Planning and Writing Successful Proposals in K8 Science Education

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Planning and Writing Successful Proposalsin K-8
Science Education

• Susan Gramling, MSLS
• GrantSource Librarian
• Office of Information and Communications

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Grant Source Library

• Susan Gramling
• 919-962-7766
• susan_gramling_at_unc.edu
• This PowerPoint available online at
• http//grantsource.unc.edu/workshops_archive.phps
  ci_ed

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Source Dr. Glenn H. Crumb, Presentation Grants
Puzzled About Finding Them?, Western Kentucky
University
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Topics for today

• Identifying funding sources
• Researching potential funders
• Planning your proposal
• Proposal elements
• Budgeting
• Review process
• Preparing for the next time

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GrantSource Library Website for Finding Funding

• Funding opportunity databases and funding alerts
  (some are free and others are accessible only by
  subscription)
• Guides and tutorials for proposal writing
• Grants awarded databases (free)

http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/
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Subscription Funding Information Sources

• COS Funding Opportunities database
  http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/funding_databa
  ses.phpcos
• InfoEd SPIN funding database http//research.unc.e
  du/grantsource/funding_databases.phpspin
• Foundation Directory Online
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/funding_datab
  ases.phpfoundation

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Free Funding Info Sources

• Grants.gov (and Email Notification Service)
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/funding_datab
  ases.phpgrants
• NC Community Resource Information System (CRIS)
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/funding_datab
  ases.phpcris
• Foundation Center Foundation Finder
• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/funding_datab
  ases.phpfinding

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Research Potential Funders

• Look for potential funders with a good fit
• Check for local and regional funders
• Contact agency program staff to assess fit with
  their priorities or new initiatives
• Find out their review criteria and process
• Read previous successful proposals

Sample Grant Proposals http//www.k12grants.org/sa
mples/samples_index.htm
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Know Your Competition

• Who and what has sponsor funded in the past?
• Check sponsor websites or annual reports
• Check awards made databases
• Most federal agencies have online databases of
  awards made
• Use Foundation Center 990 Finder for private
  sponsors

• http//research.unc.edu/grantsource/awards_made.ph
  p

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Fundamentals of Proposal Preparation

• Talk with the program officer
• Become familiar with the grantsmanship process
• Read the guidelines
• Write, revise, revise, revise
• Get feedback from others

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Plan Before You Write

• Identify the need or problem
• Define your project
• Think the plan through to the end
• Assess project fit with personal and
  organizational goals and purpose
• Assess your expertise, resources and strengths to
  approach the project
• Outside resources?
• Involve collaborators in planning

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Typical Proposal Elements

• Summary or abstract
• Problem statement/needs assessment
• Proposed solution/goals and objectives
• Project description/methodology
• Organization description/qualifications/
• resources
• Including those of partners or collaborators
• Timeline
• Evaluation
• Budget and budget justification

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Summary or Abstract

• Summarize all important information from proposal
  
• Crucial first impression
• Write it last
• Write in laymans terms
• Anticipate concerns and address briefly
• Convey enthusiasm

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Problem Statement or Needs Assessment

• Identify problem or need
• Indicate importance or significance
• Cite examples, statistics, etc.
• Relate to sponsors mission or goal
• Dont take for granted that the reader will know
  whats on your mind

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Solution/Goals Objectives

• Proposed solution to problem or desired overall
  goal
• Address need or problem statement
• Brief, focused, to-the-point
• Objectives are specific, measurable steps to
  reach overall goal
• No more than three to five objectives
• Each should flow logically to the next

Example http//www.learnerassociates.net/proposal
/exam5.htm
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Project Description/ Methodology

• Describe activities to be undertaken and why
• Flows naturally from problem and proposed
  solution
• Describe activities, staff needed, and other
  resources
• Provide evidence of planning (see time task
  chart examples)
• Reasonable scope

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Organization Description/Qualifications

• Demonstrate to the reviewer that you are capable
  of doing what you propose
• Describe your qualifications expertise
• Describe organization, its purpose, goals
  programs, project administration
• Other available resources, including
  collaborators or other key personnel, technical
  resources
• Offer supporting evidence or endorsements

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Collaboration/Cooperation

• Collaboration is often either required or viewed
  as a strengthening element
• Broadens available expertise
• Allows projects to address larger problems
• Can result in more efficient use of resources

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A Good Collaboration

• Contains all necessary expertise for every
  component of the project
• Must actually BE a team, not a group that met in
  the hall one day
• Has a clear understanding of roles
• Works together constructively

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Timeline

• Describe sequence of activities or major steps of
  your project
• Lets reviewers know you have done significant
  planning
• Some sponsors require written statement
• Others may expect it in methodology
• Or, use time and task chart (visual)

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Evaluation

• How will you know if the project is successful?
• Define evaluation criteria
• Identify a plan
• Types of evaluation- Process- Product
• Show how evaluation will be used

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Other Possible Proposal Elements
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Outreach/Dissemination Plan

• How are you doing to share the results with
  others?
• Required increasingly by many sponsors
• Sponsors looking for contribution to knowledge in
  the field, broader impact, community inclusion
  especially under-represented groups

