Archive for the ‘Grant Management’ Category

$20 Million NIH grant awarded to Medical College of Wisconsin

Aug 25th, 10 / 0 Comments

In recent news, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded the Medical College of Wisconsin $20 million in grant monies in order to fund efforts to collaborate with seven other local institutions in research discoveries.

The grant, known as the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), is a five-year grant and is one of several that is being awarded to at least eight other research centers this year. Thus far, the CTSA has supported 55 programs since 2003. In addition to the Medical College of Wisconsin, other institutions that are participating in the award include:

  • Marquette University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • BloodCenter of Wisconsin
  • Children’s Hospital and Health System
  • Froedtert Hospital
  • Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center

The grants are significant because the NIH is

…awarding them to centers it believes will be best at translating research advances into treatment, training researchers and engaging communities in their research efforts. [source]

Opening doors for southeastern Wisconsin

For a period of time, there has been a longstanding concern in southeastern Wisconsin that while there are numerous projects at smaller research institutions, no effort has been made to pool together resources in order to take on more complex, rewarding work. Upon receiving the grant, relationships have now been sparked between the region’s largest research institutions, which will hopefully lead to a more powerful research effort in the near future.

(Via: JS Online)

Grant Management, News

NIH awards $21 million grant towards HIV-1 research

Sep 8th, 10 / 0 Comments

In recent news, a multi-institutional team comprised of John Young, Ph.D., and Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., has been awarded a $21 million Program Project Grant dedicated to researching the early immune response to HIV via a systems biology approach.

The project is said to bring together a multidisciplinary team spanning the expertise of 13 different research groups at seven different research institutions- all in an effort to uncover the cellular protein machinery that represents the first line of defense against HIV.

In the meantime, the group seems optimistic about the endeavor, remaining hopeful that this grant will allow them to understand better how the immune system functions as well as maintaining the goal of building more accurate mathematical and experimental models to be used to help predict which cellular factors represent various targets for different antiviral therapies.

This is just one prime example of how using grant funds properly can actually make a difference in the world, one step at a time.

(Via: FierceBiotech)

Grant Management, News, Research Scientists

The importance of department manager software

Sep 15th, 10 / 0 Comments

With regards to research hospitals as well as other research institutions, Department Manager Software plays a key role in both the financial as well as the personnel management used by various administrators among different departments.

What department manager software does

Among many important roles that this type of software plays at research institutions, colleges and research hospitals alike, the following are some highlights of its usefulness:

  • Flexible, easy to use
  • Provides a host of reporting features designed for both senior management as well as department faculty
  • Consists of multiple database administrative financial planning software modules
  • Department manager software modules can be used independently or with an integrated grant management software system
  • Electronically interface college and/or university financial systems
  • Provide flexible, easy-to-read reports to faculty and senior administrators

This is just a sample list of some of the highlights that our Department Manager Software tackles.

At IT Works, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide efficient, yet advanced technological solutions that span various areas of grant management, financial planning, research and other management solutions. Visit us on the web or give us a call today at 919.232.5332.

Grant Management, Solutions to Department Management Problems

Federal grants being distributed for better Internet access

Sep 22nd, 10 / 0 Comments

With the advent of technology and computers over the years, it now seems as if there is more of a demand than ever for expanded Internet access. According to a recent string reports published in Businessweek,  The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will be one of several to receive federal grant monies to be used in order to expand broadband services within the state[source].

However, it seems as if UAMS isn’t the only one being awarded federal grant funds. In another report, a Tacoma nonprofit also received its second federal grant of the year in the amount of $54 million. This money will be used to expand high-speed Internet access to the more rural areas of the state of Washington, adding approximately 1,300 miles of connectivity between schools, libraries, hospitals and businesses [source]

Finally, approximately $14 million will be used from two federal grants in order to improve high-speed Internet service in Nebraska. One grant ($11.5 million) will go to aid NebraskaLink in paying for fiber optic lines that will connect up to 100 community institutions statewide to the World Wide Web. The other $2.4 million grant will go to the state of Nebraska to help pay for better Internet access at 45 public places throughout the state so that people can use the Internet [source].

Grant Management

NIH grant eligibility and requirements

Oct 6th, 10 / 0 Comments

When it comes to grant management software and applying for a grant, the National Institute of Health (NIH) adheres to a strict set of codes in order to continue with its mission of reducing illness and disability.

In addition to providing grants  that specifically pertain to research, the NIH also provides grants that support other research-related activities. Among these, the NIH looks for 3 main sets of criteria regarding grant application:

  1. Projects of high scientific caliber- (ex: grant proposals that are relevant to public health needs and pertain to NIH Institute and Center priorities)
  2. Investigator-initiated research
  3. Unique research projects-Projects cannot be funded by another organization in addition to the NIH. Applicants must choose one or the other.

Eligibility for NIH grants

When applying for an NIH grant, each grant program has eligibility requirements specific to a particular program. It should be noted that while the principal investigator fills out the application, NIH will recognize the applicant institution as the grantee for most grants. That said, the following is a brief list of those who are eligible for an NIH grant. For more information on the grant application process, visit the NIH website here.

Individual grant eligibility

  • Research scientists (i.e. pre-doctoral students, investigators who run research centers, etc.)
  • PIs
  • Domestic organizations
  • Foreign organizations
  • Public or private organizations
  • Non-profit organizations
  • For-profit organizations
Grant Management

Research administrators vs. pre- and post-award administrators

Nov 10th, 10 / 1 Comment

The NCURA 52nd Annual Meeting focuses on the interdependent relationship between researcher versus research administrator. But is there a difference between research administrators versus pre-award and post-award administrators? Kristine Kulage, Director of the Office of Research Resources and Ruth Torres, Director of Finance at Columbia University would opt to say that there is, indeed, a distinct difference.

Who are the pre-award administrators?

Pre-award administrators are also known as “the good guys” due to the fact that everything they assist researchers with is somehow directly related to a positive means to an end: a funded grant.

Some of the duties that pre-award administrators are responsible for include (but are not limited to):

  • Disseminating program announcements
  • Budget meetings
  • Editing biosketches (checking for grammer, graphics, electronic attachments, etc.)
  • Assist faculty in recognizing budget gaps
  • Assisting with application neatness and compliance
  • Develop templates for grant sections
  • Deliver presentations to faculty about research happenings and developments

In other words, pre-award administrators are highly valued members of a research team. Following all of the research and legwork that the pre-administrators have done, once the grant is submitted, pre-award administrative offices then pass the funded project off to the post-award administrators….

Who are the post-award administrators?

The post-award administrators wear the “black hats” in the wonderful world of research administration, and they play a role similar to a police chief or sheriff with the fact that they “clean up” what needs to be taken care of. However, more often than not, these administrators are often viewed as the ‘bad guys’, setting up roadblocks to implementation and creating problems that prevent the forward progress of project that the pre-award administrators worked so hard to fund.

In all actuality, however, post-award administrators are looking out for the best interests of their pre-award administrator brethren, correcting problems with proposals. Some of the duties that they oversee include:

  • Carefully monitor spending patterns
  • Coordinate effort reporting
  • Conduct financial closeouts
  • Create multiple reporting tools, used to unravel complex financial data
  • Confirm financial reports as being accurate and auditable

Closing the gap

Keeping the aforementioned information in mind, department managers and those who work in grant management need to remember that part of bridging the gap between pre- and post-administrators begins with recognizing that in order to be successful, the two parties have to work as one. Pre-award administrators work to create compliant, successful projects that are fund-worthy while post-award administrators work to ensure that the project being passed on is up to snuff with regards to the required regulations.

