This document discusses using LinkedIn as a tool for proposal development. It describes how the author's LinkedIn network has grown to include astronauts, undersecretaries, program officers, and foundation directors who can provide resources and connections. The document suggests using LinkedIn to identify potential faculty collaborations and research opportunities, and gain knowledge by joining relevant groups. It provides tips for engaging members of a LinkedIn group created by a university research office, such as celebrating faculty achievements and sharing funding opportunities and resources.

1. LinkedIn as a Proposal
Development Tool
Anne M. Pascucci

2. LinkedIn to MeLinkedIn to Me
• Started out just catching up with people, sort of like Collaborate
on NCURA - wanted a way to locate folks easily and
professionally
• Not Facebook – Professional not Personal – Still don’t have a
handle on Facebook
• Grew into a way to expand my thinking and connections by
joining groups
• I am LinkedIn with Astronauts and Under-Secretary's, Program
Officers, Foundation Directors etc.

3. Proposal DevelopmentProposal Development
 What are my faculty doing?
 What might they do if they had a good lead or
connection/collaborator/mentor?
 See the opportunities…you may be opening someone’s mind to
new ideas or solidifying their research agenda by suggesting a
connection
 Have you considered opening an office account?
 Join groups for faculty providing them with more resources…
articles…connections…organizations

4. Proposal DevelopmentProposal Development
• If you do create an OSP LinkedIn Group, make sure that its
worth joining
• Keep your LinkedIn group vibrant
• Pivot provides upcoming funding opp’s to add
• Foundation PNG provides RFP’s you can upload that might be
of interest to your faculty
• ScoopIt/Google Alerts are an incredible resource for content…
articles, funding opportunities
• The Chronicle of Higher Education is always a terrific source of
content

5. Proposal DevelopmentProposal Development
• If you do newsletters, post them
• If you’re having an event, invite them
• If your faculty member got an award, celebrate them
• When you find resources for proposal elements, post them
• Training sessions, Brown Bags, Snacks 4 Scholars…etc

6. Proposal DevelopmentProposal Development
• Gain Knowledge
• New groups are forming all of the time – OSP, Departmental
Administrators, NORDP, Alumni, STEAM, Grant
Professionals, NCURA, NCURA Regions, America’s Cup, TED
and the list goes on
• One connection leads to another and to other groups and groups
can lead to other connections-Funding
Sources….Collaborators…Mentors

7. Proposal DevelopmentProposal Development
• I’ve been warned….
• Always be respectful with the invites… “thank you for
considering my request”
• When you get a yes ~ open profile under send message click
Export to PDF and save in a shared folder for faculty…
• Look at their connections
• I have invited speakers who I never would have known
except for LinkedIn

10. Personal/ProposalPersonal/Proposal
DevelopmentDevelopment
• I love to make connections…professional, friends, acquaintances
• When I find a nugget of shared interests, I will connect people
and hope that the Golden Rule holds true
• People looking for jobs, wisdom, ideas, references,
organizations…

11. Crowd Sourcing NOT Crowd FundingCrowd Sourcing NOT Crowd Funding
An Excerpt from the NSFAn Excerpt from the NSF

12. ► ◄

14. Crowd Sourcing UsingCrowd Sourcing Using
LinkedInLinkedIn
Everyone is familiar with crowd funding, a form of fund raising used by
soliciting strangers to support either a worthy, interesting, or really silly
purpose or business startup.
Crowd sourcing is similar with a couple of caveats. No money changes
hands and topics are generally research related. I’ve heard it described as
Jenga, the game where you add building blocks and some are removed and
placed on top.
Ok I am optimistic but….using groups created by a researcher or RD
office asking questions around the topic of a faculty member’s research
topic can build sources of collaboration, reference and new ideas.

15. Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry
• Appreciative Inquiry is a philosophy and a methodology for positive
change. It is founded on the simple assumption that human systems –
teams, organizations and people – move in the direction of what they
study, what they focus upon and what they talk about with regularity.
• The essence of Appreciative Inquiry is then the study of what “gives life,”
energy and vitality to organizations, teams and people when they are at
their best. Appreciative Inquiry does not assume that any person or
organization is always at its best. It does posit, and both research and
experience show, that people learn, and organizations change most readily
when they focus on, study, and engage in dialogue about strengths, patterns
of success and who they are at their best.
• For this reason, the Appreciative Inquiry process engages large numbers of
people in dialogue and deliberations about their individual and collective
strengths, their hopes and dreams for the future, as well as opportunities
and plans for collaborative action.
Courtesy of the Corporation for Positive Change

16. Courtesy of the Corporation for Positive ChangeCourtesy of the Corporation for Positive Change