210G
210G - Grant Writing
Winter 2017
Instructor: Dr. Lamees Al Ethari
Email: lalethari@uwaterloo.ca
Class Times: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:00 – 11:20
Location: HH 138
Office: HH 142
Office Hours: Wednesdays 12:00 – 2:00 (By Appointment)
Course Description
The course covers researching, organizing, drafting, and editing proposals and applications for government grants for organizations. Topics may include interviews with domain experts, working with proposal guidelines and checklists, establishing milestones and expectations, using past proposals as models, treating individual sections as separate sub-genres, and creating coherence and flow in the final draft.
Course Objectives
Students will learn to:
- Identify grant funding sources
- Prepare and organize grant proposal packages
- Identify and communicate effectively with different audiences
- Write and communicate persuasively and effectively through formal written and oral argumentation
Readings & Resources
- (Required) Tori O’Neal-McElrath. Winning Grants Step by Step: The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing, and Writing Successful Proposals. Fourth Edition, 2013.
- Sources and links provided through Learn
- OWL –Purdue Online Writing Lab
Assignment Descriptions and Grade Distribution:
Attendance (20 points): To receive full marks for attendance you will need to come to every class. The course is made of lectures, discussions and workshops that require student attendance.
If you must miss a class for illness or for a family emergency, you will need to provide documentation.
Participation (10 points): To receive full marks for participation, you will need to participate fully in both large and small group discussions. If you feel anxiety about formal or informal public speaking, please meet with me in the first week of class to discuss accommodations.
Calendars (5 points): This assignment will help students map out important due dates and understand time frames for completing the multiple items required for the Grant Package.
Cover Letters (10 points): Students are required to prepare and submit a cover letter that shows their interests in a certain grant and communicates their objectives clearly.
Literature Review (10 points): This assignment will help students prepare the research needed to support their grant proposals. Each student will be required to choose 4 references for research and summarize each reference in 150-200 words. We will work together on choosing the sources and reviewing drafts.
Final Grant Proposal Package (25 points): The final assignment is made up of the collection of assignments that students worked on throughout the course as a final, polished package ready for submission to a specific funding source.
Crowdfunding Group Project & Presentations (15 points): Each group is required to prepare a presentation and a project plan (or proposal) to raise money for a specific cause. They will choose their own topics and have meetings with me throughout the course to provide updates and show their progress.
Proposal Summary (5 points): Groups are required to submit summary for their crowdfunding proposal. The summary should provide information regarding the group’s objectives and outline the project’s main points.
|
Assignment |
Points |
Due Dates |
|
Attendance |
20 | |
|
Participation |
10 | |
|
Calendar |
5 |
January 10 |
|
Cover Letter/ Resume |
10 |
January 19 |
|
Literature Review |
10 |
February 2 |
|
Grant Package |
25 |
February 28 |
|
Proposal Summary |
5 |
March 9 |
|
Group Presentations |
15 |
March 28 & 29 |
Schedule
*Please keep in mind that certain changes in the schedule may occur due to time restrictions and/ or visitor scheduling.