[source: NCURA Magazine, Volume XLII, No.5, pp.18-19]

Administrators, Grant Management

Effort Certification Reporting

Dec 8th, 10 / 2 Comments

One of the most complex types of management problems faced by various sponsored projects as well as research administrators is that involving effort certification and reporting technology.

Failure to comply can be costly

Often, problems with an effort certification system will arise due to problems that result from multiple interpretations of federal reporting guidelines that have been administered. Problems may also stem from the difficulty that often arises when you try to gain much-needed cooperation from research faculty, research scientists and staff. The end result can be costly if there is a failure to properly comply with the federal guidelines. Therefore, it is imperative that there be some sort of system in place to assist administrators as well as research faculty with effort certification reporting.

Effort Administrator from IT Works

Effort Administrator is a web-based time and effort certification and reporting system designed for administrators and research faculty/staff in higher education and independent research institutes. This effort certification system consists of a multi-tiered security system that allows administrators to view and certify effort according to school, department, division, program or investigator.

Perhaps more importantly, Effort Administrator allows for customizable account structures, field labels and effort period calendars. Effort Administrator is a stand alone system that does not require any additional software in order to successfully work with your current ERP solutions. Instead, it is designed to integrate seamlessly with the entire suite of IT Works software products.

Other highlights of the Effort Administrator software include (but are certainly not limited to):

  • Increase faculty participation
  • Meet federal reporting requirements
  • Project future grant effort requirements
  • Monitor cost sharing

For more information on our Effort Administrator or to speak with us about any questions or concerns you may have regarding effort certification and reporting, contact us today at 919.232.5332. You can also follow IT Works on Twitter or find us on YouTube.

Grant Management

Grant Accounting Software in the University

Dec 15th, 10 / 0 Comments

Having reliable grant accounting software is important- especially if you are a college administrator working or dealing with university accounting software.

University Accounting Software Solutions that Work

The number of students who are enrolling in colleges and universities across the United States has increased over the last several decades. As a result, some college administrators are still using outdated general ledger accounting systems, which were originally intended for other business environments.

At IT Works, we provide colleges, universities and other research institutions with grant accounting software solutions designed to handle multiple fund types such as (but not limited to) the following:

  • Contracts
  • Grants
  • Gifts
  • Endowments
  • Trusts
  • Clinical income
  • Revolving funds
  • State funds, and more.

The Need for Grant Accounting Software in Colleges

By providing college and university accounting software solutions to various academic and research institutions, college administrators are more readily able to successfully generate consolidated financial statements for managing their entire organization. Additionally, our university accounting software is easily integrated with preexisting general ledger accounting systems and is specifically designed with a wide range of users in mind such as:

  • Financial managers
  • Accountants
  • Grant administrators
  • Research faculty

Our university accounting software is scalable and modular, which allows it to be implemented to meet the various financial management needs of college administrators at the department division, school or university level. We configure our software to meet the unique needs of your financial management team.

If you are interested in learning more about our university accounting software solutions, request your FREE University Accounting Software Demo today. Feel free to give us a call with any questions or concerns you may have regarding accounting solutions for college administrators at 919.232.5332.

Administrators, Grant Management

Grant management software designed with you in mind

Dec 22nd, 10 / 0 Comments

At IT Works, our grant management software has been meticulously designed to meet the demanding needs of research institutions, centers, schools, colleges and individual departments. Due to the demanding nature of administrators, frustration can arise from outdated general ledgers that have simply become too difficult to use due to the changing nature of the environment or due to the fact that these ledgers were not really intended to be used in certain business settings. As a result, IT Works has come up with grant management software that is designed to track information such as the following:

  • Proposal type
  • Award type
  • Funding agency
  • Agency number
  • *Various dates such as: budget period; project period; agency deadlines, and more

About IT Works grant management software

Besides including some of the same features as our pre-award grant management software, our post-award grant management software features capabilities such as compliance monitoring and time and effort reporting. It tracks when financial and project reports are due; when projects are ending, and when reports need to be delivered to funding agencies.

Designed to supplement a preexisting general ledger or ERP system, IT Works grant management software can easily be installed as an integrated component or as an independent shadow system. Take a look at the following video for more information on our grant management software, and be sure to contact us with any questions or concerns that you may have at: 919.232.5332

Administrators, Grant Management

The Importance of Space Planning Software

Jan 26th, 11 / 0 Comments

Space management is incredibly important, especially when discussing college departments, university departments as well as departments within research hospitals. Therefore, IT Works provides state-of-the-art space planning software solutions in the following two products:

  1. Department Manager (small to mid-size)
  2. College Administrator (enterprise)

What to Look for in Space Planning Software

There are all sorts of space planning software programs available. You can see some examples by clicking here. Other things to keep an eye out for include asking yourself some of the following questions:

  • Does the software offer various floorplan templates?
  • Do you have to start each facility template from scratch?
  • Do the floorplans accurately depict the size of real-world objects (i.e. buildings, furniture, appliances, etc.)?
  • Does the space planning software offer a comprehensive selection of objects that you can easily place in the drawing?
  • Are you able to add photographs easily?
  • Does the space planning software allow for the display of dimensions while you draw?
  • Are you able to share the floorplan with other people in your department?
  • What about exporting your floorplan to an external program such as Microsoft Word, Excel or another format?

Space Management Reports and Uses

At IT Works,  our space management reports are designed for tracking space distribution by use, classification, building, department, division or faculty member. Some samples of various reports can be viewed by clicking on each of the hyperlinks below:

For more information about space management software and/or space planning, contact IT Works today at 919.232.5332.

Grant Management

5 Tips for Avoiding Common Errors on Grant Applications

Feb 16th, 11 / 0 Comments

Regardless of whether or not you work as an administrator in a grant management system or if you are a student studying at a college, university or other research institution, it is not uncommon to see mistakes being made on electronic grant applications.

Between January of 2010 and April of 2010, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) examined more than 44,000 applications received during that time frame in order to look more closely at what types of errors applicants were commonly making. Based on their findings, the following is a brief list of questions to check off as you check over your application.

For the full set of questions, click on the source link at the end of this post. For more information about grants management systems and other research management software, make sure you stop by our main website or contact IT Works today at (919) 232.5332.

5 Questions to Ask Before You Submit a Grant Application With Errors

  1. Does the DUNS number on the SF424 (R &R) cover form match the DUNS used for Grants.gov & Commons registration?
  2. Did you provide correct Type of Submission (box #1), Federal Identifier (box #4), and Type of Application (box #8) information on the SF424 (R&R) cover form?
  3. Did you include the eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the R&R Sr/Key Person Profile form for all PD/PIs?
  4. If submitting a Multiple-PD/PI application, did you give all PIs the PD/PI role on the Sr/Key Person Profile form?
  5. Did you include Organization name for all Sr/Key listed on the R&R Sr/Key Person Profile form?

[source: NIH via The Office of Extramural Research]

Grant Management

Department Manager Software for Universities

Feb 23rd, 11 / 0 Comments

When discussing higher education and research institutions such as universities, colleges and research hospitals, IT Works’ Department Manager Software is not only a powerful financial and personnel management tool, but it is also flexible and easy to use.

