1. College Advancement
  2. Grant Programs Office

Grant Programs Office

The Grant Programs Office at Simpson College partners with faculty and staff to secure external funding that supports research, innovation, and institutional initiatives. We collaborate across departments to align grant opportunities with the College’s strategic goals, fostering a culture of grant-seeking that enhances student success and academic excellence.

We are here to support you at every stage of the grant process—helping turn ideas into funded opportunities that benefit the Simpson College community.

Grant Programs Stats

The Grant Programs Office can assist you in securing funding for your project.

48%

Percentage of grants won in FY24

16

Number of unique Simpson departments that submitted grants in FY24

Grant Resources

Hillman Hall

Grants Handbook

Find information on grant development and submission, draft proposals, award implementation and more.

View the Handbook

Looking for a Grant?

Free resources and search engines to find the perfect funder for your project.

View the Resources

About the Grant Programs Office

We support Principal Investigators, grant proposers, and their teams by providing expertise in:

  • Identifying external funding opportunities
  • Interpreting Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and funder guidelines
  • Coordinating proposal development efforts
  • Editing and refining grant proposals
  • Identifying and integrating relevant data sources
  • Providing required institutional documents (e.g., tax-exempt status, audited financial reports, assurances)
  • Developing budgets
  • Assembling and submitting grant proposals

The Grant Programs Office at Simpson College advances the institution’s mission by securing external funding that expands innovative learning opportunities, enhances student success, and fosters inclusive educational access. We provide strategic guidance, technical expertise, and administrative support to empower faculty and staff in pursuing funding that enriches teaching, research, and community engagement.

To be a driving force in securing resources that cultivate a diverse community of learners, support individualized student experiences, and create transformative opportunities that prepare graduates to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Through collaboration and innovation, we strive to position Simpson College as a leader in externally funded initiatives that strengthen academic excellence and social impact.

Student-Centered Impact – We seek and support grant opportunities that enhance the College’s mission by improving learning experiences and student success.

Collaboration – We foster partnerships across disciplines and with external organizations to advance shared goals.

Integrity & Stewardship – We uphold the highest ethical standards in grant development, ensuring responsible use of resources.

Innovation – We support projects that drive creativity, discovery, and transformative learning.

Community & Belonging – In accordance with our Methodist heritage, we champion grant initiatives that expand access and promote a diverse, inclusive academic community.

Sustainability – We seek funding that supports long-term institutional growth and strengthens Simpson College’s mission-driven work.

Grants Highlights

Simpson Receives National Science Foundation Grant

All News

Simpson Participates in I-RAISE Program Sponsored by NSF

Since 2024, Simpson College has participated in I-RAISE, a cross-institutional program designed to build a more robust regional research administration and grants professionals’ workforce for the future. The program, which is spearheaded by Iowa State University, is funded through a competitive grant of $3.7 million over 4.5 years from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Up to two Simpson students will be able to be a part of the program per year and will be supervised by Marzia Corni-Benson, Director of the Grant Programs Office, for the on-campus portion of the internship. “As a small, emerging research institution, we have limited capacity to provide training and support for faculty engaged in research,” said Corni-Benson. “Through I-RAISE, we have the opportunity to engage students in research administration not only to extend the capability of our one-person office, but also, and more importantly, to develop a well-trained pipeline of local talent that can fill the current gaps in our workforce.” I-RAISE will prepare undergraduate and graduate students from partner institutions for careers in Research Administration (RA) and as grant professionals through a classroom-based RA boot camp and summer internship at Iowa State, followed by additional mentored internship rotations at each student’s home institution. The other participating institutions include Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Drake University, Central College, and Dordt University.
2024-2025 Cohort

Meet the Interns: Kayla Jensen 

I’m a third-year math and physics major from Des Moines, Iowa. Through this program, I’ve gotten the opportunity to work on exciting projects like website development, grant proposal reviews, and post-award data entry. I enjoyed leveraging my STEM background to learn and utilize technical resources, like Power Automate and Python, in the research admin field. My favorite part of the experience was learning the ins and outs of Simpson’s grant department from Marzia Corni-Benson!

2024-2025 Cohort

Meet the Interns: Ilianna Muphy 

I am a senior at Simpson College, majoring in Political Science and Social Justice Studies, with minors in interdisciplinary studies. I am an Iowa native and spent my time at Simpson serving in the Student Government Association, working at a lobbying firm based out of the Iowa State Capitol, and being an active member in the Culver Fellows Scholarship Program. I plan to attend graduate school in the fall at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.  

During my time as an I-RAISE intern at Simpson and Iowa State, I have developed invaluable skills in research, drafting, and collaborating with others to create grant proposals. This opportunity allowed me to sharpen my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to diverse audiences. Furthermore, my time at Simpson was instrumental in opening the door to my current position at a grants office in Washington D.C. I am extremely grateful for the I-RAISE internship and all the people I’ve met along the way! 

Questions? Contact us!

Grant Programs Office

The Grant Programs Office at Simpson College helps faculty and staff secure external funding for research, innovation, and institutional initiatives, aligning grants with strategic goals to enhance student success and academic excellence.