10 - 10:20 a.m.

Joint Welcome & Program Overview
This session sets the stage for two days of shared learning across disciplines and career stages, connecting those who mentor and conduct research with those who steward and manage grant resources. Together, CUR and NGMA are creating a space for collaboration and professional growth that supports both undergraduate research and broader institutional success.

Lindsay Currie, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research

Tip Tucker Kendall, Executive Director, National Grants Management Association

10:30 - 11:15 a.m.

Funding the Landscape:
An Overview of Opportunities for Faculty and Undergraduate Research
A high-level overview of the current funding landscape for faculty-led and undergraduate research. Participants will learn how to think strategically about funding alignment, identify where different types of projects fit (student engagement, faculty research, programmatic initiatives, and institutional priorities), and understand broad trends shaping funding opportunities in 2025–2026. The session will also preview major federal agencies and private funders that will be featured in the subsequent panels.

Eugene Fiorini, Founder and Director, Fiorini & Associates 

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Funding Agency & Funder Spotlights: Panel Discussions
In these two short panels, participants will hear directly from funders about current and emerging opportunities, how to identify a strong fit, and common proposal considerations.
 
Panel 1: NSF Funding Opportunities for Undergraduate Research
and Education
Representatives from the National Science Foundation will discuss current priorities across NSF programs, recent updates, and how applicants can navigate program fit, proposal expectations, and program officer engagement within the NSF landscape.

James LaPlant, President, Council on Undergraduate Research and Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor - Political Science, Valdosta State University (Moderator)

Anna Allen, Program Officer, Directorate for Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Mary Crowe, Section Head, Workforce and Capacity Building Section, TIP, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Thomas Kim, Section Head, Lead, Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) Program, Directorate for STEM Education, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Jeff Osborne, Program Director, Directorate for STEM Education, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Melissa Pilgrim, Program Officer, BIO Directorate, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Amanda Simcox, Program Director, BIO Directorate, National Science Foundation (NSF)
 
Panel 2: Federal Funding Pathways
Representatives from federal agencies will highlight priorities, upcoming opportunities, and application considerations relevant to undergraduate research and faculty-led projects.

Maria Iacullo-Bird, Immediate Past-President, Council on Undergraduate Research and Assistant Provost for Research, Clinical Professor of History, Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences, Pace University (Moderator)

Ray Ali, National Program Leader, Division of Community and Education, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Charles Ansong, Program Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Rubin Baskir, Program Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Anne Gershenson, Program Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Moushumi Paul, Program Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

12:30 - 1:15 p.m.

Funding Agency & Funder Spotlights: Informal Networking Hour
Lunch break with optional informal networking, including a chat with a funder from the morning sessions.

1:15 - 2 p.m.

Crafting Competitive Proposals that Highlight Student
and Institutional Impact
Learn how to frame your project as a driver of student success, programmatic impact, and institutional advancement. This session will provide guidance on presenting evidence of impact from past initiatives—whether they involve undergraduate research, faculty development, or other institutional projects—in ways that resonate with reviewers and communicate your institution’s capacity to support programs across disciplines.

Winny Dong, Faculty Director, Office of Undergraduate Research; Faculty Director, Learn Through Discovery Initiative; Faculty Director, McNair Scholars Program; Professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering,
Cal Poly Pomona

2:15 - 3 p.m.

Budgeting for Research and Student-Engaged Projects
Learn how to justify indirect costs and administrative support for UR coordination. We will explore funding models that support scaling up undergraduate research (e.g., course-based, summer programs, year-round engagement) and discuss building contingency plans for potential changes in funding priorities.

Somelea Neville, Manager, Industry Specialty Services, BDO

3:15 - 4 p.m.

Building Institutional and Community Support for Your Proposal
Discover how to align your proposal with institutional strategic plans, equity goals, and student or programmatic success metrics. This session will highlight the importance of internal partnerships (e.g., student affairs, advancement, career services) and leveraging community or industry collaborations to strengthen your funding case and expand opportunities—whether your project involves undergraduate research, faculty development, or other institutional initiatives.

Janice McDonnell, Associate Dean of Research Impact at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) and Science Agent, Department of Youth Development, Rutgers University

4 - 5 p.m.

Expanded Dialogues Optional Networking Hour
Optional informal networking around topics of interest, including a chat with a speaker from the afternoon sessions.

10 - 10:15 a.m.

Welcome and Discussion of Day 1 Outcomes

10:15 - 11:00 a.m.

Compliance and Ethical Considerations in Grant-Funded Projects
This session will address compliance and ethical considerations in grant-funded projects, including expectations for inclusive participation and mentoring, emerging guidelines around authorship, data access, and research ethics. While examples may include undergraduate research, the principles apply broadly to faculty-led research, programmatic initiatives, and institutional projects. We will also discuss strategies for demonstrating accountability in reporting outcomes tied to student learning, program impact, and equity. 

Jillain Veil-Ehnert, Director, Foundation Relations and Research Grants,
Concordia College

11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.

The Pre- and Post-Award Partnership: Ensuring Grant Execution
Explore how to build connections between pre and post award teams to ensure necessary compliance is in place for grant execution. This session will cover the importance of communication between pre- and post-award groups and various perspectives such as consultant vs. internal grant writers, large vs. small institutions, discipline differences and programmatic vs. research grants.

Lashon Brown, Assistant Vice President, Grants Development and Compliance, Valencia College 

Joseph O'Keefe, AVP for Clinical Research, Institute of Behavioral Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

12 - 12:45 p.m.

Lunch Break & Optional Networking Hour
Optional informal networking around topics of interest, including a chat with a speaker from the morning sessions.

12:45 - 11:30 p.m.

Sustaining Projects & Demonstrating Impact
Learn strategies for demonstrating sustainability for grant-funded programs after initial funding ends and how to use campus-wide systems (e.g., tracking software, digital badging, research showcases) to show impact to funders. While examples may include undergraduate research programs, the session is relevant for faculty-led projects, programmatic initiatives, and other institutional efforts. Guidance will also be provided on scaling back without losing forward momentum.

Lance Barton, Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

1:45- 2:30 p.m.

Strengthening Institutional Grant Systems Through
Communication and Collaboration
This session will examine how effective communication and coordination across departments can improve the overall efficiency and success of the grant process within a university. Drawing on examples from institutional grant office assessments and cross-campus engagement strategies, the discussion will explore common structural challenges, opportunities for alignment among faculty, staff, and administrators, and practical approaches to fostering a more collaborative grant-seeking culture. Participants will gain insights into building shared understanding, streamlining processes, and strengthening institutional capacity to support grants at every stage—from idea development to submission and management.

Kim Joyce, Founder & CEO, Kim Joyce & Associates

2:45 - 3:45 p.m.

Panel Discussion:
Perspectives on Private Funding & Supporting Sustainable Projects
This panel will feature representatives from private foundations who will share insights on how applicants can design fundable projects, frame their initiatives to align with foundation priorities, and demonstrate measurable impact. Panelists will also discuss common challenges applicants face, including balancing expectations and managing limited resources, and provide strategies to navigate these challenges effectively.

David Clark, Managing Director, BDO (Moderator)

Daren Ginete, Associate Advisor, Science Philanthropy Alliance

Silvia Ronco, Senior Program Director, Research Corporation for Science Advancement

Aaron Putzke, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

3:45 - 4 p.m.

Final Wrap-up