UWL Foundation Grant Policy

The UWL Foundation recognizes the importance of grants to UWL and wants to help by providing the 501(c) (3) status required to accept various grants.

1. All grant applicants must initiate the application process by contacting the UWL Office of Sponsored Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP). Contact ORSP as early as possible about grant application plans, at minimum following the UWL grant submission timeline. ORSP will review the grant requirements. If ORSP determines that the grant requires the applicant to have a 501(c) (3) non-profit status, ORSP will follow up with the UWL Foundation to let them know an application is forthcoming and to make sure it doesn't conflict with other development plans.
2. Applicants must work with ORSP to complete the full application and budgetary components, at minimum following the grant submission timelineon the ORSP website. (If possible, allow more time in case there are delays in review process.) Thus, the full application will need to arrive at the dean’s/division director’s office with the grant transmittal form at least 2 weeks prior to the targeted submission date. (At that stage, the full application should have also been reviewed by ORSP.)
   1. The 5% administrative fee required by the UWL Foundation will need to be either requested from the funding agency as overhead (if allowed) or, if disallowed by the agency, reflected as cost sharing from the college on the grant transmittal form.
3. After the chair/unit director, dean/division director, and ORSP sign the grant transmittal form, the full application and grant transmittal form will be routed by ORSP to the UWL Foundation President and Finance Director at least 1 week prior to the targeted submission date.
4. The UWL Foundation President or Finance Director will contact the ORSP and grant applicant to indicate if the Foundation agrees to support the submission of the grant within 48 hours of receiving the full application and grant transmittal form.
5. Foundation approval will be documented by the Foundation President’s signature on the grant transmittal form.
6. Following UWL Foundation approval, the applicant will be given approval to submit the proposal to the sponsor.

ORSP, the Foundation President, and/or the Foundation Finance may request a meeting to further discuss the grant, particularly in the cases of large grants (over $50,000 or those involving unusual grant payments).  Applicants are advised that grants submitted via the UWL Foundation will be subject to the University’s Gift Fund Policy. For questions regarding the University’s Gift Fund Policy, please consult with the Grant Accountant.  

If the UWL Foundation agrees to support the submission of the grant using its 501 (c) (3) status, the following conditions must be met:

• The University department and grant applicant submitting the grant will be responsible for all the required paperwork, including but not limited to budget and application preparation, progress and final grant reporting.
• The grant applicant is responsible for requesting any materials needed from the Foundation to complete the grant application process.
• In accordance with the UWL grant submission timeline, the grant applicant will forward the grant application and all required materials to ORSP, their chair/unit director, and dean/division director for review and approval before submitting to the Grantor to ensure that the materials comply with all federal, state, sponsor, program, university, and UW System policies.
• Upon approval of the grant, the grant applicant will send the Foundation and ORSP a copy of the award letter. ORSP will contact the Grants Accountant at the University to set up a 233 account that can be used for all grant related expenditures.
• The Foundation will notify the grant applicant when grant funds are received.
• The Foundation will charge a 5% fee based on the grant proceeds received. That fee would need to be recouped from the development fund of the University department or division involved if it is not an allowable cost under the grant.
• The grant applicant will prepare a “Check Request for Gifts to UW La Crosse” in order to transfer the balance of the grant proceeds to the corresponding 233 account at the University.
• All grant expenditures need to be processed through the 233 account at the University and must comply with UW System policies.
• The Foundation will not be responsible for preparation or administration of the grant outside of its role as “bank” and will not absorb any costs associated with those tasks.
• The Foundation will provide high level reports as requested by the person submitting the grant, but it is the responsibility of that person, in collaboration with the Grant Accountant, to obtain detail for monitoring and reporting purposes via the 233 account in WISDM.

Updated 10/2018