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Writing Style

• Be clear, concise and direct
• Write in a positive manner
• Use the active voice, rather than passive
• Avoid jargon someone outside your field should
  be able to understand
• Use headings, bullets, formatting and white space
  to increase readability
• Proofread for grammar, spelling and typographical
  errors

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Budgeting

• Itemize and account for costs
• Budget should flow from your project plan
• Justify budget items
• Dont overestimate resource needs
• Dont underestimate resource needs either
• Know what sponsor will/wont pay for

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SAMPLE LINE ITEM PROJECT BUDGET PERSONNEL Senior
Personnel 5,000 Graduate Students 10,000 Und
ergraduate Students 900 Fringe Benefits _at_
19 for faculty 1,199 7.7 for
undergrads Subtotal Personnel 17,099 PARTICIP
ANT COSTS 40 Participants . 8,000 EQUIPMENT
(Exceeding 5,000) Itemized List 1. Flat Panel
Display 30,000 OTHER DIRECT
COSTS Supplies 750 Publication Costs
500 Course Development Stipends
10,000 TOTAL DIRECT COSTS
66,349 INDIRECT COSTS _at_ 45.5 MTDC 19,629 AMOUNT
OF THIS REQUEST 85,978
Fringe benefit rates change. For current rates,
always consult the OSR web site at
http//research.unc.edu/osr/fringe_benefit_rates.h
tml
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SAMPLE PHASE PROJECT BUDGET PHASE ONE COURSE
DEVELOPMENT Personnel plus fringes 11,130 Cours
e Development Stipends 10,000 Interactive
Classroom 30,000 Total Direct Costs
51,130 Indirect Costs 11,410 Total Costs of
Phase One 62,540 PHASE TWO
CONFERENCE Personnel plus fringes
5,969 Conference Materials 1,250 Participant
Stipends 8,000 Total Direct Costs
15,219 Indirect Costs 8,219 Total Costs
of Phase Two 23,438 AMOUNT
OF THIS REQUEST 85,978
Fringe benefit rates change. For current rates,
always consult the OSR web site at
http//research.unc.edu/osr/fringe_benefit_rates.h
tml
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Budget Justification for Project Grant 1. The PI
will devote one month of effort to the
coordination of the course development module.
She will be assisted by one graduate student who
will oversee day to day administration and who
will coordinate the training workshop. Three
undergraduate students will prepare the
conference materials, and receive 7.50 an hour
for a total of 120 hours of work. The
University's negotiated fringe benefit rates for
non-federal agencies is 19 for faculty and 7.7
for undergraduate students during the summer.
There are no fringe benefits for the graduate
students. 2. We anticipate inviting 40 teachers
to attend the conference. Using federal per diem
rates, their travel, room and board for three
days will be 200.00 each. 3.The flat panel wall
display will be the key feature of the new
interactive classroom. This cost includes all
the software and installation fees. 4.The
conference materials will include notebooks and
handouts on the courses that were developed in
the first module, as well the publication costs
of course syllabi. The project will hold a
campus-wide competition for approximately five
2,000 course development grants. 5. The
University's negotiated indirect cost rate for on
campus projects is 45.5.
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This means you

• Read carefully and follow scrupulously the
  guidelines provided by the sponsor
• This includes points to be addressed
• Also includes spacing, margins, font size,
  number of copies, page limitations
• If no guidelines, double-space, use generous
  margins and 12-point type

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Key Points to Remember

• Place your project in context of the other work
  in the field
• Discuss your expected results
• Anticipate problems in the project and propose
  alternative strategies

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The Review Process

• Process varies by sponsor
• Remember - reviewers may not have expertise in
  your field, may not share your interest and
  enthusiasm for the project, may be overworked and
  underpaid
• Key point Make your proposal easy for the
  reviewer to read

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Reviewers look for

• A doable project (resources, approach)
• A project worth doing
• Systematic, logical development of ideas
• An easily-read, accessible proposal

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Common Reasons for Rejection

• Mechanical
• guidelines not followed exactly
• Methodological
• unoriginal or unsuitable methodology
• Personnel
• unqualified to do work
• Cost-Benefit
• not agency priority for this year
• unrealistic budget
• costs out of proportion to potential benefits

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Preparing for the next time

• If not funded, dont give up!
• Ask sponsor for reviewers written comments, if
  available
• Ask if it would be worth submitting another
  proposal in the future
• When revising, be responsive to reviewer comments

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Summary

• Project planning is key
• Project should fit overall goals or plan
• Choose potential funders with a good fit
• Write with reviewers in mind
• Budget should fit your project plan
• Dont despair if proposal is unfunded

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Workshop Resources

• Proposal Writing Short Course from the Foundation
  Center http//foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tuto
  rials/shortcourse/index.html
• Proposal Budgeting Basics from the Foundation
  Center http//foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tuto
  rials/prop_budgt/index.html
• USDA National Agricultural Library Grant Writing
  Resources http//www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/fund
  guide.htmlgrantwritingresources

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Questions?
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Thank you!