Transcript OHIO APPALACHIAN CENTER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Western North Carolina
Network for Access and
Success
Submitting
Proposals For 2009-2010 Minigrants supporting College
Access and Student Success
Programs
What is the network?


Targeting counties of western North Carolina
Institutional Support

Appalachian State University
Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Stokes,
Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin

University of North Carolina at Asheville
Buncombe, Davie, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell ,
Mitchell and Yancey

Western Carolina University
Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Polk, Rutherford,
Swain, and Transylvania
Key Partners







Appalachian State University
University of North Carolina-Asheville
Western Carolina University
The University of North Carolina General
Administration
TRIO programs of western North Carolina
High schools/counties that receive mini-grants
Appalachian Regional Commission
Objectives



Increase college awareness and
postsecondary enrollment in target counties
Identify and replicate programming that
assists North Carolina in meeting strategic
educational priorities
Develop and sustain a higher education
network that will serve all of western North
Carolina
Examples of a Project
Sample Mini-Grant Projects

The following is a sampling of activities that
may be supported through the mini-grants

Applicants are encouraged to survey existing
programs in the school and identify areas that
need supplementation, expansion and
support
Sample programming

Field Trips - Provide opportunities for student
and staff members to visit and observe
different post-secondary institutions,
businesses, and career settings. Rethinking
the current off-campus opportunities to
include college visits and career exploration
can be considered.
Sample programming

Business Alliance - Organization formed to
connect community, area businesses, and
corporations to provide seamless
communication with schools. This organization
is instrumental in creating career and job fairs
for students to inform them of careers and postsecondary needs and options.
Sample programming

Monthly Newsletter - Written by students with
staff assistance and mailed to each student’s
home to notify parents of calendar events,
special meetings, and current activities and
accomplishments at school.
Sample programming

Monthly Parent Meetings - Planned and prepared by
the principal and staff to provide information on school
policies, upcoming events, and post-secondary
procedures, including financial aid, admissions, and
college placement exams. Parents have the
opportunity to ask questions as well as offer input on
any procedure or controversy.

Freshman Experience/Student Success/Senior
Transitions course - a course developed to support the
successful completion of high school and/or
enrollment into college.
Sample programming

Video/Resource Library - Created and updated with
funds to provide visual prompts for research.

College Fairs - Funds are utilized to transport
students to college fairs outside the local district and
to establish contact with post-secondary institutions
for future reference.

College Application Days - Funds are used to
encourage students and parents to attend an on-site
college application workshop.
Sample programming

Career Fair - This project should be set up in the fall
to include representatives from post-secondary
schools, businesses, and corporations to speak to
students in a professional manner. This works as
an all-day event with scheduled speakers instead of
regular class periods. Morning and afternoon
periods should be scheduled to allow for reflection
and evaluation.

FAFSA Day – Funds are used to encourage
students and parents to attend a workshop, led by
financial aid officers, to complete financial aid
forms.
Sample programming

Job Fair - A late spring event should be
planned, for which area businesses and
corporations set up displays in the morning for
discussions with juniors, and then interview
seniors in the afternoon as part of a requirement
in English classes.

SAT workshops – Funds are used to encourage
students to prepare for the SAT

High School Completion Seminars – Funds are
used to bring in inspiration, local speakers who
can speak to the importance of completing high
school
Sample programming

Staff Visits - Staff members are encouraged
to visit and observe other colleges and
businesses to become more informed on
behalf of the students. A series of visits
should be scheduled so every teacher
becomes involved.
Putting a Proposal Together





Part I: Application Face Sheet
Part II: Project Abstract
Part III: Program Narrative
Part IV: Budget
Part V: Letters of Commitment
PART I - Application Face Sheet

Item 4. Number who are served – ultimately all will
be served but you may wish to target specific
audiences/services

Contact Information (H.S. Project Coordinator): who
is the on-the-ground person running the program
PART II - The Abstract






