| Writing Tips for a Small Grant Application: Part 2 |
| Editorial - Funding & Money Matters | ||||
| Written by Barbara Atkinson | ||||
| Saturday, 10 January 2009 19:41 | ||||
|
In the GrantSuccess system, you will write your small grant application on this Grant Writing Guide. The Grant Writing Guide includes the required sections of the grant narrative and subsections that should help the reviewer understand your application. Copy this entire column to a new word document. Put it in your grant folder. Use the sections and writing tips to help you construct the text for your grant application. As you write, reference the “critical questions” and “writing tips.’ When you are satisfied that you have the best possible application, reduce the grant writing guide to the outline and your text. Your goal is to have an application 90% ready for any small grant opportunity that comes along. Some parts will be different, but most will be the same.
Dr. Brooks’ Writing Tip: I have organized the Grant Writing Guide to make sure that you are addressing all the required sections on the website. This is the grant “Narrative” in the Request for Funding Proposal (RFP). This RFP wants the narrative organized in four sections using specific titles. Number them. I have included “Writing Tips” for each section. The secret here is to use the language of the RFP to write the section. Write your text in response to the critical questions and my sub-sections. 1. Purpose Critical Questions: What is the specific research goal? Does the research focus on learning, teaching or professional development outcomes? Typical areas of study include: curriculum development, students with disabilities, gender and technology, distance learning, literacy programs, coaching, collaboration, teacher training, learning theories and student participation in class. Dr. Brooks’ Tip: This does not mean you have to include all of the areas of study, but the more you can include that make sense will strengthen your application. They will not just award you a SMART Board because you want one. It has to be grounded in a curricular goal. Our goals address the boldfaced areas of focus above. If your action research had gender specific, disabled students that needed literacy skill improvement, you would have them all! This section should include your goals and objectives. The goals are your specific learning outcomes. Three goals will help you organize yourself.
WRITE YOUR GOALS TEXT HERE. 1. Purpose
2. Background Critical Questions: Why is this project important from a pedagogical perspective? What previous education experience or published research is relevant? Dr. Brooks’ Writing Tip: Goggle “interactive whiteboard technology.” Select recent published studies that show results like increased student engagement, increased student achievement, fewer management problems, and exciting intervention results with high-risk learners. Write using this sentence structure: Brooks (2008) reports significant mathematics achievement gains with high-risk 6th grade students. Cite the most recent studies first. Create two subsections in Background: 2.1 Pedagogical Importance and 2.2 Related Research http://smarterkids.org/research/library_alpha.asp is an example of how information like this is accumulated.where you can find information on research done by teachers. WRITE YOUR BACKGROUND TEXT HERE 2. Background
3. Research Methodology Critical Questions: What is your research strategy? How will it help you test your hypothesis? How will you control variables? How will you collect data? Dr. Brooks’ Writing Tip: You may want to refer to other researchers who have used a similar research methodology. You will find this in reported studies. No harm in adapting their methods to your situation. This is one place where “copying” is ok. What reviewers are after is the extent of your “control” over the process. Dr. Brooks’ Writing Tip: Create the following subsections: 3.1 Research Hypothesis; 3.2 Sample; 3.2 Control of Variables; 3.3 Data Collection; 3.4 Timeline. A classic research hypothesis is stated in the null and disproved. We have all been tortured by this topic in introductory research class. Action research goals are rarely expressed in the null. Instead, just restate your goals here. “Project Technology has curriculum, technology integration and professional development goals.” What they are interested in is whether on not your approach is logical and shows some promise of demonstrating positive impact. What variables are you going to measure pre and post? Use annual test scores. Use measures of engagement. Use student reports. Use an external observer in your room. Your hypothesis is that you will improve student math performance, improve technology integration and increase teacher capacity and application of the technology. WRITE YOUR RESEARCH METHODLOGY TEXT HERE 3. Research Methodology
4. Results and Evaluation Critical Questions: What results do you expect your project to produce? How will you evaluate your results? Please reference your institution’s standardized testing or evaluation criteria as part of your evaluative process. Dr. Brooks’ Writing Tip: Projects are best evaluated by the Phases or Stages of the Timeline or Action Plan. In most technology integration projects there are four phases. Each phase tends to address a particular goal of the project. Phase 1 Technology Acquisition and Deployment; (dates) Objective # 2 Phase 2 Professional Development (dates) Objective #3 Phase 3 Curriculum Design and Integration (dates) Objective # 1 Phase 4 Results and Impact (dates) Objective # 1 4. Results and Evaluation
WRITE YOUR RESULTS AND EVALUATION TEXT HERE. Use the section outlines, critical questions and writing tips to construct your text. Review the product website for terminology that will help you compose your application consistent with the companies mission. Good Writing!
Set as favorite
Bookmark
Email This
Comments (0)
 Write comment
           
|
||||
Dr. Douglas Brooks is a Professor in the 
Subscribe to this comment's feed
