MU Postaward Optimization for Strategic Transformation (MU POST)

To provide faculty more time to devote to research activities, the Marquette University Post-Award Optimization for Strategic Transformation (MU-POST) project focuses on process improvements that reduce the administrative burden associated with sponsored award management. Small and mid-sized universities often lack robust research support and service infrastructure.

With defined resources and effective processes supporting them, faculty can dedicate more time to their research, complete milestones on schedule, collaborate with colleagues, mentor students, and increase their publication rate. Reducing administrative burden through process improvements lessens the organizational complexities that come with having a grant and ultimately fosters growth in the nation’s research capacity.

MU-POST develops strategies, processes, and models that can be utilized by small to mid-size institutions to grow capacity, access, and visibility within the post-award sector. The project has two major objectives: 1) to test the implementation of post-award advocates, roles that bridge the gap between a central sponsored programs office, faculty members, and their departments and other units, and 2) to develop and implement broad changes in post-award processes and systems to allow for scalability, efficiency, and transparency.

The project’s outcomes are the documentation of model processes and use cases and the creation of tools and other resources that can be used by emerging institutions as a guide to strengthen the services they offer to help researchers more efficiently manage their awards, allowing them time to focus on, and participate in, research activities.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.