The lifecycle of a grant: Award acceptance to dissemination

ABSTRACT

Securing grant funding is an important achievement for nurse practitioners and academic faculty, yet the postaward phase introduces complex administrative, regulatory, and scholarly responsibilities essential to project success. This article is the second in a two-part series examining the lifecycle of a grant. Building on part 1, which focused on preaward planning and proposal development, this manuscript addresses postaward activities from award acceptance through dissemination. Drawing on the authors' shared experience as principal investigators and project directors, the article provides practical guidance on grant start-up, implementation team formation, budget and personnel management, compliance and reporting requirements, sustainability planning, and award closeout. Emphasis is placed on proactive communication with institutional offices and funding agency project officers, intentional documentation, and early integration of dissemination and sustainability strategies. By outlining common challenges and actionable approaches, this article aims to strengthen nurse practitioner preparedness for postaward grant administration and support the translation of grant-funded initiatives into long-term educational, clinical, and policy impacts.