Funding for Results

The Funding for Results (FFR) program provides a mechanism to fund those strategic initiatives dealing with the enhancement of teaching and learning. Proposals are requested in a standard grant proposal format and are reviewed by a Funding For Results team.  Awards are managed as grant accounts. There are three categories of competitive grants: Demonstration,  Implementation and Core Continuing.  FFR funds support two other types of activities: University Initiative projects and the Student Professional Development Fund. Professional development funds ($500 per proposal) will be awarded to the authors of funded projects. This letter contains a general outline of the Funding for Results program and instructions for obtaining specific information on each grant category.

Please note:
1. The teaching and learning focus must be clear in all proposals.
2. Methods to measure the effectiveness of the project must be built into the design.
3. Reasonable equipment items that are necessary for carrying out the project may be included in the proposal. However, it is unlikely that a proposal solely for equipment will be funded.

Submission Deadlines:

A hard copy of the title page with all signatures must be delivered to the Office of the Vice Provost, AC132, MS3400.

The due date for faculty/staff proposals is the second Monday of November.
Student professional development fund requests are year round and may be submitted anytime.

Call for Proposals Information:

Demonstration Grants

• The Demonstration Grant program provides faculty and staff with the opportunity to try new ideas for which no significant background or information exists to predict the likelihood of success.  Demonstration Grants may also be pilot projects. 
• The Demonstration Grants will be funded for up to two years at a maximum of $15,000.   If the Demonstration Grant is successful, the project may be proposed in a subsequent year as an Implementation Grant. At current funding levels, it is anticipated that three to four proposals of this size will be awarded per year.

Implementation Grants

• Implementation Grants provide funds to support projects for which evidence indicates that the project may be adaptable to a reasonably-sized audience at Southeast. This evidence may come from the following sources: a previously successful FFR Demonstration Grant; published activities that have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on teaching and learning; and/or activities from other institutions that have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on teaching and learning. Regardless of the source of the evidence of previous success, the evidence must be clearly articulated in the narrative of the proposal.
• Implementation Grants seek to bring about institutionalization of various successful activities. To this end, the proposal’s sponsoring unit within the University must agree to provide some budgetary support for the project in its final two years. In addition, the proposal must present a plan for continuation of the project once FFR funding has ended.
• The Implementation Grant program provides funds to support projects with up to a three-year duration at a maximum of $45,000. The grants are not renewable. At current funding levels, it is anticipated that at most one proposal of this size will be awarded per year.

Student Professional Development Fund

• A goal in the University's Strategic Plan is that all students will have meaningful experiential learning as part of their education. Southeast has established, as part of its Campus-level FFR Program, a fund to support professional experiences for students.
• The fund helps make possible the participation by students in real-world, professional presentations of the results of research and other creative work. The program supports travel, lodging and other expenses related to these activities (subject to university policies governing faculty/staff travel) on a competitive basis. This program is run directly by the Funding For Results Team as a permanent program

University Initiative

• The University Initiative provides funds to support programs having the potential to impact a large segment of the University Community. University Initiatives are usually proposed by the Provost or a Vice President.

• The proposal includes a title page, narrative, and budget page.
• For both Demonstration and Implementation Grants, the narrative must contain:
  ▪ Identification of the teaching/learning problem that will be affected by the funding of this proposal
  ▪ A clear statement of the proposed solution for that problem
  ▪ The project’s relationship to the unit's or University’s strategic plan/priorities or current initiatives
  ▪ Plan of activities designed to achieve the goals--WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? HOW? Explain how this is different from what others have tried.
  ▪ Plan for Evaluation: Describe indicators of success/data to be tracked, including a description of baseline data to be utilized in evaluation.
  ▪ Timeline

    For Implementation Grants, the narrative must also contain:

• Evidence that the proposed plan is likely to succeed. This may take the form of preliminary data, published research, conference proceedings, or successful programs from other universities (with supporting data).
• A description of plans for keeping the program running (if successful) beyond the funding period of the grant
• A plan for dissemination of the results to the University community.

    The narrative should be single-spaced, in 11-point font or larger. It is limited to three (3) pages for the Demonstration Grants. The proposal is more detailed for Implementation Grants so the narrative may be up to six (6) pages. A ‘literature-cited’ section may be included, but may be no more than two (2) pages. No appendices are allowed.

Budget items allowed:

       • Consumable supplies
       • Student labor at minimum wage
       • Graduate Assistant (be sure to include the cost of fee waivers, etc.)
       • Equipment related to the project
       • Mileage and travel directly related to delivering the project to its audience
       • Participant stipends
       • Release time (The amount of release time is limited and must be very well justified; department or unit support for this is encouraged.)

FFR Evaluation Criteria:

      • Is the teaching/learning problem clearly identified?
      • Is the proposal clearly stated and innovative?
      • Is the project related to the unit's or University’s strategic plan/priorities or current initiatives?
      • Are expected outcomes clearly defined, and is a clear plan of assessment identified?
      • Does the project-plan demonstrate potential for achieving expected outcomes?
      • What is the likelihood that the project will lead to enhanced learning?
      • Is the budget reasonable and well justified?
      • For Implementation Grants only: Can the plan be sustained beyond FFR funding?

Team Membership

Charge: To oversee the Funding for Results (FFR) program established by the University in 1996.  Team Members are responsible for reviewing all FFR proposals submitted by faculty and professional/administrative staff, recommending funds to those receiving the highest rankings, reviewing the interim and final reports of funded projects, overseeing the funding and reports from the Student Professional Development program, and for the ongoing review and development of the FFR program as it evolves.
 
Membership: The committee shall consist of a minimum of 24 members with preference given to members with a working knowledge of the University Planning and Budget Review Committee. There will be at least one graduate student (one-year appointment); two undergraduate students (one-year appointments); one dean; one department chairperson; one faculty representative from each of the colleges, Kent Library; one representative from the Professional Staff Council; and one representative from the CTS Staff Council. Regular appointments will be for a three-year term on a staggered basis. The Provost may appoint an additional five (5) at-large members. The Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student Success and Associate Provost will serve as non-rotating ex-officio members. Committee members may serve a second term but no more than two consecutive terms. Chair to be appointed by Provost.