As a part of the software, the Department Manager Software for Universities and Research Hospitals provides a plethora of reporting features, specifically geared towards assisting senior management as well as department faculty with their financial planning needs. Additionally, our department manager software consists of separate modules, which may be used as a part of an integrated grant management system or independently.

Department Manager Grant Management System Module

Used as a macro-level management and tracking tool for assisting organizations in tracking and managing active and/or pending grants, the grant module for the Department Manager is intended for those organizations who have a significant amount of grant funding available.

Some of the issues that this module address with regards to grants management systems include the following:

  • How much funding does a faculty member have?
  • Which grants are ending next month?
  • How many grants were applied for or awarded last month? Last year?
  • Which grants have IRB or IACUC approvals expiring next month?
  • Which grants funded work that resulted in the generation of research publications?

One by-product of this type of module its grant tracking report, which allows users to retrieve previously entered information that they can then export into usable formats as they see fit. Further, multiple data entry screens allow users to track over 200 variables per grant such as:

  • Salary commitments
  • Cost Sharing, In-Kind and Matching funds
  • Special Policies and Conditions
  • Other user definable fields

To view an example of what an annual report might look like, click here. For other questions or concerns regarding Department Manager Software or grants management systems, be sure to contact IT Works on the web or by phone at (919) 232.5332.

Grant Management

The Importance of Grant Management Systems

Mar 2nd, 11 / 0 Comments

When trying to decide on  what sort of grant management software to utilize for your research institution, IT Works is proud to be one of the leading choices among the United States’ educational, research and healthcare institutions for our renowned grant management system.

Twenty years is a long time, but nevertheless, it was time in which our grant management system was evolving and changing based on various input from university department administrators, college presidents and others so that it is now among the industry’s number one grant management system of choice.

Besides tracking reports and producing reports that are available in an array of formats designed to meet the unique needs of a large scope of users, our grant management systems also focus on compliance monitoring, proposal development and time and effort reporting software.

Too often, college administrators are forced to use general ledger accounting systems in lieu of a grant management system. Due to unforeseen difficulties while using the general ledger, frustration is all too common. This is why, at IT Works, we have taken the time and expertise to create a grant management system that incorporates a modular design that is not only easy and affordable- but also provides the essential grant tracking, accounting and personnel modules that are necessary in order to meet the complex financial and organizational demands often imposed on research institutions. Take a look below for more information.

What does our grant management system track?

  • Budget period
  • Project period
  • Agency deadline
  • Submission dates
  • Total direct cost
  • Total indirect cost
  • Cost Sharing
  • Award type
  • And more!

Contact IT Works today by visiting us on the web and requesting your FREE grant management system demo OR by giving us a call at 919.232.5332.

Grant Management

4 Quick Tips for Submitting Your Grant Application Electronically

Mar 16th, 11 / 0 Comments

Prepare to apply & register.

Registering early is key as the process involves multiple steps that can take up to  4 WEEKS or more in order to process. Additionally, your organization must be registered with both Grants.gov as well as eRA Commons. If you are a PI, you must be registered and affiliated in the eRA Commons. Once you have obtained your DUNS number, you can begin registering with both Grants.gove and eRA.

Find the opportunity.

If you are submitting an investigator initiated or unsolicited application, you should use Parent Announcements. All applications must be submitted in response to a funding opportunity announcement (FOA).

Prepare your application.

When preparing your application, you should take care to follow any guidelines or requirements found in the Application Guide and FOA. Keep in mind that the instructions found in the FOA supersed any that may be found in the application guide.

Submit, track & view.

The only one who has the authority to submit applications is the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). However, YOU are responsible for verifying that the application is able to be viewed in the eRA Commons as well as correcting any and all errors prior to submission.

For more information about grant management or software for grant management, be sure to visit IT Works on the web or give us a call at 919.232.5332.

[via: NIH]

Grant Management

Grant Management for Your Personnel Team

Mar 30th, 11 / 0 Comments

As any organization is aware, the most important component or asset, if you will, is the personnel. However, managing personnel is not always the easy task many mistake it to be. In fact, more often than not, the management of a personnel or human resources (HR) team is often complex and demanding and can eat through anywhere from seventy to eighty percent of your funds.

At IT Works, we have studied the various needs and issues faced by human resource managers, which is why we have come up with an affordable, easy-to-use personnel management software program as well as human resource management solutions, designed with colleges, universities, research institutions and healthcare administrators in mind.

Information Managed by IT Works’ Personnel/HR Management Software

  • Personnel costs
  • Home and office addresses
  • Appointment terms
  • Tenure status
  • Leave
  • Work performance review
  • Certification
  • Education
  • And more!

Customized Grant Management Products for Personnel Management

  • Department Accountant [smaller organizations] – Focuses on financial information required to aid in department level accounting.
  • Department Manager [mid-size organizations] – Offers a comprehensive personnel management software systems that manage all of the information listed above and more.
  • College Administrator [enterprise] – **same as Department Manager**

If you work within an HR department as a manager, pay close attention to the kinds of issues that you face on a daily basis. Perhaps it is something having to do with the payroll or a leave of absence. Whatever the case may be, know that there is a simple solution for it; that’s what IT Works is here for. Give us a call today at 919.232.5332.

Grant Management, Management

Equipment and Asset Management with Space Planning Software

Apr 13th, 11 / 3 Comments

Whether you work within a department at a university, college or research hospital, there are numerous benefits to being able to effectively implement asset and equipment management software solutions. Some of the types of things that are often created with space planning software include (but are not limited to):

  • Office floor plans
  • Shared versus borrowed space
  • Space and equipment ownership by corporation, department, division and faculty
  • The ability to quickly identify missing equipment
  • And much more!

This type of high-tech equipment/asset management is successfully implemented by using our state-of-the art database management software in conjunction with barcode scanner technology.

At IT Works, we are proud to be able to offer such high quality equipment management software solutions to have available right at your fingertips when you need it the most. More importantly, our space planning software allows us to track specific information about each piece of capital equipment, including 45 variables, some of which are listed below:

  • Equipment description
  • Origin of purchase
  • Cost
  • Location
  • Ownership (department, division, faculty member/investigator, etc.)

IT Works uses two different types of software products, designed specifically for equipment management: Department Manager and College Administrator. For more information about these two types of  space planning software products, give us a call today at (919) 232.5332.

Grant Management, Management

Upcoming Grant Management Events and Award Deadlines

May 4th, 11 / 0 Comments

IT Works is a proud supporter of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA). The purpose of NCURA is to promote the advancement of research administration through education and professional development programs, to name a few. Following are a few of the NCURA awards up for grabs, as well as the deadlines for these applications.

  • The Catherine Core Minority Travel Award | Applications due May 25, 2011- This program supports travel to the NCURA annual meeting for up to four individuals from underrepresented groups who would not be able to attend the conference otherwise. More information can be found here.
  • The Distinguished Service Award | Applications due May 25, 2011-This award is given to up to five individuals who have made significant contributions to NCURA. More information can be found here.
  • The Joseph F. Carrabino Award | Nominations due May 25, 2011- This award is presented to a current or former federal employee who has made a significant contribution to research administration. More information can be found here.
  • The Outstanding Achievement in Research Administration Award | Nominations due May 25, 2011-This award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the profession of research administration. More information can be found here.

[source: NCURA ]

For more information about grants management systems or effort certification reporting, contact IT Works at (919) 232.5332.

