Hanover provides access to an adjunct research and planning team to help increase capacity and expertise in order to pursue external funding more effectively.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for performing sponsored research and other sponsored activities under grants and contracts funded by the sponsor or by sources other than State appropriations. (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b)(8)) Hanover will provide research development, grant, writing, and strategic advising support to the university. They will customize proposal review, revision, and production support, while also helping to align strategic priorities to funding trends and opportunities at all levels. Within the partnership, we will pay an annual, fixed fee that grants unlimited access to custom grant development support, an online library, regular consultations, and on-demand assistance. This business model allows us to allocate a single annual disbursement for these services and eliminates the risk that unforeseen research projects will lack funding in the current fiscal year.