Vision
The vision of the Office of Sponsored Projects is to be a model sponsored project administration office. OSP fosters proposal development for research, education, and exhibitions throughout the Smithsonian; promotes and sustains sound business practices; and provides the highest quality of administrative management and financial services to support the Smithsonian Institution’s mission. OSP encourages an environment of professional and cultural diversity.
Mission
The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) provides the Smithsonian community with administrative and financial services, through externally funded grants and contracts, to secure financial resources needed to carry out the Institution’s mission. These services include:
- Identification of external sources of funding
- Dissemination to potential principal investigators
- Liaison with sponsors
- Proposal development and preparation
- Institutional and sponsor compliance
- Proposal transmittal
- Grant and contract negotiations and signature
- Central administration of externally-funded projects
- Financial management of externally-funded projects
- Indirect cost calculation and negotiation
- Audit liaison with Office of Naval Research, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Office of the Inspector General, and Sponsor Audit Liaison
- Coordination, consultation, and collaboration with Smithsonian offices and units
- Training of clients and staff
- Advocacy of external funding
- Performance measurement, analysis and reporting
