assignments ENGL202 Business Writing: Grant Writing
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Overview. Proposal writing covers a vast bit of territory in the business and not-for-profit world. Essentially, a proposal pops a question and tries to make a solid argument for why someone or some organization should say yes. We will read about a variety of proposals in our various class texts, but, for the purposes of practice, you will be writing grant proposals in our class. Grants can look all sorts of ways. They can be massive documents like those written for competitive, federal programs through like the TRIO program (that includes things like Upward Bound), or requests for funding for research projects like the National Institutes of Health or Science or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Corporations often bolster their public image through charitable work as a funding source for various environmental, educational, or community-building efforts. These can work on a large scale (check out the Coca-Cola Foundation), or on a much smaller scale--think about a proposal that a local school might pitch to a small business to support the purchase of a new slide for an area playground or $500 for little league uniforms.
And, of course, there are large philanthropic organizations. These not-for-profit organizations provide monies, big and small, to support various charitable initiatives locally and globally. The one thing all of these funding sources have in common is that they are looking to give their money to a cause that will reflect well on them. This means that the proposal and the project must be carefully researched and written to persuade the funder that their money will be well-spent. It will be cost effective. It will accomplish a measurable good. It will help as many people as possible (another version, I guess, as cost effective). It will, perhaps most importantly, coincide with the values of the funding source.
Details. A local coffee shop in Bridgewater, The Hot Cup, in an effort to establish better relations with the campus community and perhaps increase business for the coffee shop, is offering to fund up to three campus/student related projects. Students can apply for up to 1000 dollars to fund a permanent campus improvement that will benefit students on the BSU campus now and into the future. The application requires the following:
1. On a page separate from the full proposal: A short summary of the project and the benefit of no more than 250 words. Single spaced, 12 point font, times new roman.
2. Included on the page with the short summary: A one sentence description of the proposed campus improvement and why it is necessary (also 12 point times new roman).
3. The proposal: The proposal can be no more than two, single-spaced pages, 12 point font, times new roman. Proposal can include headings that address the following sections: An introduction to the problem; the proposed solution; the anticipated benefits; scholarship in support of the project.
4. A one page budget.
5. Works cited.
Some Background on the Hot Cup Community Grants: The Hot Cup joined the Bridgewater Community in 2006, and has enjoyed a growing reputation for quality coffee and food served in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. While the Hot Cup serves the entire town of Bridgewater, the shop has enjoyed a particularly close relationship with students, staff and faculty of Bridgewater State University due to the proximity (and, it has to be said, free wifi) of the Hot Cup to campus. Over the years, The Hot Cup has worked with the BSU Center for Social Justice to support local farmers and local businesses (fruits and vegetables, breads and pastries, and, when possible, meats and cheeses, come from area bakeries and farms); additionally, The Hot Cup started to sell fair trade products exclusively in 2010. In 2012, The Hot Cup, locally owned and operated by two families, both with young children, decided to offer 1000 dollar grants to local elementary and middle schools. The Hot Cup offered these grants in the spirit of being good citizens in their community. The grants had to be submitted by teachers and staff working in the schools, and they had to provide services or equipment that directly affected students. After two years of successfully funding the purchase of sports equipment, books and materials for a special education inclusion classroom, new sod for a playground renovation, and software to make a schools new smart board purchase more interactive, the Hot Cup decided to work with BSU students on a similar grant project. The Hot Cup agreed to offer three, thousand dollar grants to support student-run projects around campus that improved the quality of life for existing and future BSU students. The Hot Cup hopes to be able to offer grants each year, alternating between local elementary and secondary schools and the University.
How I will Evaluate Your Grant Proposal
The grant proposal is worth 10% of your final Grade. It is also a group project. Most of your grade is based on your final project, but I will ask you on the day the proposal is due to identify your role as a member of the writing group.
In order to earn a “B” for the 10%, you must:
In order to earn an “A” grade, you must:
Failure to complete the requirements for a “C” grade will result in an “F” for the 10% of your final grade this assignment represents.
Corporations often bolster their public image through charitable work as a funding source for various environmental, educational, or community-building efforts. These can work on a large scale (check out the Coca-Cola Foundation), or on a much smaller scale--think about a proposal that a local school might pitch to a small business to support the purchase of a new slide for an area playground or $500 for little league uniforms.
