The U of M SPA office reviews and process proposals for funding from all external agencies. Staff work with faculty members to develop budgets and assist in the interpretation of program guidelines. After a grant is awarded, SPA serves as the liaison between the faculty member and the sponsoring agency. OIP staff can provide information on previous grant winners, supply some of the boilerplate institutional information requested, and give feedback on proposal drafts. U.S. State Department university affiliations programs The U.S. Department of State holds annual competitions for grants to support academic exchanges between U.S. and foreign institutions.
Priorities change from year to year.
OIP can provide current information on program priorities. These exchanges require institutional commitment and signatures. Since very few awards are granted each year, the University of Minnesota wants to ensure that the proposals it submits are not competing with each other and that programs meet State Department priorities. We suggest that you contact OIP if you are interested in developing a proposal for an affiliations grant. Our staff can provide you with information on previous grant winners, supply some of the boilerplate institutional information requested by the State Department, and give you feedback on proposal drafts.