STUDENT STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SSEP) Proposal deadlie: April 18, 2018 (4:00 pm EDT)
TABLE OF CONTENTS Key Dates ad Program Backgroud 3 Program Backgroud 3 Guidelies 4 Eligibility Requiremets 5 Selectio Process 5 Istructios o How to Prepare ad Submit a Complete Proposal 6 Applicatio Process 6 How to Submit a Proposal 6 Proposal Elemets 6 PDF Attachmets 7 Other Attachmets 8 Submissio Process 9 Terms of Grat / Use of Fuds 10 2 STUDENT STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SSEP)
KEY DATES Grat applicatio portal available December 15, 2017 Applicatio deadlie April 18, 2018 (4:00 pm EDT) Notice of award By September 14, 2018 Award start date February 1, 2019 Award ed date August 30, 2022 PROGRAM BACKGROUND The Studet STEM Erichmet Program (SSEP) supports diverse programs with a commo goal: to eable K-12 studets to participate i creative, active learig STEM activities ad pursue iquiry-based exploratio i BWF s home state of North Carolia. These awards provide up to $60,000 per year for three years. Sice the program s iceptio i 1996, BWF has awarded 201 grats totalig $33.7 millio to 103 orgaizatios that reach more tha 43,000 North Carolia studets. SSEP awards support career-orieted ad practical programs iteded to provide creative STEM erichmet activities for studets i K-12 educatio who have show exceptioal skills ad iterest i sciece, mathematics, ad computer sciece, as well as those perceived to have high potetial. After school ad out of school time programs are demostratig value i helpig to close opportuity gaps for uderserved ad uderrepreseted studets. These programs must eable studets to explore iquiry-based approaches to STEM activities, which BWF believes to be a effective way to icrease studets uderstadig ad appreciatio of the scietific ad iquiry-based method. To icrease academic achievemet, programs must provide a well-defied structure that aligs with the school-day curriculum, well-traied staff, ad studet follow up. Program Goals I lie with the missio of the Burroughs Wellcome Fud, projects that are fuded uder SSEP must seek to attai three goals: improvig studets competece i sciece ad mathematics urturig studet ethusiasm for sciece ad mathematics iterestig studets i pursuig careers i research or other sciece-related areas The activities desiged to lead to these goals must alig with the North Carolia Stadard Course of Study for sciece ad mathematics pertiet to the grade levels of the studet participats (see NC Essetial Stadards). Activities should ivolve active learig ad be iquiry-based. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 3
GUIDELINES Successful projects geerally iclude the followig examples of activities to achieve these goals: helpig studets lear the basic process skills i scietific iquiry observig, comparig, measurig (usig apparatus), commuicatig, aalyzig, geeratig, ad evaluatig providig studets with opportuities that will icrease their isight ito ad appreciatio of the ivestigative process supplyig studets with STEM-related career iformatio ad itroducig career prospects coectig sciece ad mathematics to studets daily lives ad providig a opportuity to use techology i project activities eablig studets to iteract with scietists ad other STEM professioals providig studets with opportuities to explai their kowledge of STEM to others providig guidace o how studets may coect with other ogoig STEM-related programs ivolvig parets i program activities Other importat attributes of a program are havig a targeted ad appropriate curriculum, maitaiig cotact with studets, ivolvig STEM professioals ad sciece teachers, havig a large applicat pool, ad collaboratio with other STEM-focused programs. Recruitmet of Studets Applicats should use a diverse set of criteria ad iclude a pla for targetig specific groups of studets, icludig traditioal methods, such as test scores, ad otraditioal methods proposed by the applyig orgaizatio to idetify studets for participatio. Special efforts must be made to reach out to studets from traditioally uderrepreseted groups i STEM fields, icludig females, miorities, persos with disabilities, ad persos from ecoomically disadvataged backgrouds. Evaluatio ad Capacity Buildig Applicats must evaluate their projects. The evaluatio pla should outlie efforts that will be used to assess SSEP goals ad projected outcomes of studet erichmet activities ad iclude iovative plas to icrease participatio of uderrepreseted groups i STEM. I additio, BWF employs a exteral evaluator to assess the quality ad effectiveess of SSEP awards. Studet surveys ad istructios for program evaluatios will be provided. The evaluator will also provide techical assistace i evaluatio to idividual projects. I compilig their aual evaluatio report, the evaluators will the draw upo the stadardized data collected by all projects, as well as the iteral evaluatio reports prepared by project staff. Occasioal site visits will be made to idividual projects as eeded. Applicats offerig summer camps, summer academies, or other summer activities, must provide participatig studets with a year-roud learig activity. These activities may rage from web portals to after school clubs ad Saturday academies. 4 STUDENT STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SSEP)
