Office of Grants and Foundation Relations

Email: grants@iwu.edu
Location: Remote

The Office of Grants and Foundation Relations is a service-driven resource dedicated to advancing Illinois Wesleyan University’s mission through the pursuit of external funding. We partner with faculty, staff, and administrators to secure financial support for a wide range of activities, including research and scholarship, innovative teaching initiatives, professional development, community engagement, and both departmental and university-wide strategic goals.

Our office offers comprehensive support across the full lifecycle of grant development and management. This includes proactively identifying and sharing funding opportunities from federal, state, corporate, and private philanthropic sources; analyzing funding guidelines to align with institutional and individual priorities; and crafting competitive proposals. We assist in forming interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations, writing and editing compelling narratives, designing and preparing compliant budgets, and gathering institutional data and statistics to strengthen applications. We also guide proposals through the required internal review and approval process, ensuring all necessary certifications and assurances are in place. Once submitted, we continue to support faculty and staff through post-award administration, liaising with funders, monitoring reporting requirements, and helping ensure grant compliance.

Ultimately, the Office of Grants and Foundation Relations is here to help you turn ideas into funded projects that enrich the work of the IWU community.