The goals of this dialogue day are to a) provide a general overview of the grant writing process, b) identify common barriers to securing funding for implementing faculty innovation, and c) demystify the grant writing process while encouraging faculty involvement in the process.
In addition to covering the basics, there will be numerous dialogues that include:
About the speakers...
Robert Bill serves as an Associate Director of the District Grants Development and Management Department for MCCCD. An 18 year veteran of fund-raising in the non-profit sector, Mr. Bill has worked in a number of roles in comprehensive fund-raising programs including grants, events/sponsorship, corporate and foundation support, and individual giving where he has been responsible for supervising development efforts, board management, and strategic planning. His responsibilities in higher education focus on developing grants for quality instructional programs and seeking scholarship support for students striving to succeed.
Catherine Crary, has over nine years of experience at MCCCD in the Grants Department and has worked in higher education for over ten years. She works with faculty, administrators, and staff to revise, edit or develop grant proposals for federal, state and local funding agencies; facilitates project planning meetings; develops and conducts grant trainings to faculty, administrators, and staff; and provides oversight in the area of grants management to current project directors. She is very active with an AACC affiliate organization – the Council for Resource Development (CRD) where she serves on planning committees for national and regional conferences and is currently Region IX Director-Elect and in November will begin a two year term as Region IX Director. Also, she has served on the CRD – Federal Funding Task Force for two years.
Mary Graci: Mary has 21 years experience in higher education, serves as the Director of Grants Development and Management at Phoenix College, and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in education. She has 10 years experience in grants development and management activities for both MCCCD as well as the U.S. Air Force. She has established two grant offices at two colleges within MCCCD and within four years has raised over $10 million dollars. She is an accomplished technologist, educator, public speaker, strategist and operational planner. She is experienced in institutional effectiveness and advancement, program and curriculum development and delivery, occupational education/workforce development, virtual reality technology, faculty development, teaching and corporate training. She has extensive experience working with agencies at local, national and international levels. She continues to serve as a steering committee member for the Phoenix Sister Cities' Catania Committee working to bring economic, education and cultural opportunities to the city of Phoenix.
Carol Hale: Carol has 25 years of experience in higher education and currently serves as the Director of the District Grants Development and Management Department for MCCCD. She has overseen grants development and management activities for 18 years and has planned and developed and has helped others develop many funded grant proposals. MCCCD has been awarded nearly $187 million in grant awards since the grants office was established in 1990. In FY2008, the funding success rate for new and continuing grants was 88%. She also has experience in strategic and operational planning, teaching, and occupational education. She has served as a national board member of the Council for Resource Development, most recently as the Vice President for Regional Services. For the last three years, she has served as a school board member for a private high school.
Cathleen Hernandez: Cathy has more than 10 years experience in higher education including faculty development, program coordination, institutional research/effectiveness, and grant writing. She develops statistical and demographic reports to support college strategic planning and grants development. She has extensive experience working with occupational programs and business and industry partnerships. She is Coordinator Institutional Research and Grants Development at GateWay Community College.
Rita Pyle: Rita has worked at MCCCD for over ten years in different capacities. She has four years of experience in resource development and has worked in the District Grants Department for the last two years. One of her many responsibilities in the District Grants Department is to research and announce funding opportunities for all ten colleges.
Joseph Swaba: Joseph is an Associate Director of the District Grants Development and Management Department for MCCCD and has more than 17 years experience in higher education including alumni relations, student activities, program development, fundraising, teaching, grant writing, and student training. He has extensive experience coordinating special events and programs at local and national levels. He is a highly effective speaker and writer, is an experienced grant writer and fundraiser, and has earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential.
