1. Journal of the Grant Professionals Association Fall 2015
The Importance of Mentoring Junior Faculty 89
The Importance of Mentoring Junior Faculty
Nicole A. Gibson, CRA
University of California, Davis, CA
GPCI Competency 02: Knowledge of organizational
development as it pertains to grant seeking
GPCI Competency 05: Knowledge of post-award
grant management practices sufficient to inform
effective grant design and development
Abstract
Grant administrators have a unique window on the
world of extramural funding. They receive information
on funding opportunities, updates on the latest industry
trends,andareawareofguidelinesimposedbysponsors.
Their knowledge can and should be shared with others
seeking funding opportunities, and especially with those
who are new to the process, such as junior faculty.
By collecting, reviewing, and disseminating essential
information on extramural funding, grant administrators
fulfill the expected knowledge of the competencies that
are the foundation of the Validated Competencies and
Skills of the Grant Professionals Certification Institute
(GPCI, 2015). Individuals who are new to an academic
title, also referred to as junior faculty, often depend
on extramural funding to pay all or part of their salary.
Therefore, it is important to help them become adept
at finding, applying for, and successfully receiving and
managing funds from a wide variety of funders. Grant
administrators have the responsibility to mentor junior
faculty in order to strengthen their standing within their
academic communities and allow them to grow in their
designated research areas. Successful grantsmanship
and subsequent funding contribute to a win-win
situation for both the junior faculty member and the
grant administrator. Both will find satisfaction in working
together as a team in proposal development.

2. 90 N.A. Gibson
Fall 2015 Journal of the Grant Professionals Association
Introduction
Grant administrators are the experts in finding funding opportunities,
navigating organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking,
preparing comprehensive grant proposal packages, and managing post-
award activities. Junior faculty may not be trained in the nuances of grant
writing, application submission, or funds management, but success and
growth in their academic career depends upon their ability to acquire
extramural funding to support their research emphases (Brown, 2015). It
is the grant administrator’s role as a mentor to help guide junior faculty
in their efforts to apply successfully for funding and then manage the
grant post-award. Many grant administrators achieve designation as a
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) as a result of understanding and
successfully passing the test of the Research Administrators’ Certification
Council (RACC) Body of Knowledge. The RACC Body of Knowledge is a
widely accepted standard of knowledge and understanding associated
with finding funding, managing awards, and understanding the
importance of research in the academic environment (RACC, 2014).
By applying broad knowledge of grantsmanship and accountability,
mentoring junior faculty can be rewarding and productive. The key is
to maintain a positive and collaborative relationship between the grant
administrator and the junior faculty member.
Roles, Rules, and the Path to Success
All aspects of grantsmanship have specific rules that must be followed.
Rules are established by organizations or institutions for proposal
submission, funders have their own rules for submission of proposals,
and there are financial and ethical rules for post-award fund and program
management. By following the rules and using strategy, junior faculty
members can become successful at seeking and winning grants. The goal
is to obtain research funds to pay salaries, support research programs,
and develop opportunities that contribute to a successful career in
research.
Junior faculty members should be able to rely on their grant
administrator as a mentor who helps to navigate the rules as they seek
research funds for hard science, social sciences, equipment fabrication,
career development, or other activities. Research can be basic, focusing
on increasing scientific knowledge or applying it and designing solutions
to problems.
The grant administrator’s role as a mentor thus means they are
the coach, interpreter, enforcer, and motivator for the junior faculty
member. They help the junior faculty member to understand the rules
of the funding agencies, financial auditors, federal government, and
institution. Not following the rules at any step during the process can
result in failure and has the potential to negatively impact the junior

3. Journal of the Grant Professionals Association Fall 2015
The Importance of Mentoring Junior Faculty 91
faculty member’s career trajectory. The grant administrator’s certification
by the Research Administrator’s Certification Council reassures junior
faculty members that they are working with an individual who is able to
fulfill a particularly important role in making sure that all paperwork and
budgets comply with both the agency and institution guidelines to ensure
sound fiscal responsibility (RACC, 2014).
The grantseeking process has five basic rules.
Rule #1: Understand the junior faculty member’s area of expertise
Subscribe to listserves and funding opportunity services to find
appropriate funding vehicles related to that area. ScienceCareers.com
has an extensive list of funding sources including Grants.gov, Pivot,
and SPIN (“Science Careers,” 2015). Targeted funding opportunities for
junior faculty may specify that they are for academic professionals who
are less than a set number of years from award of PhD; that they are
for individuals who will have a mentor to help develop their scientific
expertise in a specific area; or they are for those who have not been
awarded tenure. Many private or subject-specific websites such as
the American Heart Association will have their own subscriptions for
upcoming funding opportunities, and these websites will have detailed
information on application process, eligibility requirements, and post-
award management (American Heart Association, 2015).
Rule #2: Read all instructions and guidelines carefully
Determine eligibility, restrictions, requirements for application and
management of award, budget requirements and restrictions, award
period, and submission and reporting deadlines. Success can only
be achieved by reading and following the rules to the letter. Some
guidelines are hard to find, so it can take cooperation between the grants
administrator, the junior faculty member, and the funder to find and
interpret the guidelines. Each can provide interpretation and guidance,
so they should be encouraged to explore, collaborate, share and utilize
information to the greatest extent possible. Many institutions rely on the
federal government’s OMB circulars to shape their institutional policies
for management of research awards (OMB, 2015). There will be additional
institutional requirements that must be followed, but the OMB circulars
will often provide the basic structure for award management.
Rule #3: Identify and apply for a specific funding
opportunity based on eligibility and relevance
The grants administrator will play a key role by assisting with budget
development, completing the application and associated paperwork, and
submitting to the institution’s Development Office for approval. Once the
application receives approval from the junior faculty member and the