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS The Studet STEM Erichmet Program (SSEP) is ope to oprofit orgaizatios i North Carolia. Eligible orgaizatios iclude public ad private schools, colleges ad uiversities, commuity groups, museums, zoos, scietific groups, ad others that ca provide experietial activities for K-12 North Carolia studets. Idividuals ad oprofit orgaizatios that offer religious programmig are ot eligible for SSEP awards. SSEP activities must eable studets to do STEM i creative ad egagig ways that ivolve hads-o activities ad iquiry-based exploratio. Activities should occur outside of the usual school eviromet, such as after school, o weekeds, or durig vacatio periods. SSEP activities may be coducted all year, durig the school year, or durig the summer provided there is a year-log educatioal compoet. Programs with activities providig less tha 10 cotact hours over the course of the program for each studet participat will ot be cosidered. BWF ecourages parterships (i.e., betwee idividual schools or school systems ad scietific groups, uiversities, local educatio associatios, or commuity groups). For-profit compaies may participate i collaboratio with oprofit orgaizatios that assume the lead role for a SSEP grat. Applicats should elist participatio of represetatives of parter orgaizatios i developig project goals ad activities. The proposal must clearly demostrate the role of each parter. SSEP awards are ot iteded to support curriculum developmet. As this program focuses primarily o studets, oly miimum levels of teacher traiig that ivolve studet participatio will be cosidered. See Selectio ad Program Goals for additioal proposal guidelies ad suggestios for submittig successful project proposals. SELECTION PROCESS The advisory committee will review all eligible applicatios ad make recommedatios for awards to the BWF s Board of Directors based o evidece provided that addresses the followig: whether the proposed activity meets program goals ad is iovative ad egagig ability of the orgaizatio to coduct ad sustai high quality sciece ad mathematics erichmet activities maer i which studets are idetified ad selected, particularly recruitig related to uderrepreseted groups i sciece ad mathematics fields qualificatios ad expertise i the areas of sciece ad mathematics (STEM) of the orgaizatio s director ad staff appropriateess of the budget to STEM programmatic activities availability of additioal resources, icludig parterships, i-kid services, moetary support, ad other resources effective ad iovative plas for evaluatio of STEM activities whether after school activities alig with classroom istructio whether there is a visio for sustaiability beyod BWF support whether special efforts will be made to reach disadvataged studets i low wealth areas of the state Orgaizatios that previously received a SSEP award ad are applyig for aother award must submit a sustaiability pla with their applicatio to demostrate successful outcomes from the earlier award, to highlight sigificat achievemets, ad to idetify other meas of fiacial support or istitutioalizatio of their program. Awards will be aouced by September 14, 2018. Programs may begi recruitmet after Jauary 31, 2019. BWF does ot provide critiques of ufuded proposals. See Eligibility ad Program Goals for additioal proposal guidelies ad suggestios for submittig successful project proposals. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 5
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT A COMPLETE PROPOSAL Applicatio Process Iterested cadidates who meet the eligibility criteria will eed to submit oe olie proposal through BWF s Iteret Grat Applicatio Module (IGAM) by April 18, 2018 4:00 pm EDT. The proposal submissio site or grat applicatio portal will be available by December 15, 2017. Proposal Elemets A complete proposal cosists of fields submitted through the olie IGAM applicatio plus requested attachmets uploaded as PDFs ito the grat applicatio system. The detailed compoets of the complete proposal are show below. The proposal icludes: Project Director Iformatio ad Program Demographics Executive Summary Project Pla CV from up to three staff Budget (template provided) ad budget justificatio Letters from Project Parters Documetatio of Noprofit Status Sustaiability pla (if fuded previously) All commuicatios will be made through email. BWF does ot provide critiques or writte commets of ufuded proposals. How to Submit a Proposal First complete the eligibility quiz to determie if you are eligible to apply. If applicat meets the eligibility criteria, they will be allowed to access the applicatio form. To begi a proposal submissio use this lik: proposal Olie proposal form available through IGAM (see previous liks): Program Director Iformatio Applyig Orgaizatio Iformatio Cotact iformatio for the orgaizatio s sigig official Proposal iformatio Project Summary PDF Attachmets Prepare i advace the followig required documets. The followig proposal elemets are required ad must be uploaded i a sigle PDF i the order idicated. (All documets must have a miimum 12 poit fot with oeich margis.) Do ot iclude a cover letter or supplemetal materials ot specifically requested. All documets must be submitted i Adobe Portable Format (PDF). Begi all file ames with the attachmet type, such as Project Pla, Budget, CV, etc. Dowload Forms ad Templates To retur to a proposal already i progress you must use this lik: saved proposal It is recommeded that applicats bookmark this page to retur to a proposal i progress. Usig the first lik of the two immediately above will retur you to the eligibility quiz. 6 STUDENT STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SSEP)