School name, amount of funding requested
Goals of program with specific outcomes
Key Personnel working with project
Target Students
Itemization of Activities
Commitment to sustainability
PART III - Program Narrative

Tell us






what you are going to do
who is going to do it
who will benefit and how
when it is going to happen
how much it will cost
We also need to know


what your plan is to sustain the program
how you will maximize your resources
NEED (10 points)

Describe





Educational attainment levels
Poverty levels
Unemployment rates
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) designation for
the county (See www.ARC.org)
Describe

Needs of the designated school and any other factors that
limit the educational opportunities of students in the
designated school and/or community
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (10 points)

What goals and objectives will be
accomplished?

How are they related to the goals and
objectives of the Western North Carolina
Network for Access and Success?
PLAN OF OPERATION (40 points)

Describe the services and activities that the
Project will offer to students and families

Who are the personnel responsible for the
services and activities


Time commitment to project
Resume of Project Coordinator

What is the timeline for accomplishing the
services and activities?

Explain how the proposed services and
activities of the project are related to the
goals and objectives.

What efforts are currently in place to increase
college enrollment?

How will the Project collaborate with and
enhance other school efforts to increase the
college-going rate and meet North Carolina’s
strategic educational priorities?
EVALUATION (15 points)
Evaluation plan: How will the effectiveness of
the Project be evaluated?

How will you accurately report the college-going rate
for current and future graduating classes? (use
information from the Program Assessment Division
of www.northcarolina.edu)

How will you collect data on participation in Project
activities and evaluate the effectiveness of activities
and services? You are expected to report names
and birthdates of all graduating students.


How will you ensure that accurate and timely
programmatic and financial reports are
submitted to the University Program
Coordinator for your mini-grant?
How will you address problems as they
arise?

How will you determine what corrective measures
to take?
Continuation of the project after
grant funding ceases: (10 points)

How will you develop a plan to continue the
project after the grant period is finished?

Who will be involved in developing this plan?

What existing structures are in place that will
support the sustainability of the Project?
BUDGET AND FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT PLAN (15 points)

How will you use grant and matching funds to
implement the proposed services and
activities?

All expenses must meet the standards of
allocable, allowable, and reasonable.
The grant cannot provide
funds for the following:



to purchase any equipment
to fund salaries
to provide food for teachers, staff, and/or
principals at the school during normal operating
hours
QUESTIONS??? Ask before you spend or you
might end up paying the cost yourself.


Explain line items you have submitted in
Part IV: Budget
Describe



how the grant funds will be managed and
distributed
who will oversee the distribution of funds
how the matching funds (both in-kind and cash)
will be documented – it is important that your
school has processes and personnel who will
work with the campuses to provide accurate
documentation
PART IV - Budget

Include a budget to fulfill Project goals

Eligible to apply up to a maximum of $8,000

Dollar for dollar matching funds are required
up to a maximum of $5,000 unless waived by
the Director
Matching Funds
Dollar for dollar matching funds are required
up to a maximum of $5,000 unless waived by
the Director
Ways to match: (this is not a complete list)
Percentage of salaries
Substitute teachers
Supplies and postage
Actual dollars
PART V - Letters of Commitment

One letter from Superintendent or Principal

A second from another partner




Institution of higher education
Local business
Chamber of Commerce
Another access program
A letter includes…





Abilities and percentage of time the high school project
coordinator will commit
How the school or county/district will provide the $5,000
match (in dollars or in-kind services)
Understanding that monthly and annual reports of
activities and expenditures are vital components of the
program and must be submitted by designated deadlines
Willingness to provide names and birthdays of all
graduating students so the Network measure pse
enrollment
A statement of why the school or county/district is
interested in increasing the college-going rate
CONTACT INFORMATION
www.gocollege.appstate.edu
Appalachian State University
Joni Webb Petschauer
[email protected] 828-262-3878
University of North Carolina-Asheville
Melinda Bullen
[email protected] 828-250-3829
Western Carolina University
Janice Holt
[email protected] 828-227-7027