Questions We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Read Chapter 22 (Proposals) before completing this project. In addition, review the website for the Community-Campus Partnership for Health (CCPH). http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/.
Using the background information provided below, write a grant proposal asking for a CCPH Award. The main argument of your grant will be a MINIMUM of two-pages of single-spaced text. (This does not include any graphs, charts, or tables, the schedule, staffing, budget—it primarily refers to the written portions of your argument).
Required Parts:
Your proposal will have these following sections, each of which is defined at the end of this assignment sheet. 1) Cover Page/Table of Contents; 2) Structured Abstract; 3) Overview;
4) Statement of Problem; 5) Background; 6) Plan, Method, and Schedule; 7) Staffing;
8) Budget; 9) Conclusion; 10) References.
Grant Samples:
Use the funding proposal for the SMU Torch on p. 561 as a basic model for your own project. In addition, there is a Student Sample posted in the Grant Proposal folder— remember, these are only models and should not restrict your own creative ideas or organizational plan. [But do not copy them: there are many ways to develop your proposal].
NOTE: The Student Sample was a group project with 3 students—it has the same exact parts as your grant, but it’s longer, and more detailed in some sections.
Summary of Grant Proposal: What am I doing?
You will be writing a grant proposal requesting start-up funds for an original non-profit organization that you would like to create. Your organization must meet the values and criteria of the CCPH—the non-profit group that would potentially award you with the funding that you will request.
Partnership: Your organization must be based out of an academic university (probably an appropriate department at the University of Houston and will be addressing a problem in the local community.
2) Community: You must identity and describe your community and provide compelling data (research) on the nature of the problem, and offer methods on how it could be alleviated or resolved.
3) Methods: You will then describe the practical partnership that your organization intends to make with that community. You will also explain the service or resources that your organization provides, and indicate how your organization is uniquely designed to assist that community.
Brainstorming Worksheet—optional. The main concepts of your grant are defined in more detail on the “Brainstorming Worksheet” posted in the Grant Proposal folder. You are welcome to complete and email to me if you want feedback on your concept—this is entirely optional.
Why is the CCPH important to you?
As a grant writer for your organization, you will be writing a persuasive grant proposal requesting funds. You will be applying to the CCPH with the purpose of being chosen for the annual CCPH Award.
Mission Statement and Values of CCPH:
The Community-Campus Partnership for Health promotes health (broadly defined) through partnerships between communities and higher education institutions. The intent of the CCPH award is to highlight the power and potential of partnerships between academic institutions (universities) and local communities. The award recognizes partnerships that are striving to achieve social justice through the system and policy changes needed to overcome the root causes of health, social and economic inequalities.
Here is the criteria and principles for the CCPH Award at the following link: http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/Award09guidelines.pdf
Past award recipients:
http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/awardsrecipients.html.
FUNDING AMOUNT: There is no exact dollar amount, but you will request a range of funds—for a smaller project, it might be 10 thousand dollars, but more substantial projects might require a few hundred thousand (LIMIT: Half a million). Consider the CCPH award to be start-up money for your organization for a single-year. Don’t worry about the money required to sustain the project—questions of sustainability will be addressed through the application of future grants.
ORGANIZATION:
You have creative freedom with the design and organization. My primary concern is that each block of information is clearly labelled with specific headers. You have the SMU Torch textbook example and the Student Example to reference; however, feel free to add any formatting elements that you feel improve the readability of your grant—that might include headers, bullets, bold face, numbers, color, images, charts graphs. Bottom line: Make it easy and clear to read and you’ve done your job—a document’s visual design can enhance its persuasive impact.
PARTS OF YOUR GRANT PROPOSAL: Write your proposal with the CCPH’s principles and intent clearly in mind. Be creative, and choose a subject that is relevant and interesting to your own expertise and values. You’re free to come up with any idea you can that would speak to the principles of the CCPH.
1) Cover Page and Table of Contents
a. See SMU Torch example/and Student Sample.
2) Structured Abstract
a. Refer to the example posted in the Grant Proposal folder, titled
“Structured Abstract”
3) Overview
a. An effective overview is a short introduction. It offers a concise and persuasive statement of the key participants and problems addressed in the proposal—it should be engaging and persuasive and hook your audience. In this section, you will identify your organization, the community you’ve chosen, the problem afflicting the community, and the purpose of your organization
4) Statement of Problem & Background
These two sections often overlap each other, but you will focus on these 3 key areas:
a. Provide background on your community. You may use
research and statistical or demographic data to describe this community.
b. Discuss the problem/s affecting this community. This would be a logical place for persuasive research and data.
c. Introduce your proposed organization. Argue the ways that the
community would benefit from a partnership with your organization.
Describe how the CCPH award will allow you foster a partnership
between the community and your University sponsored organization.
5) Plan/Method/Schedule
a. In this section, you will tell the CCPH exactly how you plan to achieve your objectives. Be specific about your goals, and your method. A schedule OR phases of events may be useful to include.
b. Describe the workings of the organization and how it will function in a practical context. Is there a time-table for how each step, stage, or phase of the project will be initiated? What goals do you hope to achieve at each phase?
6) Staffing:
a. DO NOT use the sample from the SMU Torch.
b. Your staffing section should be more specific than what the textbook provides and therefore the STUDENT SAMPLE is more relevant. Choose appropriate staff members and use titles and roles that suggest the hierarchy and scale of your organization: Managers, Associates, Volunteers, Coordinators, Staff, etc. Perhaps include information on the qualifications required for each position.
c. A table or chart may be useful for this section.
7) Budget:
a. Make up the numbers.
b. You’ll have to decide how specific to be. Is this the kind of project that needs line-by-line budgetary information, tables, pie charts, or can you group tasks into categories and discuss how much each category will cost?
8) Conclusion:
a. Unlike some business proposals, grant proposals should not include a deadline date for a business offer. Rather, you should remind the reader of the key benefits of your plan and try to motivate action. This is the last opportunity to compel your audience to action—the conclusion is typically short, concise, and persuasive.
9) References:
a. Your proposal will have a research component that will include at least 4 outside sources to support your argument. Online sources are allowed. Sources should be documented using correct APA format for in-text citations and work cited page.
b. Your textbook includes information APA format, but below I have also included links to the North Carolina Writing Center:
APA Citation Links:
How to Insert a quote in the text:
http://guides.lib.unc.edu/citing-information/apa-intext
List of “signal phrases for introducing quote:
http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/onlineWritingCenter/downloads/handoutSignalPhrases2009.pdf
Documenting Online Sources:
http://guides.lib.unc.edu/citing-information/apa-online
Sample References Page:
http://guides.lib.unc.edu/citing-information/apa-sample
GRADING CRITERIA:
Your proposal will be graded according to the criteria by which proposals are typically accepted or rejected. A successful grant proposal will:
Demonstrate an understanding of the CCPH’s criteria for the award.
Be organized into clear sections with proper headings.
Illustrate the soundness/practicality of the plan being offered.
Identify a relevant problem in the community and a feasible approach to its solution.
Illustrate the quality of the project’s organization and management.
Demonstrate an ability to control costs.
Include a research component with correct citations.
Demonstrate the qualifications of the staff to be assigned to the project.
Use persuasive techniques (including a clear focus on audience needs and benefits, honest and supportable claims, appropriate detail, readability, convincing language, accessible and attractive page design, proper citations of any sources or contributors, etc.).
Display correct grammar and mechanics. Demonstrate concision, clarity, and fluency.
