel.

• Funding for research projects especially in the social sciences, interdisciplinary projects, domestic policy, foreign policy, higher education reform, the advancement of science, non-federally funded areas of scientific research.

• Positioning for federal funding, seed grants for RO1 proposals, brokering knowledge to larger audiences, clarification of academic goals, identification of community and campus partners, and connection to other USC development efforts.

For more information please contact:

Wendi J. Nance
Director of Development, Foundations and
    Corporations

University Development
1600 Hampton Street, 738E
Columbia, SC  29208
Phone: 803-777-4095
Fax: 803-777-9708

e-mail: nancew@gwm.sc.edu