​A survey of grant functions at community and technical colleges conducted by the Clements Group found most colleges are fairly successful at getting their proposals funded.

Seventy-one percent of the 133 community college grant officers from 34 states who responded to the survey said at least half of the grant proposals they submitted in the last three years had been funded. Other findings include:

• Most respondents (67 percent)—and all of those with enrollments of 20,000 or more—consider themselves “very active” in pursuing competitive, discretionary grants from federal and state agencies and private foundations.
• The largest group of colleges (37 percent) received between $2 million and $4.9 million in competitive grant funds in fiscal year 2010. Eighteen percent received less than $1 million, and 9 percent received more than $10 million.
• The factors respondents identified as most responsible for their success include the following: being aware of grant opportunities (cited by 90 percent), having an experienced and competent staff (88 percent), having opportunities to collaborate with other organizations and colleges (77 percent), and having the support of the president or senior administrators (75 percent).
• Respondents said the factors most likely to improve their performance include additional proposal-writing staff (73 percent), adequate preparation time (66 percent), more innovative ideas (56 percent), and opportunities to collaborate with other colleges (50 percent).
• Programs identified as having the highest priority for grant writing address student support, academic program enhancement, workforce development, adult education, and building or facility enhancement.

Subsequent surveys will compare colleges successful in receiving grant funds with those that have been less successful.