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“Frequently Asked
Questions” about Professional Development Research Grant Proposals by Susan Coffey, VCCS Director of Professional Development 1.Are adjunct faculty eligible to submit a research grant proposal?
An adjunct faculty cannot be the primary author of the grant proposal.
However, the adjunct may be a collaborator and co-applicant involved in
and benefiting from the proposed project. 2.
Are classified staff personnel eligible
to submit a research grant proposal?
The rules apply here as for the
adjunct applicant - i.e., classified staff may not be primary authors of the
grant but may be involved as collaborators and co-applicants. 3.
What are some guidelines in regard to the
best applications of reassigned time for the applicant?
The reassigned time should be applied
to endeavors outside the normal course of teaching and administrative
responsibilities. It should be used to explore, experience, reflect upon,
ingest, and apply new knowledge that you would otherwise not have had the time
to pursue and/or apply. 4.
Can I be awarded both reassigned time and
a grant award?
A combination of the two is possible dependent upon the quality,
objectives, extent, benefit and cost requirements of the proposed faculty
research and professional development activity. 5.
Can I apply for a second grant as a
follow-up to my involvement in a first grant award?
If appropriate, a longer-term
commitment to a professional development endeavor is possible, especially when
the applicant clearly defines the methodology.
Including information on the intent to apply for a follow-up grant will
be helpful in understanding the individual’s long and short-term goals. 6.
How should my Individual Development Plan
be applied to my proposal?
Under the section, “Benefits of the
Proposal,” it is important that you show how a grant award or reassigned time
will further your personal and professional goals, will benefit your discipline
and college in terms of your developmental and innovative goals, and, most
importantly, will benefit your students through your goals for them as a
teacher. The benefits of faculty
professional development to the student is often the most difficult to define
statistically, yet it should be the ultimate goal of the endeavor. A faculty member, however, does not have to have a formal
Individual Development Plan in place in order to receive a grant award. 7.
Can a trip overseas be a legitimate
aspect of a research grant proposal?
The approval of a proposal that
involves overseas or extensive travel is dependent upon the purpose,
methodology, and justification of travel costs in regard to
faculty/administrative and student learning.
When applying for a grant involving travel, make sure that your travel
budget is well researched, detailed and realistic. 8.
What types of budgetary items are not
considered fundable for a research grant award?
Computer software programs and other teaching materials are not
considered fundable because they are, like textbooks, so much a part of the
disciplinary and professional need normally supplied by the college institution.
Equipment that is normally expected to be supplied by the home
institution is also not considered fundable. 9.
What are examples of “college
contributions”?
Examples of college “in-kind”
contributions for instrumentation, documentation, evaluation, or dissemination
of the project include the following: copying, printing, and clerical services;
videotaping and photographic expenses; computer software and hardware and other
technological equipment; use of a college vehicle for travel to a conference
that is part of the project. 10.
What are examples of “individual
contributions”?
Research costs and the purchase of
books, computer software, film, and other materials that are potentially
applicable to classroom teaching and one’s discipline in the context of the
research project are legitimate individual contributions.
Often the faculty applicant already owns materials that are relevant to
the project and can therefore claim these as personal contributions. 11.
What is meant by “evaluation of the
proposal”?
Many vehicles for the assessment of your project are appropriate, but the
key factor to assessment is to describe the benefits of the project and your
professional development as they relate to the education of your students.
Statistically, this is often difficult to gauge but can often be shown
through the following: modification of course content; documentation of
“before and after the grant” assessment of course content; student responses
to a revitalized, new or expanded course offering which can be recorded both
verbally and in written form; and retention and attrition rates over several
semesters of classes involved in a modified experience due to the grantee’s
enhanced knowledge. 12.
What types of dissemination activities
and venues are appropriate?
It is important again to share the results of your research with your
students, as well as your colleagues. Appropriate
vehicles for this include published information, your classroom, faculty/staff
and division meetings and inservice activities, peer group meetings, local and
national conferences, and seminars and professional meetings. New Horizons, for
example, has proved to be an excellent venue for technology-related professional
development sharing of knowledge. 13.
Is it a good idea to mention the service
area for the grant proposal? The
service area may only be included if it does not pinpoint the particular college
applying for the grant. 14.
Do I have to address every element of the grant application? Absolutely.
An application without all the elements addressed is incomplete and will
not be considered for funding. 15.
How important is it that the grant proposal be well written and free of
grammatical errors? It
is extremely important. The grant
application is the only thing the committee members see as they make their
decisions; it may be considered a strong indicator as to the likely success or
value of the completed project. The
applicant should proofread it carefully and perhaps ask a peer or a supervisor
not connected with the project to read it for clarity, accuracy, and
consistency. 16.
How does the Research Grant Committee go about reviewing the grant proposals? The Research Grant Committee consists of two
subcommittees, which consider grant requests from colleges other than their own.
Committee members receive the proposals by mail, review and rate them
individually, then share their opinions with their subcommittee members. This
may be accomplished through a combination of activities,
often including E-mail,
conference calls, and meetings. The
director of professional development may participate in meetings and
teleconferences to answer questions and/or provide necessary assistance.
Efforts are made to ensure confidentiality and equity. 17.
Would the design and development of a web-based course be considered a likely
prospect for a research grant? Each proposal is considered individually based on its merits. However, in most cases, courses that already exist online (check VCCS Web Courses listing online – www.so.cc.va.us) are not likely to be funded for design or development unless there is a distinctive or innovative component of the proposal. There are other funding resources that are recommended for web design/development, primarily, the Courseware Grant funding under the direction of Dr. Carole Shultz (see web pages on distance learning for details – www.so.cc.va.us). |
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