Grant Management, Meetings/Announcements, News

Using Grants Management Systems for Your Financial Management

May 25th, 11 / 0 Comments

Department administrators choose to use IT Works grants management systems for various reasons. In many cases, financial management decisions are centrally controlled and typically come from a Dean, Department Chairman or other Faculty member. However, there are times when figuring out the financial needs of your department causes you to rely on having the right kind of grant management system in place to help you keep track of your department’s financial needs.

A Grant Management System You Can Trust

At IT Works, our grants management systems are easily installed within individual departments or for the purposes of serving an entire college or university. However, a lot of the details depend on what the specific financial accounting needs are for your particular department, center, faculty and/or university. This is why we have made it easy to use and implement our grant management system, creating a multi-tiered security-enhanced system that controls access to college and university funds as well as external funds as defined per department, center and faculty.

Compatibility is a major factor for grants management systems as far as we are concerned. This is why we have created our grants management systems to be compatible with industry standard general ledger systems. From reports to display screens and functionality- at IT Works, we make sure that we cover all bases so that you and the other members of your department can feel confident using only the best grant management software that the industry has to offer.

For more information about our grant management system, contact us at (919) 232-5332. Also, don’t forget to “Like” IT Works on Facebook by clicking here. You can also view all of our YouTube videos by checking out our YouTube channel here.

Grant Management

Research Administrators Gather at Symposium

Jun 8th, 11 / 0 Comments

On May 11, 2011, President Richard Brodhead helped jump start the 2011 Symposium for Research Administration over at Duke University.

As most people are already aware, Duke University was and continues to be one of the leading colleges and research institutions for the discovery of cutting edge medical techniques as well as advanced medical research.

This year’s Symposium was hosted by the Research Administration Continuous Improvement initiative (RACI). Some of the notable speakers included:

  • Tim Walsh, Vice President for Finance at Duke University
  • David Kennedy, Council on Government Relations in Washington, D.C.
  • Michael Merson, Founding Director for Duke Global Health Institute
  • Jim Luther, Assistant Vice President and Research Costing Compliance Officer for Duke University

Research Administration Software in the University System

If there is one thing that this Symposium underscored, it is the important role that research administration software plays in universities, colleges and other research institutions. Take just one look at IT Works’ Research Management Software, and you’ll know how important research management software solutions are to research institutions and higher education institutions such as Duke University.

Items such as figuring out the individual budget needs based on departments, schools and universities as wel as figuring out budget alignment problems are just two examples of areas that research management software addresses.

As we continue on in 2011 and government spending begins to taper down, research administration software and grant management will become an increasingly important issue as colleges and research-based institutions take a harder look at how and where money is spent as well as by whom.

Grant Management, News, Research Scientists

10 Ways to FAIL at Grant Writing

Jun 15th, 11 / 0 Comments

There is a good reason why grant tracking software is in place; it’s to help research administrators and college administrators keep track of all of the different grant applications and budgeting for various ongoing projects.

But what about the process before this? Following are 10 things that you DON’T want to do when writing a grant.

DON’T

  1. …explicitly state any goals, objectives or hypotheses in your grant proposal.
  2. …make any predictions or list experiments that would test these predictions.
  3. …discuss what your conclusion is (just in case your data doesn’t turn out as expected).
  4. …give sample sizes or statistical tests.
  5. …literature that isn’t included in the “References” section of your proposal.
  6. …say that your grant is “transformative”.
  7. …forget to proofread your grant proposal!
  8. …make your grant proposal too long. Short is better. Pay attention to the recommended page length and be considerate of Foundation administrators who are often buried in paperwork.
  9. …forget to establish the credentials of project leadership as well as the qualifications of the sponsoring organization.
  10. …use evasive language; be as specific as possible and carefully follow any instructions as outlined.

When writing grant proposals, be considerate of those who plan to review your proposal. Keep in mind that there are probably several hundred (if not more) applications like yours that must be gone through, processed and entered into whatever grant management software that particular institution is using. Follow the guidelines outlined by your institution, and you may have a better chance at being granted approval on your application.

[Image by miggslives on flickr]

[Sources: The Chronicle for Higher Learning; Grant Proposal.com]

Administrators, Grant Management

4 Reasons Our ERA Software Dominates

Jul 6th, 11 / 0 Comments

At IT Works, we continually strive to provide the most comprehensive ERA software solutions that the industry has to offer. The following is an abbreviated list of reasons showcasing how our software dominates.

Why IT Works ERA Software is Better

  1. Multiple Software Modules. At IT Works, our ERA software includes multiple software modules for grant tracking, accounting, personnel and space management software modules.
  2. Publication Tracking. Featured as a part of our ERA software tool is the availability for publication tracking, which aides in linking scientists with their work as well as to externally funded grants and funding agencies. Information is neatly organized according to researcher, grant and publication.
  3. Day-to-Day Grant Research & Management. Intended as a supplement to a preexisting general ledger and/or ERP system, our ERA software may be installed as an integrated component or as an independent shadow system, allowing for the day-to-day management of various accounting functions such as: clinical income, endowments, trust funds, state funds and more.
  4. Easy-to-Read Reports. At IT Works, we know how important it is to have grant management solutions within reach.This is why we provide ERA solutions for managing personnel and research teams. Using our personnel module to sync up with our accounting module, administrators are left with research management and grant accounting reports that are easy to read as well as understand, all while keeping project information organized.
ERA software, Grant Management

The Top 3 Things Our Grant Management Software Does

Jul 13th, 11 / 0 Comments

Whether you are interested in achieving grant management software solutions for your local college, or if you are interested in software to help you meet the needs of a research hospital, IT Works has what you need. Listed below are just THREE examples of what our grant management software can do for you:

3 Things Our Grant Management Software Does

  1. Pre-Award Grant Management. IT Works provides pre-award grant management software solutions for the macro-level management of pending grants as well as research projects. Information such as: proposal type, agency number and award type are some brief examples of what is tracked.
  2. Post-Award Grant Management. Using a modular design that incorporates grant tracking, accounting, personnel and space management software modules, our grant management software provides everyday solutions for grant tracking as well as day-to-day project management (i.e. clinical income, endowments, trust funds, etc.).
  3. Research Management Solutions. Need help managing your assets or keeping track of space and recharge centers? IT Works provides a comprehensive grant management software solution for research management. Even better is the fact that our software includes functions such as: billing and invoice generation, invoice aging reports, facility usage reports, and more- all of which aides in the management of facility and recharge centers.

Interested in what our grant management software can do? Click here to request your FREE grant management software demonstration; or you may simply give us a call at: (919) 232.5332.

Grant Management

Providing a Solid Grant Management System for Colleges

Aug 3rd, 11 / 0 Comments

For years, IT Works has been hard at work to create a unique grant management system for various research institutions, colleges and universities. Today, our grant management system has evolved, thanks to the input that we have received from department administrators, college presidents and other independent research institutions.

From the macro-level management of pending grants and research products for pre-award grants to the day-to-day management for post-award grants, our grant management system is among the best in the industry as it incorporates a design that allows research institutions to track any number of things such as:

  • Total direct cost
  • Total indirect cost
  • Cost sharing
  • Award types
  • Program Project/Center Grants
  • Compliance Monitoring
  • Report due dates
  • Compliance expiration dates
  • And more!

A Grant Management System for Research Management

As you can probably tell, IT Works’ grant management systems provide a range of solutions for the ever-changing needs of colleges, universities and other research institutions. With regards to research management, our grant management system includes different modules that help manage grants as well as capital equipment and space and recharge centers.

