Good morning-

Without getting into the merits of the two party system (and I'm not talking about Fri and Sat nights), this choice between SPIN and GrantSelect seems as important (?) as that in politics. I doubt whether analysis would show ANY statistical difference between SPIN, COS, IRIS, GrantSelect, et al in the capacity for actually helping grantseekers get grants.  The databases are so similar and there are not that many secret sources of funding out there anyway.

So what we end up arguing about is really just the glitz (aka user friendliness, special features, customer support).  Forgive me...but I think we are more concerned about selling these products to the faculty than with the actual benefits derived.  Of course, faculty need to be pampered and even coerced to use available resources.  But I find from polls of faculty opinions on these systems that most are too busy to use the programs in the way they should be used.  Intolerance of anything that is slightly irrelevant means that a user of funding databases will never find what they seek.

I am currently trying to compare SPIN and COS.  My preliminary conclusion is that there ain't much difference in either the databases or full packages and that we might as well just have basic access to both (to cover small gaps) and choose one for the the email/profile stuff.  We may stay with SPIN SMARTS-GENIUS as an inertial default DESPITE real frustrations with errors in some of their SMARTS email hits and lack of direct links to full text of guidelines for some (i.e. CDC) programs.

However, in the coming months, when I introduce the faculty to the two databases and special features I will be sure to tell them that 1) identification of new funding sources may NOT be a limiting factor for many grantseekers and 2) using these search tools is worthless if one does not also: accept the need to wade through LOTS of irrelevant hits, go to agency web sites and read full texts of announcements prior to making a decision on appropriateness, call/email funders to double check that work on an application will be time well-invested, understand that unsolicited appeals to private foundations without prior cultivation are probably worthless, and submit well written applications that adhere like epoxy to guidelines ONLY after others have proofread and critiqued them to death.

Charlie Hathaway

At 02:45 PM 8/17/00 -0700, you wrote:
>Thanks, Nancy - this is helpful.  So far, SPIN is winning!
>
>Carol
>
>>>> "Dean,Nancy N." <xxxxxx@NSO1.UCHC.EDU> 08/17 2:09 PM >>>
>Carol,
>        I use SPIN here at The University of Connecticut Health Center. I
>absolutely love it! It is extremely user friendly.  We publish a monthly
>deadline report from the information that I generate through SPIN.
> I also run individual searches to find funding opportunities for our
>faculty and postdocs in their area of expertise.
>
>        The customer service is EXCELLENT and their staff is pleasant and if
>very knowledgeable!
>
>
>Regards,
>
>Nancy Dean
>Office of Research & Sponsored Programs
>UCHC
>263 Farmington Ave
>ASB #3 - MC5355
>Farmington, CT 06030
>860-679-4397 (tel)
>860-679-2670 (fax)
>xxxxxx@nso1.uchc.edu
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Carol Brodie [mailto:xxxxxx@UOP.EDU]
>Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2000 2:46 PM
>To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
>Subject: Funding Opportunity Products
>
>
>Hello, all.  I am in the process of trying to select a funding-opportunity
>database, and have come to the point where I'm trying to decide between two
>products.  We've had free trials with three - and have narrowed it down to
>either SPIN or GrantSelect.   I'd love to hear from administrators who have
>experience with one or both of these products - what do/did you like about
>the product?  Dislike?  How is their customer service, etc?
>
>I realize that vendors probably subscribe to this list, but I do just want
>to hear from users.
>
>You can reply to me directly at
>xxxxxx@uop.edu
>
>Thanks for any advice you can give!  And please, if this is not the
>appropriate place to ask this question, just let me know.
>
>Carol A. Brodie
>Sponsored Programs Administrator
>University of the Pacific
>3601 Pacific Ave.
>Stockton, CA  95211
>Phone:  209-946-7356     Fax:  209-946-2858
>xxxxxx@uop.edu
>
>
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**************************************
Charles B. Hathaway, Ph.D., Director
Office of Grant Support
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461-1975
Phone: 718 430-3642     Fax: 718 430-8822
email: xxxxxx@aecom.yu.edu
http://www.aecom.yu.edu/ogs

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