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Fall 2015 Journal of the Grant Professionals Association
institution, the grant administrator will assist with final submission to
the funder.
Junior faculty know the subject of their research, but they may not
know how to develop a budget or write a comprehensive proposal. The
grant administrator can help identify desired budget components such
as personnel, supplies, travel, equipment, and institutional overhead,
and assist with preparation of the budget justification. The junior
faculty member can request support from a colleague or senior faculty
member who might provide guidance on construction of the Specific
Aims, Materials and Methods, and supporting documentation such as
the bibliography and letters of support. However, it is up to the grant
administrator to ensure that the budget is appropriate and allocable and
that the correct institution and agency forms are used. The proposal is
reviewed by the Office of Research or Sponsored Programs whose aim
is to ensure that the proposal is complete and in compliance with the
institution’s policies.
It is important to guarantee that there are no conflicts associated
with proposed research activities and that full disclosure occurs when
one application is submitted to more than one funding source or when
funding is already in place from an alternate source.
If the application is successful and an award is forthcoming, the
junior faculty member and institution official will review the terms of the
award and accept, negotiate, or deny. If accepted, the terms of the award
are finalized. At this time, the junior faculty member’s role becomes that
of Primary Investigator.
Rule #4: Implement sound management policies and procedures
The Primary Investigator must work closely with the institution official
and grant administrator to set up the award in the institution’s award
database or award management system, assign appropriate accounts to
receive the award funds, hire personnel that may have been included in
the budget, and develop tracking systems to ensure the project remains
on budget and in compliance with the agency and institution guidelines.
The grant administrator can assist by discussing budget restrictions
and reporting requirements with the Primary Investigator so that they
both understand and comply with the terms of the award.
Rule #5: Ensure comprehensive documentation
When the initial award period reaches a close, the Primary Investigator
must document the activities that took place as a result of the award,
disclose any scientific discoveries that may have occurred, detail the
successes and disappointments of the research activity, reference
resulting publications, establish mechanisms for data sharing, and
describe the potential to use this research as a building block for future

5. Journal of the Grant Professionals Association Fall 2015
The Importance of Mentoring Junior Faculty 93
important and significant discoveries. The funding agency will review
the final reports, often assigning a score that determines satisfaction
and future funding potential, and will let the Primary Investigator know
whether they met the expectations of the award. If the funding agency
is satisfied with the results of the research supported by the award, the
Primary Investigator succeeded on many levels.
Conclusion
A research award represents significant progress toward tenure, provides
opportunities for professional growth and recognition, and contributes to
a publication record of valuable data. A research award provides the basis
for career advancement and future research funding. A research award
presents the opportunity for the Primary Investigator to explore new and
exciting opportunities for research and development. The intervention of
a seasoned grant professional to mentor junior faculty members in the
knowledge and skills necessary to write successful grant proposals is an
essential component in the development of successful and experienced
researchers
References
American Heart Association. (2015). Research . Retrieved from
http://my.americanheart.org/professional/Research/Research_
UCM_316889_SubHomePage.jsp
Brown, B. (2015). Navigating your first tenure-track academic position.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved from http://
diverseeducation.com/article/68637/
Grant Professionals Certification Institute. (2015). Validated competencies
and skills. Retrieved from http://www.grantcredential.org/wp-
content/uploads/2010/06/GPC-Competencies-Skills.pdf
Office of Management and Budget. (2015). Circulars. Retrieved from
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars_default
Research Administrators Certification Council. (2014). CRA
Body of Knowledge. Retrieved from http://www.cra-cert.org/
CRAbodyofknowledge.html
Science Careers. (2015). Retrieved from http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.
org/funding

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Fall 2015 Journal of the Grant Professionals Association
Biographical Information
Nicole Gibson, CRA, holds dual Bachelor’s Degrees
in Sociology and Psychology from the University of
California, Davis and is currently the Senior Account
Manager in the Business Operations Unit of Information
and Education Technology, Office of the Vice Provost,
University of California, Davis. Nicole’s career at UC
Davis spans 35 years and included positions such as
administrative support, website design and database
management, account management and finance, and
contracts and grants support. Nicole’s experience with
contracts and grants includes providing support to nine
of the most prolific researchers and grant professionals
within her assigned departments in the UC Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine, including assisting them
with preparation and submission of more than 300
research proposals to federal and state agencies and
private industry. Nicole received her Certified Research
Administrator designation in 2000 and renewed in 2015.
Nicole can be reached at nagibson@ucdavis.edu.