Asset Management

The asset management module of our grant management system tracks items such as:

  • Equipment ownership
  • Location
  • Purchasing information

Space and Recharge Centers

In the space module of our grant management system, information pertaining to ownership and usage is tracked. Besides this, this particular module is set up to manage multiple recharge centers such as:

  • DNA Sequencing
  • Flow Cytometry
  • NMR Scanners
  • Confocal Microscopes
  • And more!

Interested in what our grant management software can do? Click here to request your FREE grant management software demonstration; or you may simply give us a call at: (919) 232.5332.

Grant Management

3 Reasons Why Grant Management Systems are Important

Aug 10th, 11 / 0 Comments

Besides assisting research administrators with competing in an increasingly complex and demanding financial environment, grant management systems are also important in several other ways.

3 Reasons Grant Management Systems Matter

  1. Accurate Budgeting | One of the biggest things that grant management systems helps with is budgeting. By being able to track and report back on how much money is spent, research administrators and grant managers are in a better position to budget for future projects.
  2. Tracking & Liability | Grant management systems, such as our college administrator software, is flexible and easy to use; but more importantly, our software comes with a variety of features designed to help  administrators track day-to-day accounting, which can help prevent auditing issues in the future.
  3. Multiple Management Capabilities | Take, for instance, our grant management system for research management. Utilizing this particular IT Works module, administrators can track space ownership and usage information. With this, they can keep an eye on multiple recharge centers, including the management of everything from billing to invoices, etc.

Interested in what our grant management software can do? Click here to request your FREE grant management software demonstration; or you may simply give us a call at: (919) 232.5332. Also, make sure you visit us on Facebook!

Grant Management, grant tracking software

3 Grants Management Systems Every College Needs

Aug 24th, 11 / 0 Comments

When it comes to grants management systems, IT Works offers at least three, which are designed to meet the needs of colleges, universities and research institutions around the country as well as the world. These grants management systems are listed below.

3 Grants Management Systems Every College Needs

  1. Department Accountant™ is a grants management system for research labs and small departments. The Department Accountant mainly focuses on the detailed management of individual research projects based on the demand within research labs and other university departments.
  2. Department Manager™ is a grants management system for large and mid-size departments, divisions, centers, and schools at college and universities as well as research hospitals and research institutes.
  3. College Administrator™ is a grants management system for large colleges as well as small and mid-size universities. Combined with the Department Manager (number 2), the College Administrator provides comprehensive grants management systems for both large and small-scale grant accounting needs.

Both the Department Manager and the College Administrator provide Internet-based reporting for faculty as well as research scientists and feature multi-tiered security systems for: Grants Management Software, Grant and University Fund Accounting, Personnel Management and more.

Interested in what our grants management systems can do? Click here to request your FREE grant management software demonstration; or you may simply give us a call at: (919) 232.5332. Also, make sure you visit us on Facebook!

Grant Management

Taking a Look at Grant Management Software

Sep 14th, 11 / 0 Comments

When the federal government distributes grant money, the processes used to do so have been manual since the inception of the grant programs that are available. For the most part, a single person or a group of people make the decision of what person or organization receives a grant award decides grant awards, and the entire federal government does not have much to do with the process, with the exception of sending the money itself. This means that the department of the government that deals with the grants has many, many official grant proposals and applications and other non –formal solicitations from people and organizations concerning grant money and awards to go through before deciding on which one person or group is a better, more deserving recipient for the grants.

For these reasons and many others, using grant management software is a must for the government and other agencies that deal with anything concerning grants. Grant management software deals with every aspect of grants including proposals, applications, letters, letter, proposal and application processing, rejection, acceptance and appeals as well as other aspects. Considering the government workers who make the decisions must go through hundreds of thousands of applications and proposals a day, not to mention file an acceptance or rejection for each of the applications for every grant possible, the use of grant management software is a lifesaver, not to mention a time saver as well.

Additionally, this type of software can keep everything organized as well, making it easier for all government grant workers to do their jobs without going over budget, something that all government departments are dealing with these days because of the budget cuts. Some of the other short-term benefits to using grant management software is that it can also help the government workers deal with the many effort reports and certifications they receive from those organizations and people who have already been awarded grants by the government. The error reporting and certification process is a lengthy one that starts with the grant holder/ receiver, and ends with the government accepting or rejecting the report, which can have serious consequences.

Overall, having to work with so many applications each day, not to mention each year, can be a painstakingly slow task, but using grant management software helps to automate the process, saving the government time and money. By not needing so much time to process the applications, those who are lucky enough to receive and be accepted for a grant can receive it and put it to good use much faster.

To request a FREE grant management system demo now, click here. You can also contact IT Works at (919) 232.5332.

Grant Management

Grant Management Systems and It They Can Help You

Sep 28th, 11 / 0 Comments

If you are a person who is in need of a revamping of your grant process due to organizational problems or just out of a sheer need for project streamlining, a more effective grant management software may be the best solution for you. Many people  who constantly are making bids on grants by sending out proposals have to spend a great deal of time prospecting for the right grantor and even more time writing grant proposals for submission. With these responsibilities already mounting at a rate that can be overwhelming at times, the last thing you want is to worry about organizational details of the management of your grant awards after you have been awarded them.

Keeping painstakingly detailed of the applications for grants and the distribution thereafter is definitely necessary, but when attempting to accomplish these tasks without the proper tools, one can find himself absolutely inundated with tasks and responsibilities that can not be addressed in the most effective and efficient manner possible. This lack of organization and efficacy can be a detriment to future grant applications processes and can endanger the continuation of funding from current grantors.

The best thing to do to avoid finding yourself is to periodically reevaluate your methods and means you use to take care of grant management tasks on a daily basis and consider whether or not an upgrade to a full service piece of grant management software is the best solution for you and your university or charitable organization department.

The truth is, having a highly integrated and functional software or cloud computing solution be a breath of fresh air in the long run that can free up more time for you to take care of other pressing matters necessary to advance the cause of your organization. So, take the time to research the best way increase your department productivity while keeping accurate and up-to-date records of all grant related data in relation to your department. For more information about grant management software solutions, contact IT Works today at (919)232.5332.

Grant Management, Management, grant tracking software

Grant Management Software and Your Department

Oct 5th, 11 / 0 Comments

If you are department head who is looking for an opportunity to increase productivity in your department in regards to the applying for and the distribution of your grants for your university, charitable organization or place of worship, you may want to consider using a leading grant management software. If you find yourself constantly swamped because you are not organized enough or because you need a sure fire solution for keeping track of your grant awards and how they are being spent or distributed to certain recipients in your department or organization as a whole, take some time to research a solution to make your work much more easily done and your life at work a bit less complicated.

Using a fully comprehensive grant management software is a great solution to the usual clutter of emails flying back and forth, spreadsheets being strewn all about and having to continue to double the veracity of accounting when you should be taking care of other more important business. These types of software offer a centralized location for all of your grant application documentation, grant award money distribution records and so much more.

The best thing about using a software suite that is located all in on package is the fact that it’s a process that is easily teachable and easily mastered so that when you need to hire and train a new employee or volunteer the learning curve is a lot less steep and you save much needed and valuable time. You will be surprised how much of a positive difference a good grant management software package has made for non-profit organizations all over, regardless of their size and you can be the next to benefit from this technology today so you can save time and effort tomorrow.

