|
|
 |
|
|
5. Contributing to and Monitoring Work in Progress
Value-added foundations have "general contractor" responsibilities that make programs greater than the sum of their individual grants—and the job is far from done with the signing of a grant award letter.
|
 |
Build synergies among projects by bringing grantees together. Annual meetings of all program grantees, often including selected experts, are directly beneficial to the conduct of the projects. In addition, they can lead to mutually beneficial collaborations among grantees and help in refining and maintaining vigorous program strategies. |
|
Develop realistic timelines, in collaboration with grantees. Institutional review board processes can delay the start of research projects involving human subjects, and realism regarding them is essential in developing timetables. While it is not always possible to keep projects on schedule, the Fund increases its success rate by having skilled, proactive professional staff. An effective grants management unit issues alerts when projects appear to be delayed or faltering and provides expertise in developing corrective action. |
|
Look closely into changes in project leadership. Experience cautions against assuming that a substitute principal investigator will carry out a project with the same vigor as the original proposer. |
|
Recognize that changes at the foundation may weaken oversight of grants. Foundation staff should be given incentives to devote the necessary attention to older projects, even those no longer in the programmatic spotlight. |
|
Cut losses when a project is not working and the situation is irremediable. This can be particularly hard to achieve when a foundation has a capable, confident, and committed program staff. A strong grants management staff is an effective safeguard in this respect. |
|
Be disciplined about closing grants and learning from experience. By systematically scoring each completed grant on performance and requiring a staff memorandum on lessons learned, the Fund ensures that grants are closed in a timely way, gains early feedback on results, and maintains an important archival record. |
|
| |
| |
|
Previous
|
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
|
Next
|
| |
|
Previous Article | Next Article
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| The Fund regularly convenes meetings of program grantees to facilitate the exchange of new research and new approaches to improving health care. In April 2004, grantees of the Quality of Care for Underserved Populations program held a poster session on research projects currently under way. Here, Mara Youdelman of the National Health Law Program shares her thoughts with Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson of Brandeis University. |
|
