Our Mission:

Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) was established to assist faculty in obtaining external funding to support their creative and scholarly activities. As such, the office plays a role in helping the University fulfill its research, instruction, and public service missions. These goals are attained by providing administrative support to foster creative research with external organizations and to help individual faculty secure external funding for research that will keep them abreast of developments in their fields while frequently providing students with active learning experiences.

The Sponsored Programs Administration office has an overall responsibility to ensure that grant and contract agreements do not present challenges to our institution's integrity. All external funding requests need to be presented in a professional and businesslike approach. This application may be the only contact external reviewers, program officers and business entities have with James Madison University. The funding request gives an overall impression of JMU. Our goal is to ensure the enhancement of the University image while securing funds to support scholarly research endeavors.

A visit to the Sponsored Programs Administration's office provides:

• Information on funding sources
• Guidelines for proposals, requests for proposals and deadlines
• Dates for proposal writing workshops and visits by funding agencies
• Applications
• Information on the submission and approval process
• Budget assistance
• Recommended timetable for the preparation, approval and submission process in its entirety

Proposal Assistance

How does SPA work for me?

A constant diligence is kept on funding sources that may meet your needs and interests. Daily review, dissemination and routing of proposal information keeps the campus actively aware of funding sources. Requests for funding information from individuals can result in both and IRIS and a SPIN search either conducted with or prepared for the individual. Attention is devoted to maintaining an awareness of other funding sources that an already submitted proposal could be tailored to also meet. Editing, proofing, and compliance checks are performed on all proposals submitted.

Travel to talk with a funding agency

SPA staff can advise principal investigators (P.I.) on whether a funding agency will meet with you and be willing to discuss a draft proposal or a potential funding request.

The Deadline Memo is published monthly and provides upcoming agency deadlines for proposal submission to the JMU community on a regular basis.

JMU Related Links

Research and Public Service
Academic Affairs
Office of Technology Transfer