Susan Ferrari (Grinnell College), Amy Myerson (Trinity College), and Kari Steeves (Barnard College) will lead a discussion on the multifaceted nature of positions in corporate, foundation, and government relations, and how work seemingly far afield from getting proposals out the door can contribute to success in grant-seeking and add value to our institutions.

Particularly at small offices or small institutions, CFR officers may have to dabble in a far-ranging set of fields to accomplish their goals. On any given day, we may moonlight as project managers, forensic accountants, faculty developers, or even family therapists–this in addition to writing, reviewing, and hitting submit. While it can be overwhelming to wear this many hats, our complex roles also mean that we have incredibly deep knowledge of the workings of our institutions, which enhances our ability to steward grants, support faculty, and contribute to strategic initiatives. During this session, the leaders will present a set of case studies highlighting the challenges and benefits of their “CFR-plus” roles–including how to enforce boundaries when your role is wide-ranging–and will invite the audience to share their own stories and insights.