In an effort to increase the amount of grant funding that flows into the college, a mentoring program has been launched to pair faculty members who are experienced grant writers and managers with inexperienced faculty.

For the pilot phase of the program, administered by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), five mentors will be assigned to five mentees. Each will be paid $1,500 for participating in the program, which entails attending grant training and submitting a grant application.

"Given current financial constraints the college is facing, there's a real need for grant funds," explained Betsy Zeller, OSP director. In addition to increasing the amount of grant funds the college receives, the program is a way to transfer grant-writing knowledge from more experienced faculty to newer faculty, including adjunct instructors. "We see this as a way to perpetuate our cadre of excellent grant writers," she said.

The cost of the pilot is $24,000. "If we get one grant out of the five we submit from the pilot, it will be worth it," said Zeller, adding that Metro's grant success rate is one award for every three applications.

The grants brought in last year alone through the OSP, some of which span several years, will generate about $33 million. "I'm very excited about this opportunity for the college and for our professors," Zeller said. "I think it will grow our grant program exponentially."

Faculty interested in the program must contact the OSP by Friday, May 14. For information contact Zeller at zellerb@mscd.edu or Kathy Cooper at coopekat@mscd.edu.