Visit IT Works at our Facebook Page or give us a call at 919.232.5332.

Grant Management, grant tracking software

3 Reasons Why You Need Grant Management Software

Oct 12th, 11 / 0 Comments

Grant management software is technical solution  that was made to help various organizations such as universities, and nonprofit organizations with administering and automating the grant process. The systems can be set up directly to assist students, or they can be used to help researchers and other individuals ease any financially related administrative burdens that they may have.

Unfortunately, many colleges and universities do not have a lot of time to sit down and analyze their finances when it comes to obtaining and giving away grant money. In the increasing complex and financial environment that college administrators are having to deal with, one of these systems can help in several different ways.

  1. Accurate Accounting- One of the main reasons why institutions employ the use of these systems in their facilities is to assist with budgeting. The systems are designed to track and report how funds are being spent within the institution. By having this system employed, administrators can plan around their current budgets, without interfering with the money that has already been spent elsewhere.
  2. Grant Tracking- A lot of the systems that are offered to colleges are relatively easy to use. The systems are designed to help administrators track their daily accounting activities. By being able to watch how everything is being spent on a consistent daily basis, this can he prevent any auditing issues that could occur in the future.
  3. Various Management Capabilities- There are a lot of systems that not only allow administrators the ability to track budgeting figures, but it also gives them the ability to track space ownership and usage information also. With this special feature, administrators are able to keep track of different recharge centers that would be willing to offer their institution additional funds, as well as manage various invoices and billing information.

In order to keep your organization financially stable, you need to have a way to track the way that funds are being spent. Grant management systems are designed specifically to fulfill this task.

Grant Management, grant tracking software

3 Grant Management Systems That Every Institution Needs

Oct 26th, 11 / 0 Comments

There are numerous grant management systems that are available to college administrators. With the vast amount of systems available, choosing the right one’s to employ within your institution can be complex. The systems that you choose to use have to have the ability to track your expenses, manage various departments within your facility, and give you up to date information on the way that your money is being spent.

College administrators have a tough time budgeting funds for various sectors of their institution. This software will not give you any money to help with your finances, but it will show you how to track your finances in an efficient manner. There are three types of systems that all colleges should employ in order to keep their institution running smoothly. These three systems are the Department Accountant system, Department manager system, and the College administrator system.

3 Grant Management Systems Every Institution Needs

  1. The Department Accountant System is a special management system that is designed specifically for small research labs and small departments to use. This software focuses on managing individual research projects based on the demand within the research labs. The system will show what objects are leaving the lab faster, showing what funds are needed to replenished the lost items.
  2. The Department Manager System is a system that can be used by large and mid-sized centers to manage their funds in an efficient manner. This system acts as a monetary up to date management program. It keeps real time reports of daily expenses and receivables coming into the organization.
  3. The College Administrator system is designed for use in larger colleges or mid-sized universities. This type of program helps streamline the grant process for students and administrators alike. One of the positive aspects of this program is it allows students to track the status of their grant monies in the same manner that the institution would be tracking the transaction.
Grant Management, Management, college administrator, department manager

Make Your Institution Stand Out With Grant Management Systems

Nov 9th, 11 / 0 Comments

With all of the different colleges and universities that students have to choose from these days, the only way for your institution to stand out is to provide prospective students with a simple grant application process. Most students who are considering attending a higher learning institution are going to require financial assistance from the government. Grant management software allows grant programs to effectively distribute funds so that students may attend different institutions.

The money that the students are given from the grants that they were approved for will go straight to their educational needs. It is important for colleges and universities to employ some type of system that students can use to track their grant status. The system should also allow students to address their complaints and ask any questions that they may have about the grant process. Only high quality grant management systems can supply this type of support to students.

College administrators will be able to streamline the grant process for students that wish to attend their institution. By doing this, the college or university that accepts the student will receive special monetary benefits from the government to pay the students tuition. After the money is received, the administrative staff at the institution will have to disperse the funds to the appropriate educational sectors.

With grant management systems employed, an institution can give students the ability to apply for grant money online. This will save the student time. The institution can also show students what types of grants are available to them. This way, the students can pick the grants that they would like to apply for, instead of picking opportunities that are intended for a different type of academic scholar.

Students and college institutions can benefit from using an effective grant management software program. The software will make it possible for students to locate grants, apply to them, and track their progress. It will also make it possible for administrative staff to do the same.

Grant Management, grant tracking software

Grant Management Software Simplifies The Grant Process

Nov 16th, 11 / 0 Comments

Grant management software is designed to help publicly funded organizations, such as colleges and universities, keep track of the grant monies that they are receiving. A grant is defined as a portion of money that is given to a receiving party from the government. There are different grants that exist for different things. A few of the common places where you will see grants used are in a college setting and research lab.

While applying for a grant is not difficult for most college students to do, keeping up with the entire process is a daunting task for the administrative staff. Colleges do not get paid, unless students are given funds through special loan programs or grant money from government sources. The administrative staff will have to do all of the backend work to ensure that their students receive the money they need to attend their school.

Keeping track of grant money that is being received and going out can be difficult to do, when dealing with thousands of students at one time. Grant tracking software makes it possible for administrative staff to track all of the grant money that has come into their institution and left the institution. By having the ability to track the way that money is being dispersed, colleges can plan strict budgets for the money that they have on hand.

When students that are attending a university apply for a grant, their application process is simple. On the other side of the arrangement, the administrative staff employed by the university that the student is trying to attend will have to do everything that they can to track the students grant money that they receive. Staying organized can be a troublesome task; this is why schools are beginning to incorporate new software systems to make the grant process a little less stressful for all parties involved.

Grant Management, grant tracking software

Ways That Research Administrators Can Benefit From Grant Management Systems

Nov 23rd, 11 / 0 Comments

Research administrators, are normally seen as being the men in the middle. They are normally caught between the frequently conflicting goals of being a research scientist trying to teach their skill to others, and the organization that they are employed by. In order to keep their job progressing as planned, there are a lot of research administrators that will apply for outside grants from various institutions.

Research administrators can benefit immensely from employing some type of grant management system to help them with the application process and disbursement of the funds that they receive. In fact, most of the systems that are developed to help with the grant process are designed with research administrators in mind.

A lot of the grant management systems that are available for this adept group of individuals to use are made to be user friendly, and extremely affordable. The systems are set up in a way that research administrators can track their grant proposals and their budgeting parameters at the same time.

Since, most research administrators spend a lot of time searching for grants and applying for them, these software programs can save researchers the hassle of having to keep with mounds of financial paperwork. Anything that has the ability to be tracked through these systems will be tracked. This includes any proposals that were submitted, the award type, the agency that is offering the funding and their agency number.

Aside from managing the monetary aspects of their projects, research administrators also spend a lot of time managing their research teams that they have employed underneath them. A lot of the grant management systems can help research administrators manage the human resources information of their projects also.

There are a lot of benefits that accompany having a management system in play. Research administrators cannot only manage the funds that they are using and applying for to help with their research, but they can also manage administrative duties at the same time-with the same software.

Grant Management, Management, Research Scientists, research management

Grant Management for Non-Profits | IT Works

Dec 7th, 11 / 0 Comments

It is important for any grant department manager to be careful about how grant funding is handled throughout the entire organization. With non-profit organizations, though, handling funds properly is absolutely crucial. Any mishandling can lead to grant cancellation or negative publicity—or worse, it could actually lead to litigation or criminal prosecution.

