Atom | Efficient Grant Discovery for PUIs: Franklin & Marshall’s Atom Story
September 18, 2025
Efficient Grant Discovery for PUIs: Franklin & Marshall’s Atom Story
Overview
A One-Person Research Office, A Big Research Portfolio
Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) is a liberal arts institution with 1,800 students and about 180 faculty. Despite its size, the college consistently ranks in the top 10% of PUIs nationwide for research and development spending.
Managing that activity falls to Dr. Rene Munoz, Director of Sponsored Research — who runs the office with just himself and a few students.
The Challenge
Outdated, Click-Heavy Systems
When Dr. Munoz arrived at F&M, the existing grant discovery tool was clunky and inefficient.
Too many clicks to find deadlines and details
Difficult for faculty to scan quickly
Unreliable email alerts that missed relevant opportunities
With faculty juggling teaching and research, he knew they needed a tool that was intuitive, fast, and accurate.
The Solution
Atom’s Clean, Faculty-Friendly Platform
After exploring other options like Pivot and Grant Forward, Dr. Munoz chose Atom for its usability and precision.
Why Atom worked for F&M:
Clean presentation: Easy-to-scan listings, color-coded by funder and deadline.
Accurate email alerts: Faculty receive tailored recommendations they actually use.
Intuitive filters: Quick narrowing of results without overcomplication.
Shareable bundles: One-click sharing of multiple opportunities with faculty.
Real Impact
Keeping Research Moving
When one of F&M’s political scientists lost NSF funding in a highly competitive division, Atom helped identify new opportunities to keep the international collaboration alive.
The Results
Time saved: Faster discovery and dissemination of opportunities
Faculty engagement: Professors trust and act on the weekly Atom emails
Better alignment: Atom surfaces research-focused funding instead of irrelevant applied programs
Scalable efficiency: One-person research office supports a top-10% PUI portfolio
What Rene Tells Other Research Offices
Key Takeaways
Small teams can punch above their weight with the right tools.
Faculty adoption improves when recommendations are accurate and easy to scan.
Atom is built for research-first institutions, surfacing relevant opportunities without noise.
Ready to See Atom in Action?
Easy setup. Happy faculty. Better grant discovery.
Book your demo today and see what Atom can do for your research office.