Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW 608 Grant Research and Proposal Writing

Credits - 3

Description

This course serves as a concentrated graduate elective in the study of grant research. It is designed as an intensive, hands-on approach, which allows the student to develop an appreciation for vocabulary, an awareness of the concepts and practices within the field, and an opportunity to practice the requisite skills in obtaining funds from outside sources. Students are expected to utilize Internet resources, class handouts, and discussions to explore the opportunities available to them.

Materials

Coley, S. & Scheinberg, C.A. (2014).  Proposal Writing: Effective Grantsmanship.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Additional Resources:

Additional readings include assigned journal articles that are accessible online or at the University of New England library. These will be presented in the Learning Modules.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:

  1. Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
  2. Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
  3. Engage in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice.
  4. Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
  5. Engage in policy practice.
  6. Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  7. Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  8. Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  9. Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

WCHP Core Values

Collaboration

Critical Thinking

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Access funding and grant writing resources. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 6. As measured by DISCUSSION FORUMS.
  1. Develop a program-based grant proposal using logical, focused steps grounded in relevant data and critical thinking specific to program planning. PROGRAM OUTCOMES 3 & 6. As measured by 1) DISCUSSION FORUMS and 2) WRITTEN PROPOSAL.

  2. Demonstrate an understanding of how to develop an effective grant proposal and grant writing best practices. PROGRAM OUTCOME 6. As measured by 1) DISCUSSION FORUMS and 2) WRITTEN PROPOSAL.

  3. Develop a professional funding pitch presentation. PROGRAM OUTCOMES 3 & 6. As measured by 1) DISCUSSION FORUMS and 2) ORAL PRESENTATION.

  4. Work collaboratively (online and on campus) with class colleagues and, when appropriate, area community-based organizations. PROGRAM OUTCOME 7. As measured by 1) DISCUSSION FORUMS, 2) WRITTEN PROPOSAL and 3) ORAL PRESENTATION.

Assignments

A variety of learning activities have been designed to support the course objectives, facilitate different learning styles, and build a community of learners.

Learning activities in this course include the following:

Readings and Multimedia:

Throughout this course you will complete several readings from your textbook, watch videos, and interact with different websites to help you grasp the information being presented in each learning module. There is a lot of material to cover in each module, so be cautious to read and review carefully.

Discussions:

Each week you will engage in a few activities in the discussion boards. You will complete specific discussion question activities with all of your classmates. All of the discussion activities lead toward completion of the research project. Some of the discussions are complex in nature so it is strongly advised that you begin working on them at the start of each module. Each of the discussion questions will be graded on a weekly basis.

Grading and Feedback Method:

I will provide you with weekly feedback on your grant proposal and your class participation.

Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments:

The major assignment for this course is the creation of a fully developed grant proposal which will be ready for submission. The grant will be developed in sections and submitted weekly, I will provide you with feedback each week. You will take that feedback and incorporate it into your final proposal which you will submit to me. Other writing assignments will include critiquing some examples of grants each week. These will provide you with a great opportunity to write a proposal and to learn from others based on the course readings and other materials.

Grading Policy

The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

AssignmentPoint ValuePercentage of Grade
Grant Proposal – Weekly Assignments (Modules 1-6)300 points (50 points x 6 assignments)30%
Participation (includes your Discussions)200 points (25 points x 8 weeks)20%
Grant Research Best Practices Web Site200 points (25 points x 8 weekly contributions and revisions)20%
Grant Proposal Assignment300 points30%
Total:1,000100%

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Course Dates: August 30, 2017 – October 22, 2017

All assignments are to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on the dates listed below. Unless otherwise specified below, all module discussions and assignments are due the last day of the module or unit week.”Getting Started” to be completed prior to starting Module 1.

Module 1: The Grant Connection to NGOs: What You Need to Know | Dates: Wednesday, August 30 – Tuesday, September 5

  • Readings:
    • Textbook: Coley & Scheinberg, Ch. 1–4
  • Website
    • The Foundation Center’s Proposal Writing Short Course o Document: What is Grant Writing?
  • Multimedia
    • Listen: Introduction and Overview Podcast
    • Listen: What is Fundable? Podcast
    • Watch: Don’t Need a Grant Writer
    • Watch: Successful Grant Writing
    • Watch: Grant Proposal Writing Guide
  • Supplementary Resources
  • Discussion: Ethical Issues – Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignment: Grant Proposal – Concept of Your Idea; Grant Research Best Practices Web Site Introduction; Web Site – URL Submission

Module 2: Writing the Introduction, Problem Statement, and Goals and Objectives | Dates: Wednesday, September 6 – Tuesday, September 12

  • Readings: Textbook: Coley & Scheinberg Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Section 1
  • Multimedia:
    • Listen: Writing the Introduction Podcast
    • Listen: The Need or Problem Statement Podcast
    • Listen: Writing the Goals and Objectives
  • Discussion: Problem Statement – Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignment: Grant Proposal – Statement of Need; Grant Research Best Practices Web Site

Module 3: Methods | Dates: Wednesday, September 13 – Tuesday, September 19

  • Readings: Textbook: Coley & Scheinberg, Ch. 6, Section 2; Appendix A
  • Multimedia: Listen: Writing the Methods Section
  • Discussion: Methods Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignments: Grant Proposal – Project Implementation; Grant Research Best Practices Web Site

Module 4:  Evaluation and Timeline | Dates: Wednesday, September 20 – Tuesday, September 26

  • Readings: Textbook: Coley & Scheinberg, Ch. 7
  • Multimedia: Listen: The Evaluation and the Timeline
  • Discussion: Evaluation and Timeline – Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignments: Grant Proposal – Evaluation; Grant Research Best Practices Web Site

Module 5 Week 5: Budget  | Dates: Wednesday, September 27 – Tuesday, October 3

  • Textbook: Coley & Scheinberg, Ch. 8
  • Readings: Tutorial: Foundation Center’s Proposal Budgeting Basics
  • Discussion: Budget Critique – Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignments: Grant Research Best Practices Web Site

Module 5 Week 6: Budget | Dates: Wednesday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 10

  • Multimedia: Watch: Writing a Great Grant Budget Narrative
  • Discussion: Budget Challenges and Incidentals Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignments: Grant Proposal – Budget; Grant Research Best Practices WebSite

Module 6 Week 7: Polishing the Proposal | Dates: Wednesday, October 11 – Tuesday, October 17

  • Textbook: Coley & Scheinberg, Ch. 9
  • Multimedia:
    • Watch: Giving Feedback
    • Watch: Peer Reviewers Gone Wild
  • Discussions: Grant Proposal Peer Review Discussion (Initial Post Due: Sunday, Response Due: Tuesday)
  • Assignments: Grant Proposal – Funding and Summary; Grant Research Best Practices Web Site

Module 7 Week 8: Grant Review and Submission | Dates: Wednesday, October 18 – Sunday, October 22

  • Readings: your peer’s websites
  • Multimedia: Watch: NIH Peer Review Revealed
  • Discussions: Grant Review Discussion (Due: Friday); Grant Research Best Practices Web Site – Final (Due Friday)
  • Assignments: Final Grant Proposal (Due: Friday); Grant Research Best Practices Web Site (Due Friday)

Student Resources

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

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ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

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Policies

Attendance Policy

8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

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Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.