In order to ensure that grant management is done properly, it is typically best for non-profit organizations to invest in grant management software. A software program can help keep all grant information in one easy-to-access place. Software also enables the grant department manager to sort, arrange, and track grants and their funding as needed.

It is essential that grant department managers are well-informed about certain aspects of how to work with grants. Here are some of the important considerations:

Grant Terms and Conditions

Each grant will have its own terms and conditions. It is important for the grant manager to understand all of the expectations of the funding agency so that the non-profit organization will be able to fully comply. For instance, are administrative expenses covered by the grant? Or does the grant cover only research-related expenses? Make sure all employees know the grant conditions so that there is no confusion.

Funding Grid

A funding grid details grant funds that have been received and how they have been allocated for spending. It also shows how they have been spent as per grant guidelines. Funding grids typically show more than one funding agency and more than one grant because they are created for the master budget or for the budget of each large project. Most organizations use accountants to create funding grids.

Compliance Reviews

The grant department manager will need to complete periodic reviews of the grant-funded projects in order to ensure that the funds are being used for their intended purpose. These reviews give the manager an opportunity to correct any problems that arise. Also, most grant funding agencies require progress updates, so these reviews serve that purpose as well.

Grant Management

Duties of a Grant Department Manager

Dec 14th, 11 / 0 Comments

Most organizations that provide grants have board members and staff members who work as a group to decide which institutions and foundations will receive grant funding. These organizations also each have at least one grant administrator who is responsible for managing the grants process.

What Does a Grant Administrator Do?

A grant administrator, or department manager, has many duties for the funding organization. He is in charge of working with current grantees and reviewing grant proposals from potential grantees in order to make recommendations to that funding board.

Administrators must be good communicators in order to be able to work well with those who apply for grants and the other members of the grant organization.

Administrators also need to track grants to make sure that they comply with funding regulations. They must also work on grant budgeting; it is their responsibility to keep the funding organization to its strict budget.

How Do Grant Administrators Manage the Grants Process?

Most grant department managers use grant management software to assist them in handling incoming requests for funding, processing new grants, and tracking existing grants.

Grant management software helps to save time. Administrators use this software for a wide variety of tasks, including the following:

  • View grant funding data as a whole or track grant expenditures
  • Analyze grant budgeting
  • Run reports on grant projects
  • Document information regarding a specific grant

Choosing Grant Management Software with Browser Access

Grant department managers are often able to help select grant software for use in their organization. If this is possible, grant administrators should try to select software that is able to run online in a browser. If an organization already has grant software, it may be possible to obtain an update in order to have browser access.

Browser access is ideal for grant management software because it enables staff to use the software anywhere there is an Internet connection. In addition, grant applicants can complete grant proposals online. Because the Internet has become increasingly important over the years, it is a good idea for grant organizations to pursue this avenue of grant management software.

Grant Management, Management, department manager

4 Types of Grant Management Systems | IT Works

Dec 21st, 11 / 0 Comments

Grant management systems are more affordable than they have been over the last several years. This has allowed more vendors to provide different options to companies needing this software. Here are the types of software systems currently available on the market:

Hosted Online Systems

This type of system is accessible via a web browser. Companies pay a software vendor for online access to the software, which is also called Software-As-a-Service (SAaS). All grant data and information is stored on the vendor’s servers. No hardware purchases are necessary.

Though this type of grant management software may sound unstable, it is actually quite secure. Many banks and hospitals use similar systems for their data management.

Installed Systems

With this software, companies buy the system and have it installed onto their own network and computers. Most of these grant management systems are based upon Windows; therefore, companies using another operating system may not be able to use this option. This software is typically rich in features, but may not have online capabilities.

Companies that choose this type of software must do their own data backups and software updates. So, it is necessary to have an experienced computer technician on staff who is able to perform these actions.

Online Web Software

A few vendors offer grant management software that companies can purchase and download to their own web servers. Companies can then access the software from anywhere that there is an online connection.

This type of software is similar to a Hosted Online System; however, with Online Web Software a company will need to purchase hardware. In addition, the company must have qualified IT personnel in order to handle installation, software updates, and data backups.

Custom-Built Systems

Some companies have unique needs and, for them, a custom-built grant management system can be a good alternative. A vendor can design a system with features and toolsets that provide the company with the functionality it requires.

The downside to a custom system? The cost. It can be extremely expensive to hire a software developer to create a system. But there are also other considerations. It can take a software developer quite a long time to design custom software. Also, the developer will need to be willing to maintain and upgrade the software as needed—and the company must pay for this work.

Grant Management

Skills Necessary to be a Grant Management Software Administrator

Dec 28th, 11 / 0 Comments

Do you need someone to handle your grant management software? Are you looking to either hire a grant department manager or promote someone from within your foundation or institute? If you need assistance in deciding how to hire someone for this position, you aren’t alone—a lot of businesses really aren’t sure how to go about finding someone to work as a grant department manager.

Specialized Software Skills are Not Needed

First of all, it is important to note that you do not need to try to find someone who has unique or exclusive computer skills. Anyone who has enough software skills to be able to work in a government office, college, research institute, or non-profit foundation likely has adequate skills to operate grant management software.

There is one exception—if the grant software is not already installed and set up, you may need to have someone (perhaps an associate from the software vendor) do this for you.

Skills to Look for in a Grant Department Manager

Now you know that you do not need to seek out a software specialist. But what do you need to look for in a grant department manager? Look for someone who will be competent at the following tasks:

  • Managing a variety of projects simultaneously – Grant management software will make this task simple and uncomplicated; however, it can still be stressful. You need a grant department manager who is able to handle the stress and manage the projects.

  • Ensure the accuracy of all information – The software does have built-in templates and forms; however, it will be the responsibility of the department manager to make sure that everything is accurate.
  • Communicate effectively – The grant department manager must be able to use documents and email to communicate with stakeholders, affiliates, financial officers, grantees, and funders.
  • Make grant administration smooth – The manager must use the grant software and his own talents and knowledge to help the grant process flow smoothly.
Administrators, Grant Management, department manager

Why Use Web-Based Effort Certification and Reporting Technology?

Jan 21st, 12 / 0 Comments
IT Works Grant Management Software

Web Based Effort Administrator Helps EAs Everywhere

Effort administrators understand that tracking their research grants takes time, especially if the effort certification and reporting technology the EAs are using is difficult to navigate, or not as flexible as they would like. Investing in any new technology, whether to replace an existing effort reporting system or to get one started to make reporting easier is a tedious and time-consuming task. Because of this, EAs have to wonder whether investing in the latest web-based effort reporting and certification technology would even make a difference to their grants management tasks or not.

You bet it does.

Especially if it is web-based, as a system with a web interface offers many features a software package does not. The truth is, most of the grant manager software systems currently on the market eat away at the bottom line, especially when factoring the purchase, implementation, and maintenance of the system, not to mention training the faculty to use it the software. These tasks also eat away at time that most researchers and other faculty simply do not have.

For this reason, EAs look at solutions from many of the grant management software and effort reporting systems on the market, but they should be looking at an all-in-one package from a web-based solution. Using a complete effort certification and reporting technology with a web interface removes some of the steps  that would be needed to implement and use a specific software, making reporting more efficient.

