Art of Grants
S&T faculty are invited to apply for Art of Grants, an 8-week online professional development experience hosted by UMKC and open to Missouri S&T faculty for the first time this fall. Whether you're building a grant-funded research agenda for the first time or looking to sharpen and reframe work you've been doing for years, this program offers structured support, expert guidance, and real community.
The program will run Tuesday, September 8 through Friday, November 6, 2026, entirely online and asynchronous through Canvas. It is not self-paced — participants move through the modules together — but the weekly time commitment is modest: plan on about one hour per week engaging with materials, practicing skills, and connecting with colleagues through discussion boards.
Over eight modules, you'll work through the full arc of grant development:
Idea development and finding funding opportunities (Pivot,Grants.gov, and more)
- Types of grant proposals — NIH, NSF, state and local government, private foundations, contracts
- Defining the problem: logic models, theories of change, and concept papers
- Building your team and managing the logistics of a collaborative grant
- Goals, objectives, and specific aims — with attention to sponsor priorities
- Research compliance, IRB strategies, ethics, and using AI in grant writing
- Budget development and sustainability planning
- Evaluation and supplementary materials
Bonus content covers successful proposal writing, using data effectively, and understanding proposal review processes. Participants will receive weekly individualized feedback, which is one of the program's standout features.
The program is led by Dr. Alexis N. Petri, Director of the UMKC Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence, who brings experience with more than 35 externally funded grants from federal, regional, state, and local sources — both public and private.
There are no formal assessments, but participants are expected to complete the engagement activities throughout the eight weeks. Successful completion requires a good-faith effort and completion of at least 80% of activities.
What Missouri S&T Faculty Receive Upon Successful Completion:
- $500 in faculty support funds
- A digital badge (suitable for LinkedIn, your faculty website, myVita, and/or email signature) recognizing your professional development
- Eligibility to apply for seed grant funding through UMKC for projects that include substantive collaboration with UMKC cohort members — up to $6,000 for cross-institutional partnerships
This opportunity is well suited for faculty at a range of career stages — including those new to grant writing, those who would benefit from a program with a formal structure and built-in accountability, and those who want to reframe or expand an existing line of work. It is particularly relevant to faculty in their first few years at S&T. Because the modules are interdisciplinary and participants select materials relevant to their work, this program serves faculty from all disciplines.
Participation begins with a brief application to help the program team understand your interests and current stage — not to evaluate a finished idea. You do not need a developed proposal to participate, just a direction you want to explore. Applications must be received by August 17 for full consideration.
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