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Faculty and Staff Funding

Saint Louis University’s Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) is a clearinghouse for all solicitations from the University and its representatives to private foundations and corporations.

A fleur de lis on top of a building on campus.

 

Looking for Funding?

SLU’s Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) develops mutually beneficial opportunities with private foundations and corporations (no government funders). CFR can help identify prospective funders for your research or program and build on their expertise and relationship with the funder to give you a strategic advantage.

Before you apply for any private funding, please check with the CFR office first to ensure you are eligible.  There may be restrictions for that application or funder due to a limited number of proposals, unpublished waiting periods, restrictions specific to SLU, conflicting requests or changes in funder strategy. CFR coordinates all corporate and private foundation solicitations so that you don’t have to navigate these ever-changing criteria. Working with the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations staff ensures time is spent wisely, and proposals move forward expediently.

Grants

CFR's Role

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations team offers an additional layer of grant development support, drawing on its relationships with foundations and its knowledge of the private foundation industry. We work alongside Grant Operation (GO) Centers across the University to develop the strongest proposal.

GO Centers' preaward specialists guide and manage the grant proposal process from start to finish. They develop budgets, advise on structure (such as subcontractors or collaborators), ensure University and foundation compliance and gain University approvals. They are the final word, and submissions cannot move forward until their permission has been granted. All completed grant materials must be submitted to GO Centers five working days prior to the funder’s deadline for review.

Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations team members advise on strategy to ensure the project aligns with the funder’s mission, including goals that may not be apparent from the RFP or website. The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations can also provide proofreading and portal submission support and may offer suggestions on budgets when the grant asks for a total project budget and amount requested. (These figures need to differ.)

Limited Submission Opportunity

Limited submission opportunities (LSOs) are grants for which a select number of candidates from SLU or a particular school may apply. Internal competitions are held six or more weeks before the external deadline and are run through OpenWater. Candidates are selected by the appropriate research strategy group. Please contact the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and your GO preaward person as soon as possible if you identify a funder that requires an LSO on your own.

Managed Foundations

A managed foundation is a foundation with close ties to the University. Any contact with those foundations must be vetted through the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations before contact. Foundations may set restrictions on applications, waiting periods and other aspects specific to their relationship with SLU. The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations team stays up to date on any changes to individual foundation requirements and preferences. Contact the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations for a current list of managed foundations.

Sponsorships

Event sponsorships may take the form of charitable, tax-deductible support or business-related support in which the sponsor receives benefits, often tied to marketing or recruiting. Regardless of the nature of the sponsorship or associated benefits, the following steps should be completed.

Coordinate your prospect list with the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations.

All corporations being solicited for sponsorship must be vetted by the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations prior to reaching out to the company. The list of restricted foundations and corporations requires strategic, centralized and coordinated management due to:

  • Donor preferences
  • Institutional priorities
  • Presidential and Board of Trustees relationships
  • Multifaceted engagement
  • Limited submissions permitted by the funder

Complete a sponsorship inquiry form three months prior to an event. Charitable sponsorships are coordinated by SLU’s Division of Development. Noncharitable events are handled by the department in cooperation with the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations.

Start a Sponsorship Inquiry Form

Characteristics of Charitable Sponsorships
  • The sponsor intends to make a gift and receives nothing in value in return.
  • No goods or services are provided in exchange for the funding.
    The transaction has no strings attached or no expectation for anything in return.
  • Any material goods received of value and quid pro quo considerations reduce the value of the donation.
  • Any online payments for sponsorships must be managed through SLU Development's Alumni and Donor Engagement department.
Characteristics of Non-Charitable Sponsorships
  • The sponsorship provides access to students, staff or faculty.
  • A sponsor retains control over the event or activity.
  • Sponsors are provided space to display or sell their marketing materials, products or services. Trade-outs are included, such as free hotel rooms or transportation provided by the supplier.
  • The sponsor provides donations via exclusive vendor agreements where the University receives the items or funding in exchange for refraining from using competitors' products.

If you are uncertain where your event falls, complete the form, and we will advise you accordingly. IRS information on advertising or qualified sponsorship payments can be found here.

CFR Will Guide You Through The Sponsorship Process

Several steps in this process require the Division of Development’s approval before moving forward. Please refer to the chart below to determine who is responsible.

Sponsorship Activities Charitable Event Responsible Party Non-Charitable Event Responsible Party
Create Marketing Materials Contact the Division of Marketing and Communication for guidance. Contact the Division of Marketing and Communication for guidance.

 Provide Samples and Advice 

 CFR CFR
Review Materials with Development CFR CFR (If unsure how it qualifies)
Registration Process Alumni and Donor Engagement School or college
Create List of Prospective Sponsors School or college School or college
Vet Sponsor List CFR CFR
Contact Sponsors School or college School or college
Sponsor Follow-up School or college School or college
Secure Sponsor Logos CFR School or college
Create Giving Link Alumni and Donor Engagement Alumni and Donor Engagement
Process Payments CFR School or college
Create a Sponsor Response Template CFR School or college
Sponsor Tracking Sheet CFR School or college
Ensure Sponsor Benefits are Met CFR, Development and event organizer School or college
Day-of Assistance Development CFR (As available)
 

When pursuing sponsorship opportunities, please keep in mind:

  • If the event has a donation component, event registration must be handled by the Division of Development.
  • All marketing materials must be approved by the Division of Development before distribution.
  • Distribution lists must be vetted by the development team prior to solicitation to ensure there are no pending or planned asks to that company or individual. It may take months to obtain funds (forms and tax materials may also be required).
  • We do not assist with funding of faculty/staff/student immersion trips.
  • We do not construct marketing materials.
  • We do not supply event or distribution lists or mass-distribute. We suggest that event emails come from department email addresses.
  • Please note that sponsorship or event attendance payments that represent gifts made to SLU from SLU accounts are not permissible. The non-gift portion of the sponsorship or event attendance may be paid by SLU to SLU; in this case, special arrangements for payments may be required.