UMW Grant and External Funding Policies

The listing of topics at the left on this page provides specific guidance on a number of UMW policies relevant to the development of external funding proposals and the management of such funds should they be awarded to UMW.


All proposals to be submitted for external funding MUST receive prior administrative approval by a number of UMW officials. This includes proposals requesting external funding support for grants, fellowships, travel support, contracts or agreements to offer instruction to external groups, etc.. The pre-approval procedure is coordinated by the Offices of the Provost and Administration and Finance. Any documents (including any letters of intent and memoranda of understanding) proposing specific terms for a proposed arrangement, agreement or application must be approved prior to those terms being offered to an external funding source.

The following signatures are required on all proposal pre-approvals:

  • Project Director;
  • For faculty proposals, Department Chair CAS, or Associate Dean in COB or COE);
  • For staff proposals;
  • College Dean (for faculty proposals only);
  • Cabinet Member – Provost on all faculty/academic staff proposals; Vice President for Administration and Finance on all other proposals.

Grants, contracts, and other such external/sponsored agreements are awarded to the University of Mary Washington.  They are not awarded to the individual(s) responsible for the conduct of the research program of project activity.  Even though external/sponsored support is often awarded to UMW because of the expertise of faculty and/or staff members who initiate the funding proposal, it is UMW that assumes full responsibility for ensuring that the project is carried out in accordance with all of the sponsor’s requirements.