Project Pla (cosists of seve compoets) I oe PDF documet, iclude the compoets oted below i the listed order. Number each page of this sectio, startig with the project arrative. Executive Summary (ot to exceed oe page). Describe the project, icludig its overall objectives. Project arrative (o more tha five pages). Describe the project ad its goals. Clearly explai the types of activities i which the studets will be egaged. Each studet participat should receive more tha 10 cotact hours over the course of participatio i the program. It is key that the descriptio iclude the followig essetial elemets of program desig as a part of the arrative. Applicats are cautioed that complete arratives are expected ad NOT a descriptio i list form. The arrative should iclude elemets of the followig: STEM activities i which studets will be egaged The kowledge ad skills studets will be expected to lear about usig the ivestigative process? Istructioal materials ad resources that will be used, icludig the techology that will be itegrated ito program activities (i.e. work books, experimet kits, ad the Iteret) The various guidelies that will be represeted promietly i the activities Descriptio of how the various activities cotribute to the three Program Goals ad to other goals (if ay) that are specific to the project Descriptio of how the activities alig with the North Carolia Sciece Stadard Course of Study for the grade levels of the participats A time lie ad descriptios of implemetatio pla Type of career-guidace activities to be provided If applicable, iclude academic-year activities offered by summer programs Recruitmet (o more tha oe page). Describe how studets will be idetified ad recruited ito the program. Applicats should use a diverse set of criteria ad iclude a pla for targetig specific groups of studets, icludig traditioal methods, such as test scores, ad otraditioal methods proposed by the applyig orgaizatio to idetify studets for participatio. Evaluatio (o more tha oe page). Preset a pla for evaluatig the program s accomplishmet of objectives. Describe how the project will be evaluated for impact o studets competece i sciece, their ethusiasm for sciece, ad their iterest i sciece careers. Iclude who will do the evaluatio ad how it will be supported. Describe the particular methods to be used, sources of iformatio (e.g., studets, teachers, parets), test istrumets, schedule of data collectio activities, ad how iterim data will be used i a formative way to guide mid-course correctios. Refer to BWF s evaluatio resources for suggestios o evaluatio data. Iclude stadardized evaluatio iformatio that describes who will coduct program evaluatio, what evaluatio will cost, how evaluatio activities will be fuded, ad what role parters will have i the evaluatio process. Past SSEP award recipiets should give studet outcome data from previous award activities ad be explicit i describig how lessos leared have bee itegrated ito cotiuig or expadig the program desig. Staff capacity (o more tha oe page). Describe the type ad level of iteractio betwee the project staff ad the studets, focusig i particular o the appropriateess of the umber of staff compared with the umber of studets, types of activities provided, ad experiece with studets age group. Estimate the total umber of hours of direct cotact betwee the staff ad studets. Orgaizatioal capacity (o more tha oe page). Describe the orgaizatio s (ad parters) commitmet to the project. Iclude iformatio o major facilities to be used, icludig sigificat equipmet, supplies, ad resources that will be available to studets. I cases of parterships, the project arrative should describe i detail the persoel, facilities, equipmet, ad other resources that will be provided by each parter. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 7
Replicatio, dissemiatio, ad collaboratio with other programs (o more tha oe page). Describe whether ad how the project ca be replicated by other orgaizatios. Describe ay plas to dissemiate the project s methods ad materials to users i other settigs or efforts. If a first time applicat, describe your visio to sustai your work beyod BWF fudig. Applicats re-applyig for a previously fuded program must demostrate strategies for sustaiig the program beyod BWF fudig by icludig a sustaiability pla. Applicats re-applyig may exted this documet to two pages (to accommodate a sustaiability pla submissio). Other Attachmets Curricula Vitae (o more tha three CVs; o more tha two pages per CV) Upload a PDF file for each two-page CV for up to three idividuals resposible for the project. O each CV, be sure to iclude the ame, cotact iformatio (icludig address, phoe, ad email), educatio