The customer and provider, without outside regulations, define the activities controlled by contracts. The timeframe on contracts is often very short in order to meet the needs of business and industry. Grants are best defined by their detailed and structured application process, and in most cases are competitive awards. Grants have detailed regulations and are supported by state, federal or foundation funds with the possibility of a match required. Grants are typically regulated by a specific timeframe for submission, approval and completion.
Grants have a stated award period that outlines when work is to be completed.
The Board of Trustees Policy on Contracts further describes the process to enter into contracts and should be consulted for additional information. A pre-application meeting may be requested by the Director of Grants, the Grant Officer, or representative of General Counsel to assist or receive additional clarification on the intent of the grant or specific requirements of the grant. Once the grant is approved by the V.P., it will be available to the grant writer to be sent to the agency or corporation. Once a grant has been awarded to the University, a formal approval process is required in order to accept the grant. The Dean or respective Unit Manager must approve the acceptance of the grant for their respective college or department.