Grant Prospect Research: Aligning Ideas with Funding Opportunities

Virtual Workshop by Dr. David Borgmeyer, Associate Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations at Grinnell College

External funding is vital to liberal arts colleges, enabling faculty to pursue research, innovate in teaching, and lead student-focused initiatives. At the institutional level, grants can support strategic priorities and enhance resilience. The Associated Colleges of the Midwest supports member colleges in building the capacity and tools to secure these critical resources.

Identifying funding opportunities that align with institutional priorities and individual program or research goals can be a challenging task, all the more so during periods of greater uncertainty and change. Whether you are new to grant prospecting or looking to refine your approach, this virtual workshop will offer tools, strategies, and resources for identifying and understanding potential funding opportunities from foundations, federal agencies, and other organizations.

Who should attend?

These duplicate virtual sessions are designed to help faculty and staff grant seekers across our member institutions enhance their funding prospect research skills. While the sessions are designed to help participants prepare to make the most of their time at the ACM Grants Lab in June 2026, any interested faculty and staff members across ACM member colleges are welcome, regardless of participation in the Grants Lab.

Dates / Times

• Session 1: Wednesday, June 10, 11:00 am-noon CDT – Register

• Session 2: Monday, June 15, 2:00-3:00 pm CDT – Register

Speaker Information 

David Borgmeyer, PhD, is the Associate Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations at Grinnell College.  He has a decade of experience in research development roles and nearly three decades in higher education in the US and abroad as faculty, funded researcher, author, editor, curator, lecturer, and consultant.