ad traiig, experiece i STEM educatio, ad the STEM backgroud for the idividual. Upload to the grat applicatio system as CV1, CV2, ad CV3. Budget (form provided) The grat provides up to $60,000 per year for three years for a maximum of $180,000. Provide a budget, usig the form provided, itemizig how the grat will be used by year. Most of the grat must be spet o activities that directly beefit studets (for example, studet stipeds, trasportatio, supplies, equipmet, ad evaluatio). To demostrate effective cost sharig amog parters, complete the Other Fudig Sources sectio of the form. Iclude support requested from both the sposorig orgaizatio ad other sources. It is recommeded that o more tha oe-third of the budget be used for admiistrative salaries ad frige beefits for program istructors or coordiators. No idirect costs may be charged agaist the grat. The grat caot be used for capital improvemets. Please check the accuracy of all figures. Dowload the Microsoft Excel budget form. Complete the form, save a copy o your computer system, ad covert to PDF. Upload the PDF versio to the applicatio. Budget Justificatio SSEP awards focus primarily o studet eeds. Address the appropriateess of ay fudig beig requested for staffig, teacher stipeds, etc. The advisory committee will assess these expeses aalyzig the eed with the level of studet participatio. The ratioale for such requests must be cocise ad relevat to the success of the program. Also provide details o major equipmet purchases ad other major expeses. Letters From Project Parters (optioal o more tha three letters) I cases of parterships, letters of agreemet must be provided from up to three outside groups or idividuals who will participate. The letters must be specific about fuds, persoel, facilities, equipmet, ad other resources to be provided. Geeral odescriptive support letters will ot be viewed favorably. BWF strogly ecourages applicats to upload letters cotaiig the parterig orgaizatio s letterhead. Letters MUST be submitted with the applicatio by the applicatio deadlie. Letters should be uploaded to the grat submissio system as Letter1, Letter2, etc. Documetatio of Noprofit Status The applicat MUST upload documetatio of the orgaizatio s oprofit status, such as a IRS letter documetig its tax exempt 501(c)(3) status. Public schools may provide a letter o school letterhead otig the oprofit itet of the grat. 8 STUDENT STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SSEP)
Submissio Process Upload the requested files o the Attachmets tab of the olie applicatio. Click the Review Your Applicatio o the Attachmets tab to see if ay errors are idetified i your applicatio. All iformatio must be provided before the SUBMIT butto is available. Click the SUBMIT butto to trasmit the applicatio. A automated message will cofirm that the applicatio was successfully submitted. Proposals will ot be accepted after 4:00 pm EDT o April 18, 2018. The olie applicatio system shuts dow automatically at the deadlie ad the SUBMIT butto will o loger be available. Pla to submit your applicatio well i advace of the grat deadlie to allow adequate time to troubleshoot ay issues. NO EXCEPTIONS OR EXTENSIONS WILL BE GRANTED. Questios? Please review our olie Frequetly Asked Questios first. Eligibility iquiries should be directed i advace to BWF program staff by cotactig: Melaie Scott, Seior Program Associate mscott@bwfud.org, 919-991-5107 Kedra Tucker, Seior Programs Assistat ktucker@bwfud.org, 919-991-5115 Alfred Mays, Program Officer amays@bwfud.org, 919-991-5103 After the deadlie, applicats with icomplete proposals ad those ot adherig to istructios will be disqualified without prior otice. Oly proposals submitted through BWF olie applicatio website IGAM will be accepted. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 9
TERMS OF THE GRANT/USE OF GRANT FUNDS Idirect costs may ot be charged agaist BWF grats. The Studet Sciece Erichmet Program (SSEP) supports diverse programs with a commo goal: to eable K-12 studets to participate i creative, active learig scietific activities ad pursue iquiry-based exploratio i BWF s home state of North Carolia. These awards provide up to $60,000 per year for three (3) years. Orgaizatios receivig awards are resposible for disbursig the fuds ad for maitaiig adequate supportig records ad receipts of expeditures. All gratees are required to participate i the evaluatio efforts specified by BWF. Gratees must provide BWF with a aual progress report ad fiacial report. Both reports must be submitted o forms provided by BWF. Cotiued fudig will deped o the favorable review of these reports by BWF ad its program advisory committee. Ay uused fuds held by orgaizatios whe awards expire or are termiated must be retured to BWF, uless the Fud has grated prior permissio to retai the fuds. Gratees may receive a o-cost extesio of up to 24 moths; requests explaiig why a extesio is eeded must be submitted i writig at least four moths prior to the ed of the award. There is a restrictio of two awards per idividual program, but ot per istitutio. Award aoucemet ad distributio will be made accordig to the award timelie provided. 10 STUDENT STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SSEP)