Some of the features offered by a web-based effort reporting and certification technology include:

  • Interactive and easy to use web interface
  • Multiple effort reporting options and easy to use customization tools
  • Instant certification statements and ability to project future reporting needs
  • Compatible with almost any Windows or Mac-based workstation and browser

A web-based effort reporting and certification technology also has a smaller learning curve. Since most people are familiar with how web applications work, it makes training employees to use the system to track grant efforts much more efficient, leaving more time for research.

All of these features are what make Effort Administrator the clear choice in effort reporting and certification technology. It is web-based, and just happens to have the distinction of being the most cost-effective of all complete grant management systems available to the research community today. Besides the federal requirements for grant tracking and effort certification and reporting, isn’t cost effectiveness one of the reasons EAs track their efforts?

Administrators, Grant Management, effort administrator, grant tracking software

Applying Technological Advances to Your Grants Management System

Jan 25th, 12 / 0 Comments
IT Works Grant Management Software

Effort Administrator: Better Effort Reporting

Given the limited funding available to the various organizations that apply for and receive grants – or not – and considering the decreased funding over the last year overall in any sector, it is clear these organizations are having a difficult time bouncing back from the almost three-year long recession. In fact, the decreased grant awards makes it clear that a better grant management system is needed to help maximize funds already in play while remaining as cost-effective as possible.

State of Grantseeking

According to The State of Grantseeking Fall 2011 report released by PhilanTech and GrantStation, grant sizes decreased overall in a single year’s time – despite the fact that the vast majority of organizations polled that applied for a grant in any capacity either applied for the same number or applied for more grants to acquire funding.

The report also showed that of those polled, 37 percent of organizations that applied for the same number of grants or even more grants than they did last year actually received fewer grant awards overall. However, even though funds are decreased, it can be possible to continue to operate as normal, and maybe even justify and receive a larger grant with the next application.

Updating the Grants Management System

With a better way to manage grants, that is a better way to record, report and justify how, why and when those grant dollars are spent, it is possible to make the case for continued and increased funding.

That’s not to say that current record keeping tactics are not working for any given industry, or that those tactics are in themselves a problem – they are not, and the current tactics are probably perfectly suited to any given department. However, there can be record keeping issues that manual or outdated software systems simply cannot keep up with when considering the current technological advancements of grant tracking and grant accounting software programs.

Applying Technological Advances to Effort Reporting

Considering that 72 percent of those organizations polled stated their faculty was responsible in part for all grant seeking for the year, using newer grants management systems that can account for different faculty security clearances can help curb errors and anomalies in the effort administrator reports themselves.

Overall employee accountability, effort reporting, and the issuance of effort certification statements are issues that effort administrators must manage. Using up to date, out of the box complete solution such as IT  Works’ Effort Administrator allows for better, more efficient management of the grant efforts, and is a much more cost efficient solution. In other words, the solution that allows employees to focus on their work, rather than the reporting, and thus increasing the chances of securing increased funding in the future.

Source

Grant Management, effort administrator, grant tracking software

Is A New Effort Reporting System Worth the Effort?

Jan 27th, 12 / 0 Comments
IT Works Grant Management Software

Effort Administrator: Better Effort Reporting

Modern businesses are using technology designed with the specific goal of making work easier, and implementing multiple types of software to cover different aspects of each job within an organization has become the norm. This is especially true of those organizations that need to keep massively detailed reports – while this accounts for the vast majority of businesses in the United States, this is especially true of any organization utilizing grant funds.

Help with Grant Tracking

Grant tracking and effort reporting requires very specific reports and statements for continued qualification as a recipient of the funds. For instance, some department managers might use project management software that can help delegate tasks to staff, manage clients, and manage billing and inventory, among other things. Others, such as Effort Administrators and other faculty associated with effort reporting tasks, might use an effort reporting software system that helps to streamline the reporting and certification processes. However, whether the implementation of this system is worth the effort or not is completely dependent on whether the system makes the effort administrator’s job easier or not.

Streamlining the After Award Process

The basic process of documenting and reporting on the efforts put forth by the faculty after the award has been issued consists of a multi tiered reporting process. This includes formally documenting all research efforts, reporting and tracking time worked, tracking funds, and even issuing sanctions and suspensions when necessary. Even information such as phone calls, emails and on-site visits are documented, then after reporting on the efforts, the reports are verified, and an effort certification statement is issued. This statement certifies that the reports of efforts put forth by faculty are true and accurate to the best of that person’s knowledge.

Implementing a grant tracking system that streamlines the above processes without creating the need to put in too much extra effort is ideal. However, some software systems can be cumbersome to implement and require special training to use.

Evaluating Options

The one thing to remember when deciding which effort reporting and certification technology or software to use is that no matter what the job is that the technology is being used for, that technology should never, ever, make the job more difficult to complete.

It is always a good idea to evaluate any software or technology before jumping in and implementing it to make sure it is worth the effort of implementing in the first place. This is especially true of effort reporting software. Software is created to make things easier, not more difficult and, unfortunately, some organizations implement a technology based on nothing more than recommendations of others, and then find out they would have been better off using their previous system – no matter what it was.

If you are considering new software for your grants management department, then you should consider allowing IT Works Inc. demonstrate Effort administrator by filling out the contact form. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how little effort is required.

Administrators, Grant Management, department manager, effort administrator, grant tracking software, research management

Increasing Effectiveness of Grant Administration Systems

Jan 31st, 12 / 0 Comments

No matter what type of institution has applied for and procured grant funding, managing the funding effectively is the cornerstone of

IT Works Grant Management Software

IT Works for Efficient Grant Management

succeeding with the project for which those funds were awarded. A grant manager is tasked with putting together a plan to balance the different tasks required of this position. According to a report by Henry Flood of The Grantsmanship Center, this planning and structure is essential to effective grants management.

This plan for effective grant management and organization can include anything from figuring out how to meet the funding source’s requirements and meeting similar obligations with documentation. It can also include things such as documenting everything according to federal regulations including filing and certifying effort reports, financial reporting period reports, and much more.

Efficient Planning

For this reason, having a plan of action that is not only a reliable one, but one that will be the most efficient possible is something that staff connected with procuring and reporting on the grants always have in place. The plans typically include various online and offline strategies, and sometimes both.

For instance, having a great organizational structure is not strictly an online effort, although it does help if it is. In fact, many administrators find it easier to file some reports, write documents; keep track of time and effort reporting and financial reporting offline, while later transferring that offline work into an online application for official reporting.

Some of the organizational structures EAs tend to use include

  • Creating project files specific to each grant that has been awarded
  • Complete project and task management plans
  • Compliance, financial and purchase tracking and reporting plans
  • Security policies and procedures related to projects and organization
  • Business practice and records auditing process including resolution steps
  • Overall quality control

While faculty may be used to organizing things offline, or used to using a hybrid system, having not yet upgraded to a complete online system, the issue with this is that no matter how efficient the organizational plan is, it will take more time to complete offline. Administrators are doing their jobs twice.

Online = Efficient and Cost Effective

This is why EAs began moving to online systems some time ago, and these days, those systems are more popular than ever. They typically integrate complete organizational control through a web application, thus saving time. A complete grants management system includes everything that an effort administrator or grant manager needs to organize, document and file reports.

This is the type of complete integration and organizational control that the IT Works software systems offer, right out of the box. From complete control over the College administration process for funding to allowing efficient research into even the most organizational intensive grants tracking, the full IT Works has a program that is can help without spending half the grant on implementing it.

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Administrators, Grant Management, Management, college administrator, research management