School of EducationResearch and Practice Mini-Grant Program

Request for Proposal2014-2015

DescriptionThis grant program is designed to respond to a wide range of scholarly research projects, research-based innovative instructional projects (activities designed to advance teaching, learning, instruction with new or emerging technologies), field-initiated projects (including program evaluation and clinic-based practices) and other systematic inquiries into professional practice based on rationale from the current literature. Although all proposals meeting these descriptions will be accepted, proposals that reflect the overall theme of social justice are strongly encouraged. In addition, the following attributes of an application will be given priority status:

• Demonstration of participation across departments and disciplines (10 Extra Points); and

• Projects that demonstrate program development or research that lasts past the grant period (5 Extra Points)

Type of Award: Competitive / Discretionary Principal Investigator(s): Up to 3 Principal Investigators are allowableNumber of Awards: TBDEstimated Range of Awards: $4,000 - $9,000 Project Period: 12 Months (January – December, 2015)

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants: Pre/Tenured School of Education Faculty

Exclusions: Full Professors as Principal Investigators; and Principal Investigators that have had external funding of $50,000 or more in the past 5 years

Application/ProposalI. Research and Practice Mini-Grant Program CoversheetII. AbstractIII.Certification/Assurances Page with SignaturesIV. Program Narrative

A. Description of the Project (10 Points)B. Significance (30 Points)C. Management Plan (20 Points)D. Evaluation Plan (20 Points)

Logic Model (5 Extra Points)V. Budget & Budget Narrative (10 Points)VI.Principal Investigator(s) Abbreviated / Highlighted Curriculum

VitaeVII.Appendices (Optional & Limited)

Timelines

Technical Assistance and Proposal Submission Schedule

September 29, 2014 Request for Proposal is Published 

October 1st, 2014-(3:00 – 3:50 – Roscoe West 201

Initial Introduction of Proposal Development/ Pre-Application Meeting will be in the form of a webinar  

October 10, 2014 Applicants that intend to participate in this grant competition MUST submit a Letter of Intent. The letter should include the topic; type of project and Principal Investigators 

November 5, 2014 Final Proposal Development Technical Assistance Meeting 

November 21, 2014 A Hard Copy (and on Flash-Drive) of the Proposals MUST be submitted and stamped by 4:00 pm to the School of Education Office  

December 19, 2014 Research and Practice Mini-Grant Awards are Announced 

January 28, 2015 Awardee Post-Competition Meeting 

Notes about Evaluation?

Evaluation is the systematic acquisition and assessment of information to provide useful feedback about some program or effort.

Effect

Effort

Social-economic-environmental improvements

Hierarchy of effectsSource: Bennett and Rockwell, 1995, Targeting Outcomes of Programs

Reactions

Learning

Actions

Number and characteristics of people reached; frequency and intensity of contact

Degree of satisfaction with program; level of interest; feelings toward activities, educational methods

Changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, aspirations

Changes in behaviors and practices

Participation

Six-Step Basic Evaluation Process

Logic Model to Support Evaluation

A logic evaluation model is…

• A depiction of a program showing what the program will do and what it is to accomplish.

• A series of “if-then” relationships that, if implemented as intended, lead to the desired outcomes

• The core of program planning and evaluation

11

Where are you going?

How will you get there?

What will show that you’ve arrived?

“If you don’t know where you are going, how are you gonna’ know when you get there?”

Yogi Berra

Logic model may also be called…

• Theory of change• Program action• Model of change• Conceptual map• Outcome map• Program logic

Simplest form

INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

Everyday example

HEADACHE

Feel betterGet pills Take pills

Situation

INPUTS OUTPUTS

OUTCOMES

Everyday example

HUNGRY

Feel betterGet food Eat food

If-then relationships

Underlying a logic model is a series of ‘if-then’ relationships that express the program’s theory of change

IF then IF then IF then IF then

IF then

How will activities lead to desired outcomes? A series of if-then relationships

We invest time and money

Students struggling academically can be tutored

They will learn and improve their skills

They will get better grades

They will move to next grade level on time

IF then

IF then

IF then IF thenWe can

provide tutoring 3 hrs/week for 1 school year to 50 children

IF then

Tutoring Program Example

Parent Education Program – Logic model

Staff

Money

Partners

Assess parent ed programs

Design- deliver evidence-based program of 8 sessions

Parents increase knowledge of child dev

Parents better understanding their own parenting style

Parents use effective parenting practices

Improved child-parent relations

Research

INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

Facilitate support groups

Parents gain skills in new ways to parent

Parents identify appropriate actions to take

Parents of 3-10

year olds

attend

Reduced stress

Parents gain confidence in their abilities

SITUATION: During a county needs assessment, majority of parents reported that they were having difficulty parenting and felt stressed as a result

Youth and community service

Staff

Partners

Youth improve skills in planning, decision making, problem solving

Youth learn about their community

Youth demonstrateleadership skills

Youth are connected with and feel valued by their community

Time

Youth gain confidence in doing community work

Youth engage in additional community activities

Adults

INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

Youth identify project to work on

Plan project

Carry out the project

Evaluate how they did

Youth ages

12-16

Youth successfullycomplete projects

Grant

“I think you should be more explicit here in Step Two.”

A common problem is that activities and strategies often do not lead to the desired outcomes.

Check your ‘if-then’ statements and ensure that they make sense and lead to the outcomes you want to achieve.

A logic model makes the connections EXPLICIT.

Fear of the So-What Factor