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Project Idea Development Process

The development of a competitive proposal to obtain external/supplemental funding for a specific project is similar to researching and writing a major thesis. Funding sources have specific guidelines and priorities with meticulous outlines for information that assures the proposed project has a good chance of meeting their priorities. Funding source guidelines, outlines, and priorities must be followed exactly for proposals to be competitive.

As more institutions compete for funds and funding diminishes, the competition for funding is much tougher.

Proposal Development Process

The approval process, which allows devotion of institutional time and effort to the development of grant projects and competitive external funding proposals, requires an answer of "yes" to the following questions in order to begin.

• Do you have a creative, innovative idea for improving teaching, learning, and/or support services related to the mission of the college?
• Have you discussed it with faculty/staff in your department/division?
• Is there consensus that your idea might work to improve student success, retention, graduation, transfer rates?
• Would your idea result in outcomes that improve faculty knowledge, skills, use of technology in teaching, management of teaching and learning, integration of learning into workplace skills?
• Will your idea help the college to achieve goals and outcomes identified in its institutional strategic plan?

After sufficient research, the next step is to develop a proposed abstract which provides enough information to discuss the project with and obtain approval from the Department Head, Division Dean or Vice President, and the President, if necessary. These approvals are necessary before significant time and effort may be devoted to:

• development of a project,
• development of a proposal to fund the project, and commitment of staffing, including faculty, and resources required to implement the project when funded.