Crafting a Quality Grant ProposalSeptember, 2015

REGIONAL PROMISE GRANT

Please mute any microphones or phones

A copy of the RFA and these sl ides is available on the ODE website at: http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?= 5411 (Having a copy of the RFA for reference may be helpful)

Submit al l questions through the chat feature (Access chat on the drop-down menu at the top of your screen)

I wil l answer as many questions as possible at the end of the presentation

DURING THIS WEBINAR…

Introductory material / Grant Background

Eligibility/Award Amounts

Timeline

Planning

Writing strategy

Sections of the Grant RFA

WEBINAR OUTLINE

Improve alignment across education sectors and increase student success.

o Create regional approach to achieving the 40/40/20 goal

o Prepare students earlier in their academic careers for post-secondary experiences, increasing the likelihood that a larger number of students will graduate and be prepared to enroll and succeed in post-secondary education

o Focus on historically underrepresented students

PURPOSE

Closing opportunity gaps for college and career readiness

Promoting a college-going culture and strengthening student preparation for post-secondary education

Support cross-sector collaboration between post-secondary institutions and K-12.

Align educational outcomes and expectations between K-12 and post-secondary education

Provide students with a variety of opportunities to participate in rigorous college courses during high school and earn intentional credits tied to their education plan and profi le.

VISION AND GOALS

Consortia of: Education Service Districts, School Districts, and Post-secondary institutions

Each consort ium wil l p lan to serve either at least 10,000 students or 50% or more of 5 t h -12 t h grade students in school distr icts part ic ipating in the grant and must include: 

At least one Oregon public post-secondary institution;

At least three school districts;At least one education service district.

Competit ive priority wi l l be given to consort ia that include both a local community col lege and a 4-year university.

ELIGIBILITY

Maximum $700,000

No minimumIf over $250,000 may be asked to adjust

downward in order to fund additional proposals Do not include plan for adjustment in proposal

submission This does not mean grants under $250,000 will

take priority

AWARD AMOUNTS

Proposal Due - October 20, 2015

Preliminary Award Notification - November 6, 2015

Final Award Notification – November 16, 2015

1st Grant Manager Phone/webinar – November 18,

2015

TIMELINE

1. Read and understand the RFA

2. Look at previously funded awards. http://www.ode.state.or.us/news/announcements/announcement.aspx?ID=9873&TypeID=4

3. Plan your project

4. Plan your writing strategy

Contact me with any questions, jennell.ives@state.or.us

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Collect the right people (Successful projects have been fully supported by partner leaders)

Engage Stakeholders from all aspects of the grant (Administrators, teachers, faculty, parents, community organizations, students, school counselors, college advisors)

Explore connections Who can help solve problems? Who can build support?

Plan for sustainability of the project

PLAN YOUR PROJECT

Identify your need

Develop your vision

Decide on strategies that will help you achieve your vision (Developing a Logic Model is recommended) Logic model course

Choose the activities to implement those strategies

Sketch out a one-page summary of your project

PLAN YOUR PROJECT (CONT.)

Organize your proposal to match the RFA This makes it easier to

read Use appropriate

headings Answer questions where

they are asked Don’t duplicate your

responses Use the Rubric in

Appendix D or E to help guide your writing (pg. 23 and 32)

PLAN YOUR WRITING STRATEGY

Purpose and Scope

Vision, History, ContextNeeds

Regional Approach5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

Project PlanningEvaluation

Budget

New Only

Consider having diff erent people write specific sections

Identify an editor Editing skills are different from writing skills Check for consistency, a unified voice, etc.

PLAN YOUR WRITING STRATEGY (CONT.)

Clearly and completely explain your project But be succinct

Don’t over explain or talk down to your audience

Refrain from using jargon

Spell out all acronyms (at least the fi rst time they are used in any section)

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

A ‘can do’ attitude and projecting an image of being successful will develop confidence in your project

Don’t dwell on financial woes, or other diffi culties of your situation

The active voice is more positive and reads easier than the passive voice

BE A WINNER

Passive Voice: Oregon education will be invigorated by the Regional Promise Program

Active Voice: The Regional Promise Program will invigorate Oregon education

Passive Voice: Opportunities for underserved students will be provided by our project

Active Voice: Our project will provide opportunities for underserved students

THE ACTIVE VOICE

Purpose and Scope – 1 page

Required Grant Narrative Vision and Community Needs (New Consortia Only) Supporting a Regional Approach 5 Main Components

Equity College-going culture Variety of College Credit Opportunities Cross-sector Collaboration Cross-Sector Learning Communities

Outcomes, activities, timeline Evaluation

Budget – Budget Worksheet (1 page) Budget Narrative (3 pages or less)

SECTIONS OF THE GRANT

Purpose and Scope of Project: Abstract, include partners involved in project Used for

press releases legislative reports publications

PROJECT OVERVIEW(P.10)

Maximum 1 page Purpose and Scope

Vision, History, and Context: Describe your overall vision of the project. Include your partners and the history of your region,

What makes now a good time for you to implement this project?

How are you ready to start achieving the vision you have set?

