SPARC Services
Develop. Sharpen. Deliver.
SPARC Services
The following services are available from the Strategic Partnerships and Research Collaborative (SPARC) and can be accessed by UMN faculty, researchers, and teams for support in any part of the project timeline, from strategic research planning through proposal development and administration of large projects or program awards. The services listed are not exhaustive. SPARC is committed to meeting individual project needs.
Strategic Research Planning
Facilitated strategic planning for achieving the desired research portfolio
Opportunity Identification and Analysis
Funder and opportunity identification, horizon scanning, and suitability assessment
Proposal Development
Strategic planning, project/program design, proposal project management, narrative development and editing
Administration and Organization Consultation
Consultation for administrative and organizational design, including external partners and networks
Writing and Editing
Proposal narratives and other supporting materials
Monitoring and Evaluation
Development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation plans
Resource and Strategic Partnership Matching and Management
Analysis, identification, alignment, and recruitment of internal and external resources and partners
Interdisciplinary Team Recruitment and Support
Identification and recruitment of faculty, staff and partners to best meet project/program needs and team support
Financial (Pre-Award)
Proposal budget and justification development, Sponsored Projects Administration liaison, and proposal submission
Financial (Post-Award)
Financial and effort management, reporting, transaction processing, and approvals
Communications
Planning, graphic design, and development of branded materials
Facilitation
Workshops, strategic planning, program effort and tasks
Project and Program Management and Implementation
Project planning, operational management, logistics, administration, quality control, staff management
International and Specialized Project Management and Facilitation
International or specialized hiring, international money transfers and management, travel management, security
Project Governance
Executive director recruitment, governance planning, recruitment and management of internal and external councils