|
Date |
Readings |
Assignments |
Grades | |
|
Jan 3 |
Introduction to the Course: What is a Grant? |
Discussions & In-Class Activity |
1 point | |
|
Jan 5 |
Planning Your Research and Finding Grant Resources |
“Introduction” pp. 1-13 “The Rhetorical Nature of Academic Research Funding” (Learn) |
Discussions & Workshop: Topics & Schedules |
1 point |
|
Jan 10 |
Understanding and Addressing Your Audience |
“Cover Letters” (97-98) “Developing Relationships with Funders” pp. 21-31 |
Due: Calendars Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Jan 12 |
Constructing Your Proposals: Organization |
“Developing Your Proposal Idea” pp. 13-20 |
Discussions & Workshop: Outlining the Proposal |
1 point |
|
Jan 17 |
Research Techniques |
Meet at DP Library with Jessica Smelko (Flex Lab Rm. 329) |
1 point | |
|
Jan 19 |
Preparing the Literature Review |
““Writing a Literature Review” (Learn) “Managing Large Writing Projects” By John Gastil (Learn) |
Due: Cover Letter Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Jan 24 |
What is Rhetoric? |
Visit: Dr. Ashley Kelly |
1 point | |
|
Jan 26 |
Constructing Your Proposals: |
“Writing a Compelling Problem Statement” pp. 31-38 |
Discussions & Workshop: Defining Objectives |
1 point |
|
Jan 31 |
Why Do you need a Grant? |
“Defining Clear Goals and Objectives” pp. 39-48 “Developing the Methods” pp. 49- 54 |
Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Feb 2 |
Constructing Your Introductions |
“Dr. Karen’s Foolproof Grant Template” (Learn) “Swales’ Three-Move Model for Introductions” (Learn) |
Due: Literature Review Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Feb 7 |
Developing Your Drafts |
“Exercises in Grant Writing” (Learn) |
Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Feb 9 |
Where Does the Money Go? |
“Developing the Program Budget” pp. 71-84 |
Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Feb 14 |
Professor/ Student Conferences |
Bring Your Drafts |
1 point | |
|
Feb 16 |
Professor/ Student Conferences |
Bring Your Drafts |
1 point | |
|
Feb 21 |
No Class Study Week | |||
|
Feb 23 |
No Class Study Week | |||
|
Feb 28 |
Visit Dr. Ashley Kelly |
Crowdfunding |
Due: Grant Package |
1 point |
|
Mar 2 |
Brainstorming Topics& Planning Presentations |
“How To Crowdfund $50,000 in Your Spare Time” (Learn) |
Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Mar 7 |
Research and Organization |
“Crowdfunding 101” (Learn) |
Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Mar 9 |
Research & Writing |
“Does My Data Collection Activity Require Ethics Review?” (Learn) |
Due: Proposal Summary Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Mar 14 |
Budget Planning |
“Specific Questions to Help Determine Costs” From RIT (Learn) |
Discussions & Workshop |
1 point |
|
Mar 16 |
Questions & Discussions |
Group Workshops & Feedback |
Bring Your Drafts |
1 point |
|
Mar 21 |
Questions & Discussions |
Group Workshops & Feedback |
Bring Your Drafts |
1 point |
|
Mar 23 |
No Class Prof at Conference | |||
|
Mar 28 |
Group Presentations |
1 point | ||
|
Mar 30 |
Group Presentations |
1 point |
Important Information:
- Assignments MUST be handed in on the due date. Late submissions will result in a (5 point) deduction for each day. Extensions require a official documentation (i.e. Dr.’s note)
- Cell phones should be turned off during class. Students are not allowed to call, text or browse on their phones.
- You are always welcome to talk with me or email me about problems you may have concerning the course. Anytime you feel overwhelmed or confused about the material or assignments that we have, please contact me immediately.
Resources for Students
The following sources will be provided through links on the LEARN course website for your section:
The Writing Centre, < https://uwaterloo.ca/writing- centre/>, providing one-on-one consultations, tutorials, and drop-in sessions to support student writing and related assignments
The Writing Centre works across all faculties to help students clarify their ideas, develop their voices, and write in the style appropriate to their disciplines. Writing Centre staff offer one-on-one support in planning assignments and presentations, using and documenting research, organizing and structuring papers, and revising for clarity and coherence.
You can make multiple appointments throughout the term, or drop in at the Library for quick questions or feedback. To book a 50-minute appointment and to see drop-in hours, visit www.uwaterloo.ca/writing-centre. Group appointments for team-based projects, presentations, and papers are also available.
Please note that writing specialists guide you to see your work as readers would. They can teach you revising skills and strategies, but will not proof-read or edit for you. Please bring hard copies of your assignment instructions and any notes or drafts to your appointment.
- Student Success Office < https://uwaterloo.ca/student-success/>, providing workshops, study sessions, and online resources in the areas of academic performance, study skills, and stress management
- http://writingcommons.org/
- https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
University Policies
Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. For more information please see http://uwaterloo.ca/academicintegrity/Academic_Integrity/index.html
Please read this very clear and helpful document: “Avoiding Academic
Offences: http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/arts/ugrad/academic_responsibility.html
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offenses, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 – Student
Discipline, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm
Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than regarding a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline if a ground for an appeal can be established. Read Policy 72 - Student
Appeals, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm Note for students with disabilities
The Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD), located in Needles Hall Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with OPD at the beginning of each academic term. For more information, see http://www.studentservices.uwaterloo.ca/disabilities