About Us
The Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS) serves the Emerson community by assisting faculty and staff in all aspects of obtaining and managing external funding for their research, scholarship, and creative work. ORCS offers guidance and services for finding funding opportunities, developing competitive grant applications, maintaining compliance, and coordinating other resources to support faculty work.
Consistent with the Extraordinary Emerson 2030 Strategic Plan, the office provides services that facilitate academic innovation, external partnerships and collaborations, and operational excellence. Maximizing our faculty’s capacity to produce outstanding research, scholarship, and creative work is fundamental to upholding Emerson’s reputation as a premier educational institution in communication and the arts.
Services Provided by ORCS
- Assist faculty and staff with identifying grant funding opportunities that align with the individual’s work, discipline, and project goals
- Provide guidance and assistance in developing and writing a grant proposal and accompanying budget
- Review grant proposals for completeness, accuracy, adherence to sponsor guidelines and compliance with College policies
- Submit grant proposals on behalf of Emerson College
- Negotiate and accept awards on behalf of the College
- Support faculty and staff with financial management, reporting requirements, compliance and sponsor communications for awarded grants
- Oversee the College’s internal grant programs for faculty members
- Promote faculty work and accomplishments
- Identify resources and potential collaborators for Emerson faculty
- Facilitate inter-institutional partnerships and resource sharing arrangements
- Support the activities and offerings of the Emerson College Research Hub
- Develop and promulgate College policies pertaining to research compliance, sponsored funding, and related federal regulations
Intent to Submit (ITS) Form
Faculty applying for external grants must submit an Intent to Submit (ITS) Form at least five (5) business days before the sponsor’s deadline. The ITS Form has been designed to ensure proposed projects are aligned with institutional priorities, are appropriate and feasible based on capacity and resources, and have approval from all relevant administrative leaders. Early submission of the form enables ORCS to gain institutional support for your grant proposal early in the development process, and better support you in its preparation.
Proposals that are not preceded by an ITS Form within five (5) business days of a sponsor’s deadline cannot be guaranteed submission.
Key Information
Internal Grant Programs
External Funding
Policies & Compliance
Connect with Us
ORCS Faculty Portal
A centralized hub for faculty to access research-related resources, updates, and announcements.