Pictured from left are Jennifer Beebe, financial analyst; Paula Pichon, grants writer and coordinator; and Katrina Jones, grants management specialist for SUNY JCC.

SUNY Jamestown Community College strives to supply a learning environment rich with real-world experiences at an affordable cost. Grants are critical to programs staying current, and at times becoming cutting edge. As an example, the college recently opened a virtual reality room that aims to benefit the Computer Science program initially, and grow to enrich the learning opportunities of every program on campus.

While it is one thing to find a grant, it is another to apply for and be awarded the funds. Paula Pichon, grants writer and coordinator for the City of Jamestown and SUNY JCC, won her first grant while participating in a work group tasked with writing and submitting a grant on behalf of Chautauqua County.

“I am not sure how it happened, but I took what others provided and weaved it all together to form our narrative, and the county won that grant,” Pichon said. “In 2012 I left the county and went to work for the Seneca Nation as a full-time grant writer, and that’s where I learned the art of grant writing.”

Pichon gained experience in writing for areas such as health, environment, housing, culture, tourism, transportation, economic development, and broadband. She learned the differences in applying for federal and public funds. Now an accomplished grant writer, Pichon finds the hardest part of her job is losing.

“At JCC, I’ve been able to play a pivotal role in providing resources that eliminate barriers to education and training for people in this region. There are bridges I have driven on, paths I have walked on, and jobs that I have saved or created because I was part of the team that found funding for it,” Pichon said. “I hate letting people down, and many people put in a great deal of time to create a project, proposal, and submit an application, not just me. I am sad when they have invested so much time and are rejected.”

Pichon has generated nearly $12 million in funding for JCC. The college has 40 active grants, and another 17 for Workforce Development. The grants range from $1,000 to more than $2 million. Having the funding is one thing, managing the funding is another critical piece to the process, as all grants have different requirements in execution and reporting.

Katrina Jones, grants management specialist for JCC, works with Jennifer Beebe, financial analyst for the college, to ensure funds JCC acquires through grants are used in accordance with the terms and conditions established when the grant was created.

“Paula gathers all the information to apply for a grant, and writes them,” Jones shared. “Once they are secured, Jen and I gather information from whomever will manage the grant and the project the grant is for so we can determine what kind of reporting will be needed.”

In addition to the new grants Pichon has won, Jones and Beebe oversee annual grants such as GEAR UP, which prepares high school students for college, and Perkins, which covers things such as accessibility services and supplies for career and technical education programs. The two grants bring over half a million dollars to the college each year.

“I love working on the accounting and detail portion of each grant, and am involved with many other aspects of the college’s accounting, like working with the JCC Foundation and JCC Faculty Student Association,” Beebe said. “Paula is doing an amazing job and keeping us busy. We have a new financial analyst starting at JCC in April who will be dedicated to grants and helping keep us on track.”

Once a grant is in place things don’t always happen according to plan. Obstacles like backordered purchases and project bids exceeding estimates can delay project timelines. It’s up to Beebee to ensure purchasing policies are still being followed, and Jones to communicate with the grantor and gain an extension if needed, so the funds are not lost.

“A lot of the grants Paula is writing really help to target some of our populations that might struggle with succeeding in the college environment,” Jones said. “From assisting students who are single parents, students who are traveling far distances to complete clinicals or internships, to families who might not be able to purchase a computer or have reliable internet at home — we’re always exploring if there is some way we can fund more tools that help our students succeed.”

In addition to Pichon’s grant-writing abilities, Jones credits JCC’s faculty and administration for striving to see what’s possible and finding ways to bring those innovations and opportunities to the college. She thinks that Pichon’s wins have emboldened the faculty to try for even more.

“I am often amazed at the equipment and technology we have on our campuses for students,” Jones said. “You don’t have to go to a bigger city to get some of these experiences and this education that could launch you into a great career.”

Jones encourages those curious about finding grants for their organizations to explore the possibility.

“There are a lot of grant opportunities out there; but you also have to have a good plan in place to get the funding and make sure you stay compliant,” Jones said. “Grant funders are willing to give money, but they don’t want to throw it away. They want to see the outcome.”

Beebe said communication is an important part of the grant process. “Make sure you work together when pursuing a grant. Paula has procedures to help with the process and keep needed personnel informed, and we are working on procedures to help post-award communication and training,” she said.

Pichon shared there are free online resources to help find grant funding, as well as online training videos to learn how to start the grant application process. She says the area is in need of grant writers, and encourages anyone interested to find a mentor if possible, and not to give up.

“Successful grant writers only win between 30-50% of the grants they write — you will lose more than you win,” Pichon said. “But you learn from every application and gain better understanding of the process as a result. The best feedback I’ve gotten has been from the reviewer’s comments on my unfunded proposals. Losing is still winning in the world of grants.”