Role of the CFR Office

As Baylor faculty and staff, you provide our students with a transformational education while impacting lives around the world through ground-breaking research. To do that, you often need external funding and grants, but you may not know where to start.

The Office of Foundation Relations can explain the basics of foundation fundraising, identify foundations that may be interested in your work, help you define your approach and develop a competitive proposal, serve as a liaison to foundations, review letters of intent and proposals, and advise on reporting and stewardship. This opens the door for faculty and staff to engage in the right conversations with the right foundations and secure grants that allow you to do the work at Baylor that you were called to do.

The Foundation Relations team identifies, develops, and coordinates foundation support for the University's research, teaching, scholarship, and student services. Our office has relationships with many of the University's foundation partners. We can provide:

• up-to-date information on foundation priorities
• strategies to maximize your proposal's chance of success
• examples of previously funded projects
• connections to members of the Baylor community who have a relationship with the foundation
• insights on the best time to submit your proposal.

The Foundation Relations team can support you and your project at every stage of the grant-funding cycle.

• Before:
  • Use search resources to find prospective funders.
  • Proactively develop relationships with foundations, learning what they are funding, and keeping them updated about our work.
  • Work closely with faculty and staff to develop projects ideas and understand funding needs.
• During:
  • Review and edit letters of inquiry and proposals to align with foundation priorities and maximize your chance of funding.
  • Work with the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) to meet the foundation’s application and compliance requirements.
  • Maintain an open line of communication with the foundation to ask questions and receive feedback to ensure we are aligned with foundation expectations.
  • Assist with program development to match projects to foundation interests and increase our chance of success.
  • Support faculty, staff, and development officers throughout the application process—answering questions, providing edits, and offering general guidance on next steps with external funders and internal processes.
• After:
  • Support you and OVPR on reporting, when needed.
  • Maintain a relationship with funders, including inviting them to events and sending updates about ongoing projects.
  • Understand foundation funding cycles and know when we can apply for funding again.