And, of course, there are large philanthropic organizations. These not-for-profit organizations provide monies, big and small, to support various charitable initiatives locally and globally. The one thing all of these funding sources have in common is that they are looking to give their money to a cause that will reflect well on them. This means that the proposal and the project must be carefully researched and written to persuade the funder that their money will be well-spent. It will be cost effective. It will accomplish a measurable good. It will help as many people as possible (another version, I guess, as cost effective). It will, perhaps most importantly, coincide with the values of the funding source.
Details. A local coffee shop in Bridgewater, The Hot Cup, in an effort to establish better relations with the campus community and perhaps increase business for the coffee shop, is offering to fund up to three campus/student related projects. Students can apply for up to 1000 dollars to fund a permanent campus improvement that will benefit students on the BSU campus now and into the future. The application requires the following:
1. On a page separate from the full proposal: A short summary of the project and the benefit of no more than 250 words. Single spaced, 12 point font, times new roman.
2. Included on the page with the short summary: A one sentence description of the proposed campus improvement and why it is necessary (also 12 point times new roman).
3. The proposal: The proposal can be no more than two, single-spaced pages, 12 point font, times new roman. Proposal can include headings that address the following sections: An introduction to the problem; the proposed solution; the anticipated benefits; scholarship in support of the project.
4. A one page budget.
5. Works cited.
Some Background on the Hot Cup Community Grants: The Hot Cup joined the Bridgewater Community in 2006, and has enjoyed a growing reputation for quality coffee and food served in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. While the Hot Cup serves the entire town of Bridgewater, the shop has enjoyed a particularly close relationship with students, staff and faculty of Bridgewater State University due to the proximity (and, it has to be said, free wifi) of the Hot Cup to campus. Over the years, The Hot Cup has worked with the BSU Center for Social Justice to support local farmers and local businesses (fruits and vegetables, breads and pastries, and, when possible, meats and cheeses, come from area bakeries and farms); additionally, The Hot Cup started to sell fair trade products exclusively in 2010. In 2012, The Hot Cup, locally owned and operated by two families, both with young children, decided to offer 1000 dollar grants to local elementary and middle schools. The Hot Cup offered these grants in the spirit of being good citizens in their community. The grants had to be submitted by teachers and staff working in the schools, and they had to provide services or equipment that directly affected students. After two years of successfully funding the purchase of sports equipment, books and materials for a special education inclusion classroom, new sod for a playground renovation, and software to make a schools new smart board purchase more interactive, the Hot Cup decided to work with BSU students on a similar grant project. The Hot Cup agreed to offer three, thousand dollar grants to support student-run projects around campus that improved the quality of life for existing and future BSU students. The Hot Cup hopes to be able to offer grants each year, alternating between local elementary and secondary schools and the University.
How I will Evaluate Your Grant Proposal
The grant proposal is worth 10% of your final Grade. It is also a group project. Most of your grade is based on your final project, but I will ask you on the day the proposal is due to identify your role as a member of the writing group.
In order to earn a “B” for the 10%, you must:
- Be a good and useful group member.
- Participate in the class workshop and turn in your workshop materials with your final draft
- Turn in a revised draft of your grant on the day it is due along with your workshop draft (with blue comment sheets).
- Include all of the elements identified in the grant proposal assignment and follow the proposal format guidelines:
- On a page separate from the full proposal: A short summary of the project and the benefit of no more than 250 words. Single spaced, 12 point font, times new roman.
- Included on the page with the short summary: A one sentence description of the proposed campus improvement and why it is necessary (also 12 point times new roman).
- The proposal: The proposal can be no more than two, single-spaced pages, 12 point font, times new roman. Proposal can include headings that address the following sections: An introduction to the problem; the proposed solution; the anticipated benefits; scholarship in support of the project.
- A one page budget.
- Works cited.
- The final draft of the proposal sections of the overall document includes the following: the following sections: An introduction to the problem; the proposed solution; the anticipated benefits; scholarship in support of the project.
In order to earn an “A” grade, you must:
- Do all of the things required to earn a “B”
- Make the effort to write nice and not puffy sentences.
- Successfully identify 1) need; 2) a reasonable, achievable solution; 3) with evidence that supports the achievable, reasonable part of your solution; 4) has a reasonable budget.
- Be a good group member.
- Turn in a Complete Draft, with all the elements required, and following the format requirements outlined in the assignment (or above), including all of the required sections for the proposal section of the grant.
Failure to complete the requirements for a “C” grade will result in an “F” for the 10% of your final grade this assignment represents.