MSU should have a grant writing class

Like many higher learning institutions, MSU receives much of its research funding through grants — particularly federal ones.

In September of 2023, the MSU News Service (MNS) published an article titled “Led by sciences and engineering, [MSU] research spending hits record $230 million.” The article explained that $207 million of that record sum came from federal sources and that 858 undergraduates, 612 graduate students and 53 postdoctoral researchers were “directly supported” by research spending in 2022-2023.

With so much relying on funding from federal grants — from individual salaries to mortgage payments on University buildings —  it seems like an oversight for MSU to not provide a grant writing class.

“Competition for research dollars is fierce and the success our faculty and research staff show in securing funds is indicative of the quality of their scientific and creative pursuits,” said MSU’s Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Bob Mokwa in the MNS’ article.

Doug Downs — a professor at MSU’s College of Letters and Sciences — explained that there are multiple kinds of grants, but research grants provide funding for discipline-specific research, often through higher learning institutions like MSU. Community or civic grants  may provide funding for infrastructure repair or development, and education grants — like the Pell Grant — may provide funding to students of institutions of learning, according to grants.gov.

Though the grant process can seem obscure and ponderous, it can be broken down into a couple of relatively simple steps. First, an individual or organization must determine if they are eligible for a specific grant, whether it be from a federal, state or private institution. Then, they must apply for the grant in a process often referred to as grant writing.

“ There are a lot of people asking for the same money, so [grants are] intensely competitive.” said Downs. MSU is ranked an R1 research university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education, according to NBC Montana. Additionally — as shown by the $207 million which came from federal sources in 2022-2023 — MSU is receiving a lot of money from research grants, according to the MNS.

Those research dollars don’t all go to research in the way one might expect. There are numerous costs associated with research that take portions of the total sum. Downs explained that research participants may need to be compensated and researchers and research assistants will need to be paid and provided benefits for the work they contribute to the project. In addition, research materials such as lab equipment may cost money.

Besides the direct costs associated with the research, there are also indirect expenses, referred to as Facilities and Administration (F&A) costs.

“So, I'm applying for a federal grant to do this,” Downs said, referring to a hypothetical grant proposal process. “And the University has negotiated with the federal government broadly by negotiating with, in our case, the Department of Health and Human Services, to say that our indirect cost rate is 40 percent. So if I ask for 10 grand, I am actually asking for 14 grand.”

The amount of money contained in the indirect cost rate of a research process goes to ensuring that the institution facilitating the research can do so effectively. Large grants may need to be managed by administrative personnel, whose compensation would also come out of the F&A funds. STEM research may require advanced laboratory spaces, the construction of which also may be generated by F&A funds.

“When somebody applies for a grant, they say, I need a lab,” Downs said. “We need a building to put the lab in. We literally don't have the space. So, part of my grant proposal is to use the F&As to help fund the building.”

A grant class could provide value to students, the university and the surrounding community. First, students would receive examples of and experience in the grant writing process, making them more confident and capable professionals. In learning the grant writing process, students could provide value to the community by writing grants for local organizations in need of funding. “ You would be doing your grant proposal with an area organization that needed a grant proposal written,” Downs said.

Finally, the university could centralize the process for learning how to write grants and have access to an experienced pool of grant writers who could apply for grants more effectively.