Community Demographics and Needs Analysis Why is this work critical to your region? Describe the

demographics of your community and the opportunity gaps that may exist.

What barriers might you encounter as you implement the project, what supports might you need from ODE or others?

NEW CONSORTIA ONLY(P.10 )

Vision, History, ContextNeeds

How will the relationships and regional approach help reach 40/40/20?

Include other initiatives and priorities in your region How does this project fit in the larger context Will the relationships between partners continue to

grow and provide sustainability to the project?

How many students do you expect this project to impact?

SUPPORTING REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND COLLABORATION

(P.11 )

Regional Approach

These five components/pillars are the heart of the work.

There may be diff erent people planning each component.

Make sure there is a strategy to pull together the project.

THE FIVE COMPONENTS OF THE REGIONAL PROMISE GRANT PROGRAM

(P.11 )

5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

The grant requires a grant manager who will attend monthly webinars/calls. This person will need to coordinate the work in each component and make a cohesive project.

Closing Opportunity Gaps and Funding Service to Historically Underrepresented Students:

Describe specific strategies to address historic opportunity gaps

How will local communities and families be engaged?

How will data be monitored to ensure that progress is made?

EQUITY(P.11)

5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

The largest underrepresented

group in dual credit are

students who have experienced

poverty*

Resources: • http://eoschools.org/research/• https://

professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/assessment/ap/equity

• http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3138546-151/programs-put-latino-students-families-on-college-path#

Racial or ethnic minorities

English language learners

First generation college going

Students with disabilities

Students experiencing poverty

HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS

Includes… but not limited to…

Environment, attitudes, and practices that encourage access and success in post-secondary education:

Career Exploration/Postsecondary options (not just 4 year university)

Culturally responsive engagement of community and families

Academic foundation building

Sustainability

FOSTERING A COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE(P.11-12)

5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

Resources: • www.avid.org • www.oregonstudentaid.gov/as

pire

• oregongoestocollege.org • oregoncis.uoregon.edu• www.lanecc.edu/mcc/puertas-

abiertas-latino-latina-rites-passage

• www.principals.org/Professional-Development/Leading-Success/Module-3-Creating-a-College-Going-Culture

Describe the models and plan to ensure the design will be consistent with evolving standards of HECC

Describe supports to help students succeed in the class and in college.

How will students be advised to earn purposeful credit?

Equity (what will you do to make sure you move the dial on participation)

How will you track students?

Sustainability

VARIETY OF ACCELERATED COLLEGE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES

(P. 12)

5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

Resources: • www.ode.state.or.us/search/re

sults/?id=222

• www.nacep.org/• professionals.collegeboard.co

m/k-12/all-in• www.ibo.org/

CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION(P. 13-14)

5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

Who are the Partners:

Leadership involvement

Strategies to drive change and communicate

Sustainability

Plan if there is a missing partner Key leadership

committed to the partnership

CROSS-SECTOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES

(P. 14-15)

5 Components/Pillars

• Equity• College-Going Culture• Accelerated College

Credit • Cross Sector

Collaboration• PLCs

Aligning the expectations and outcomes of student learning:

What is the region’s capacity to build PLCs? What are the region’s priorities? What content/CTE areas will have PLCs?

How will the alignment work and content knowledge gained through the PLCs be shared in the K-12 system and in the higher education community?

Sustainability

Plan some travel for PLC leads to participate in a statewide convening

Resources: • http://

www.achieve.org/files/StrategiesforK-12andPostsecondaryAlignment.pdf

• http://oregoncoretocollege.org/?q=node/22

• http://www.sedl.org/insights/2-3/implementing_effective_professional_learning_communities.pdf

There should be a school counselor/student support PLC

Outcomes can address long term impact.

Outcomes should be measurable, manageable and meaningful.

Progress markers should be short-term measures within the timeline of the grant.

OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND TIMELINE

Activities have a rationale to clarify connection to outcomes

Complex activities are broken down

Focused on identified outcomes and progress markers

Plan for ongoing evaluation Gives direction to the project Identifies what is working and what is not

Plan to evaluate results Did you meet your progress markers?

EVALUATION(P. 15 )

Review what is an allowable expense

Be reasonable on costs

Make sure all expenses are aligned to grant

activities

Narrative provides detail and shows alignment

BUDGET WORKSHEET AND NARRATIVE(P. 15 AND APPENDIX C (22) )

Edit, edit, edit Keep editing drafts to create your best proposal!

Have a colleague who is not directly involved in the project review the proposal for content, requirements, consistency, etc. Use the Scoring Rubric

POLISHING THE PROPOSAL

There are two scoring guides: 1 for new grant applications and 1 for continuing grants

Starts on page 23 for new GrantsStarts on page 32 for Continuation Grants

Ensure that you are providing what the reviewers are expecting to see

USE THE SCORING GUIDE

Webinar –

Using Secure File Transfer and Last Minute

Questions, October 13, 2015, 9:30

a.m.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCEP.15

Secure File Transfer – REQUIRED

Paper Copy Submission – 3 copies

Follow the formatting specificationsSee p. 8

Double-check

FORMATTING

Please enter your questions in the chat box.

QUESTIONS