Best Practices for Securing Funding to Enhance Student Outcomes

Article Summary:

Securing funding in higher education is a complex and time-consuming process, yet it is essential for improving the overall student experience. Institutions should not only concentrate on increasing retention rates but also on fostering a positive experience. This approach ensures that students graduate on time, feel a sense of belonging, and have equal access to opportunities that prepare them for life after college.

At the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), leaders recognize that funding the student experience goes beyond tuition. They’ve created a model that strengthens both student outcomes and institutional growth. In this article, we explore:

• Key challenges institutions face when securing funding for student outcomes
• Best practices for securing funding, with insights from UTSA’s proven strategies

By understanding these factors, institutions can build more effective funding strategies that create a lasting impact on students and long-term institutional success.

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Institutions of all types—public, private, two-year, and four-year—rely on funding to deliver a meaningful and impactful student experience. While investment priorities vary, one thing remains clear: tuition alone isn’t enough to sustain the resources and support needed to keep students engaged and returning each term. 

At the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), leaders recognize that student thriving is a powerful driver of institutional strength, alumni engagement, and long-term community impact. By prioritizing comprehensive student support, institutions can build sustainable funding strategies that drive meaningful outcomes for students.

Below, we explore key obstacles in funding acquisition and proven strategies to help your institution maximize resources and investment opportunities.

Common Obstacles to Securing Funding

Institutions can face several challenges in the funding process, including:

• Relying on Previous Sources – In today’s evolving grant landscape, it’s important to consider a variety of funding sources, especially as federal grants become more scarce and require complex, time-consuming proposals.
• Manual Reporting & Data Limitations – Many institutions depend on Institutional Research teams to compile funding proposals, pulling data from multiple sources. This process is time-intensive and prone to errors when navigating multiple systems.
• Misalignment with Funder Priorities – Proposals that fail to align with a funder’s mission, goals, or focus areas are far less likely to be considered. 
• Lack of Clear Impact Metrics – Funders must see tangible, measurable outcomes before committing resources. Institutions must effectively demonstrate how their initiatives will drive meaningful change and provide a strong return on investment.

Best Practices for Securing Funding at Your Institution

Institutions require more than tuition revenue to create a well-rounded student experience. Experiential learning, internships, and leadership programs are essential for student growth and career readiness, but cost and time constraints often make them inaccessible. Many students can’t afford to take time off work or cover the expenses required to participate, limiting their opportunities for hands-on learning and professional development.

Sustained funding is essential to keeping students engaged and supported inside and outside the classroom. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has successfully secured external funding to elevate student outcomes. Below are key takeaways from their approach to funding a thriving student experience:

1. Hire Dedicated Grant Coordinator

Obtaining grant funding requires more than just access to technology—it demands time, strategy, and dedicated coordination. Tracking submissions, drafting proposals, and managing projects can be overwhelming for teams already operating at full capacity.

To address this challenge, UTSA created a Senior Grant Development Coordinator position, allowing the institution to be more agile in pursuing funding opportunities while also working closely with leadership to align proposals with strategic priorities.

While institutions may hesitate to invest in additional headcount, the return on investment has proven substantial for UTSA. 2023-2024, the institution submitted 10 grant applications—securing funding from four. This dedicated role has enabled them to:

• Better align proposals with both institutional and funder priorities
• Pursue high-impact, multi-year funding opportunities that would have otherwise been out of reach
• Establish a consistent cadence of submitting grant proposals
• Act swiftly on new funding opportunities that previously went unexplored
  

2. Expand Community Partnerships

Relying solely on state and federal grants can limit an institution’s ability to fund a comprehensive student experience. Expanding partnerships with private foundations, corporations, alumni, and individual donors creates additional pathways for achieving financial support while providing students with real-world opportunities that enhance their education and career readiness.

At UTSA, collaboration with the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations has strengthened connections with:

• Foundations that align with institutional goals
• Corporations looking to invest in future talent
• Alumni eager to give back
• Individual donors who want to make a lasting impact

These partnerships offer more than just financial support—they create opportunities for mentorship, internships, career development, and hands-on learning experiences. With the support of an individual donor, UTSA launched an 8-week program where student teams collaborate on real-world challenges faced by local startups, corporations, and nonprofits. The program’s flexible structure allows students to choose experiences that align with their career goals and availability.

3. Craft a Compelling Story

Securing funding goes beyond data—it’s about crafting a narrative that resonates with potential funders. Institutions must clearly show how additional resources enhance student lives and drive institutional success. To build a compelling case, consider these strategies:

• Align with Funder Priorities: Use logic models and structured storytelling to demonstrate the impact and relevance of funding requests.
• Highlight Measurable Impact: Showcase student success stories and quantifiable outcomes that illustrate how funding improves student experiences and institutional performance.
• Leverage Real-Time Analytics: Integrate data into a centralized platform to provide accessible, data-driven insights for proposals and grant applications.
• Engage Through Multiple Channels: Utilize conferences, podcasts, and digital media—in partnership with marketing—to broaden your reach and share your message effectively.

At UTSA, storytelling is a key funding strategy. Leveraging data from the Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform, UTSA can demonstrate the tangible benefits and impact of initiatives like success coaching and mentoring. By integrating Civitas Learning’s seamless workflow solution, communication silos are eliminated, ensuring responsive, connected messaging and effective case management. This data-activated approach strengthens the case for funding and proves why a student-centered ecosystem is vital for long-term success.

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Funding Example: UTSA Bold Scholars Program

UTSA’s Bold Scholars Program, launched in Fall 2022, focuses on students from middle- and low-income families who are part of the Bold Promise tuition assistance initiative. It provides academic, career, and financial support along with engagement opportunities and on-campus housing during their first year. 

“Being able to live on campus with the help of the program has let me connect better with other people on campus and make it easier to move around campus to really take in all I can do here. I have made friends with the help of the program and have found myself to be a part of the community of UTSA.”

Bold Scholars Program Participant

A comparison of the Fall 2022 and Fall 2023 cohorts shows that Bold Scholars consistently outperform their Bold Promise peers. They earn higher grades, enroll in more credit hours, and exhibit greater retention. For instance, while the average Fall GPA for Bold Scholars increased from 3.08 to 3.13, non-participants only saw a rise from 2.92 to 3.03. These improvements highlight the program’s effectiveness and reinforce the need for continued funding.

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4. Collaborate for Greater Impact

Aligning internal teams, external partners, and community stakeholders around the importance of funding, not just the cost of education but the entire student experience, is crucial. Collaboration across institutional departments, vendors, and industry partners can help institutions:

• Unify efforts to communicate the value of investing in student success beyond tuition.
• Strengthen funding proposals with cross-functional insights and shared priorities.
• Expand opportunities for experiential learning, mentorship, and career readiness.

A strong example of this collaborative approach is the Bold Scholars Program at UTSA, which provides financial support for first-year students to live on campus—an opportunity they might not otherwise afford. Survey results from program participants highlight its impact:

• 85% of respondents believed living on campus contributed to their academic success and sense of connection to UTSA.
• Participants reported higher engagement in organized campus activities outside the classroom, reinforcing the importance of the student experience.

Final Thoughts

Securing funding for higher education is no longer just about covering tuition—it’s about investing in a well-rounded student experience that drives success both inside and outside the classroom. As seen at UTSA, a proactive approach to grant coordination, collaboration, and storytelling can significantly impact an institution’s ability to obtain resources that enhance student thriving during their experience on campus. By adopting these four best practices, institutions can build a sustainable funding strategy that supports the complete student experience for years to come.