This strategic planning template was developed by Maya Evans of Leverage Education and shared in partnership with Instrumentl to help higher ed grants offices align operations with long-term institutional goals.
Higher education grant offices are under pressure to win more funding with fewer resources. For many institutions, especially community colleges and R1 universities, this means rethinking how Sponsored Research and Grants Administration Units operate at their core.
Maya Evans, founder of Leverage Education and a certified grant writer, offers a solution: she created a Strategic Levers Template adapted from the Business Model Canvas. Designed specifically for higher ed grant units, this tool helps offices identify where they are today and where they must evolve to remain sustainable and strategic.
As Maya puts it:
“Grants offices are typically stretched thin in resources and there are high expectations for what they do… they were always looking for ways to tie into the larger institutional strategic plan.”
🎧 Want to go deeper? Check out our podcast interview with Maya Evans to explore how higher ed grant teams are adapting to federal funding changes. Hear more insights and stories about what’s working—and what’s not—in today’s grant landscape.
This one-page template, adapted by Leverage Education and shared in partnership with Instrumentl, helps higher ed grant offices map both their current operations and strategic opportunities for growth.
Based on the original Business Model Canvas by Strategyzer, the framework introduces nine core categories, each with two prompts: one asking about the current "Business Model" and one encouraging exploration of "Strategic Levers."
As Maya explains:
“I would probably encourage that person to leverage a business model canvas to model their unit… to then be able to understand which of those levers can be pulled as necessary as we look into the future.”
From dependency to deeper, strategic partnerships
Look at both internal allies (finance, IR, academic departments) and external partners (funders, employers, research collaborators). Consider where your unit’s influence could be amplified with stronger ties or more formal partnerships.
As Maya notes:
“Colleges and universities are going to have to steward custom funding… rather than being receivers of RFPs and grant opportunities.”
From reactive support to proactive contribution
Map your workflows. Are you always chasing deadlines, or do you help shape projects early? Shift from reactive to consultative: co-designing proposals, identifying strategic fits, or coaching faculty in early-stage ideation.
As Maya shares:
“They’re already stretched thin… and experiencing additional budget cuts… [now] figuring out how they can do more with less.”
Use people and technology to scale sustainably
Examine staffing models, technology platforms, and training. Could automation reduce manual tracking? Would a tool like Instrumentl free up staff to focus on high-impact tasks?
As Maya emphasizes:
“Our directors of grants offices are going to have to be plugged into those bigger visionary conversations.”
Balance compliance, sustainability, and growth
Conduct a resource audit. Consider where you're over-committed and under-resourced. Use the canvas to weigh trade-offs: where can you reduce duplication, consolidate tasks, or invest in efficiency?
Reframe your office as indispensable
Document both tangible outputs (dollars won, proposals submitted) and intangible impact (faculty trust, student support, innovation enablement). Use this to build your case with leadership.
Build trust across faculty, funders, and leadership
Rethink stakeholder management. Could regular check-ins, office hours, or campus-wide training improve visibility? How can your unit proactively participate in institutional planning?
As Maya advises:
“Authentic connections with colleagues… grants directors need to know the conversations that are happening at the institution.”
Reach stakeholders efficiently
This could include creating templates, SOPs, or asynchronous learning (videos, guides). Also consider using platforms like Instrumentl to centralize tracking and eliminate email sprawl.
Tools like Instrumentl can streamline collaboration, automate deadlines, and provide a single view of grant pipelines for cross-functional teams.
Diversify funding sources for resilience
Beyond federal grants, explore state funding, employer partnerships, philanthropic donors, or internal reinvestment. Position your team as a driver of innovation, not just a compliance shop.
As Maya cautions:
“Solving this through scale just won’t work going forward… our institutions are going to have to adopt a broader ecosystem approach.”
Identify underserved or future-critical audiences
Are you over-indexed on tenured faculty and under-serving early-career researchers or staff-led initiatives? Do you engage student services or workforce development teams?
Use this lever to re-align with emerging institutional goals and high-impact programs.
Evans recommends grant leaders use this tool during annual planning, capacity assessments, or scenario planning. The key is not just filling in the boxes, it’s about the conversations sparked within your team.
As she explains:
“Really the value of the business model canvas exercise is not what you put down on paper but the conversation that you have before you put something down on paper.”
Maya sums it up best:
“I just see a golden opportunity for rethinking who’s at the table and the expertise they bring in ways that will really benefit students, communities, and employees that our institutions serve.”
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