Growing competitiveness through proactive strategic intelligence and team organization
To remain competitive for federal funding, continuous horizon scanning and proactive team organization are essential. We aim to support these efforts by investing in research development professionals and leveraging faculty expertise to form dynamic, competitive teams.
Opportunity
As the federal funding landscape continues to remain flat, agencies are shifting their practices to fund fewer and larger proposals. Often, the solicitations for these opportunities are distributed with short turnarounds but require complex proposal submissions with preformed teams. To be competitive for these opportunities requires continuous horizon scanning for emerging priorities and challenges, proactive organization of teams, and strategic positioning of expertise around those priorities. CAS has invested in research development professionals at the college level and within the Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) to facilitate this work. SAFES has established a unique, dynamic structure to support the formation of teams and the strategic pursuit of funding through its Critical Issue Initiatives, which are intended to have the flexibility to pivot as funding agency priorities and resident expertise change. Engaging a network of faculty experts in these efforts can accelerate the knowledge base and formation of competitive intelligence by leveraging their experiences and strategic information shared through their various networks. The opportunity to identify, support, and enhance leadership among early- and midcareer faculty will ensure teams submit competitive proposals to notices of funding but are also prepared and equipped to interact with agencies in shaping forthcoming funding programs.
Framing Question
How might the College of Agricultural Sciences build a structure and process that position faculty teams to be nimble in order to quickly and competitively respond to funding opportunities?
Office for Research and Graduate Education
Address
217 Agricultural Administration BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802-2600
- Email agresearch@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-3136
Office for Research and Graduate Education
Address
217 Agricultural Administration BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802-2600
- Email agresearch@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-3136