Grant Facilitation Officers (GFO) support faculty in applying for research grants. Your GFO will meet with you to: 

• help identify funding opportunities
• assist with initiating and developing research collaborations
• provide review, editing and revision of research proposals, including budget justification
• work with you through the review and proposal submission processes
• share research-related resources 

To set up a meeting with the Faculty's GFO, Lisa Charlong Norris, you can email Lisa at lcharlong@mun.ca or call 864-7623.

---

 When to schedule a meeting with your GFO

The amount of assistance a GFO can offer is dependent on how soon into your research idea or grant application you schedule a meeting. The following list describes expected levels of services according to deadlines:

The less time you leave for writing, coordinating and reviewing a grant, the more mistakes will be made. 

1 year before funder's deadline: Major grant competitions should be planned one year in advance of the funder's deadline. One year lead time allows you to:

• review all funder (i.e. Tri-Council) guidelines and instructions
• begin a literature review
• build your research team
• consult with your GFO on your application plan and on potential seed funding you can apply for 

6 months before funder's deadline: This is a good time to begin drafts of your application sections such as:

• the project description
• your budget
• team roles and training
• your knowledge mobilization plan 
• your *research data management plan 
• ask colleagues and your GFO for feedback on each section. 

3 months before funder's deadline:

• Pull together all sections of the proposal. 
• Send template for letters of support to all who agreed to provide them. 
• Remind co-applicants (and yourself) that CVs need to be updated and, in the case of SSHRC and other Tri-Council grants, entered into the online CV portal. NEVER underestimate how long it takes to enter this information!
• Meet with your GFO to review ANY questions you have about the application as well as the review and submission process. 
• The GFO will review your budget again for elligible and illegible expenses. 

1 month before the funder's deadline: 

• Feedback from colleagues and your GFO get incorporated into your application. 
• CVs are updated and entered into any required online system (i.e. CCV)
• Signed support letters are done. 

2 weeks before the funder's deadline:

• Your GFO will give the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Programs, advance notice that your application will be submitted. 
• Your GFO can work with you to begin describing your application in the Memorial Researcher Portal (title, team, ethics clearance, intellectual property, in-kind and cash contributions, etc). 

10 days before the funder's deadline: All review and institutional signatures on your grant application take place in the MUN researcher portal.

• Once you submit (hit the submit button),  your application will be formally reviewed first by the GFO then the Associate Dean.
• If no changes are necessary, your application will be moved to the research office (RGCS) for final review and institutional signature (where applicable).
• RGCS requires at least 3 days to review your file; the faculty requires 7 days. 

Night after submission date:

• Celebrate

Two nights after submission date:

• Start next grant :)