Program Planning Webinar Selection Criteria

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Program Planning Webinar Selection Criteria

• Date July 15, 2003
• Time 1000 a.m. PST
• Presenter(s) Kat Stremel and John Killoran
• Moderator Paddi Davies

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AGENDA FOR TODAYS WEBINAR

• Introduction to the Webinar Technology
• Overview of the Selection Criteria
• Question/Answer period

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GENERAL GRANT WRITING TIPS

• CRITICAL POINT To assist the reviewers to score
  your proposal with the review forms that they are
  given, it is recommended that you
• Use the selection criteria headings as a Table of
• Contents
• Use the wording that was used in the RFP for the
  selection criteria and priorities

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PROJECT ABSTRACT

• A one page abstract of the proposed project
• Provides the reviewer with an overview of the
  outcomes and impacts
• Sets the expectations for the remainder of the
  review

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - ABSTRACT

• Does the RFP count the abstract as a page within
  the Part III page limit?
• Does the abstract concisely provide a brief
  overview of the need for the project?
• Does the abstract state the significance of the
  project in one-three sentences?
• Does the abstract clearly articulate the major
  goals of the proposal?
• Does the abstract discuss the intended impact of
  the proposed project?
• Does the abstract provide the reader with a
  concise overview of the project?

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PART III - PROJECT NARRATIVE

• The specific EDGAR Selection Criteria address
• (a) Significance (15)
• (b) Quality of project services (30)
• (c) Quality of project personnel (20)
• (d) Adequacy of resources (10)
• (e) Quality of the management plan (25)

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(a) Significance (15)

• The Secretary considers

• The potential contribution to educational
  problems and educational strategies
• The likelihood of systems change or improvement
• The building of capacity
• The utility of products
• The importance of the results

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(a) Significance (15)

• Convince the reader that you can
• Verify the stated needs
• Show a direct relationship between the Needs
  Assessment results and the needs being addressed
• Show a direct relationship between the stated
  needs and the proposed objectives
• Show how the objectives of the proposed project
  correspond to the priorities and the selection
  criteria

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - SIGNIFICANCE

• (i)Potential contribution of the proposed project
• Critical need in terms of state shortfalls
• What needs has the applicant identified from
  other state data (SIP, SIG, monitoring report)?
• Can the applicant show actual child/youth/family
  need data?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - SIGNIFICANCE

• (ii) Likelihood that the Project will Result in
  System Change
• What are the objectives of the proposed project?
• Do the proposed objectives clearly address the
  stated needs?
• How does the applicant propose to link their
  activities with current systems of service (Part
  C Part B Sec. 619 Part B Voc RehabPTI
  Centers)
• How are the proposed objectives linked to current
  systems initiatives within the state?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - SIGNIFICANCE

• (iii) Extent that the Project is Likely to Build
  Local Capacity
• Do the objectives reflect how the proposed
  project will build local capacity to address the
  needs of the target population?
• How does the applicant propose to collaborate
  with Parts B C, SIP, SIG, CSPD, adult
  agencies in order to build capacity?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - SIGNIFICANCE

• (iv) Utility of the Products that will Result
  from the Project
• How will project products be utilized?
• (v) Importance of the Results/Outcomes
• How will other populations directly benefit?
• How will practices and services be improved as a
  result of the proposed project?
• What is the importance of the anticipated impact?

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(b) Quality of project services (30)

• The Secretary considers

• Strategies for ensuring equal access and
  treatment for eligible participants related to
• Race
• Color
• National origin
• Gender
• Age, or
• Disability

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(b) Quality of project services (30)

• The Secretary also considers

• Appropriateness to the needs of the recipients
• Demonstration of support
• Use of research and effective practices
• Impact of the services
• Collaborative partners
• Use of technology ad leveraging of resources

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Quality of Project Services

• NOTE The Quality of Project Services should
  logically lead the reader from the stated needs
  and proposed objectives (outlined in the
  Significance section) to the activities necessary
  to carry out the objectives and the measurements
  needed to determine if the project activities
  were effective to impact practices and services.

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• Quality of the Services to be Provided
• Does the proposal address each required priority?
• How well is the proposal designed?
• Are the objectives and activities consistent with
  the stated needs?
• How do the project objectives and activities
  correspond to the priorities?
• Are the objectives and activities for
  dissemination and evaluation included in the
  proposal?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (2) Equal Access and Treatment for Eligible
  Project Participants
• Does the project have clearly developed
  provisions for providing equal access?
• What strategies will the project use for the
  recruitment of eligible project participants who
  are members of traditionally under represented
  groups (strategies should not refer only to
  children)?
• How will the project address cultural and
  language issues in their state?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (3) The Secretary Considers the Following
  Factors
• The Extent to Which the Services to be Provided
  Are Appropriate
• Are the diverse and unique needs of the
  population addressed?
• Are the services to be provided consistent with
  IDEA97, GPRA, individual SIPs, and Part C CSPD
  plans?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (ii) Extent to Which Entities Served by the
  Proposed TA Demonstrate Support
• Are letters of support/intent from parents and
  consumers included?
• Do letters from agencies address how the project
  can build capacity and facilitate improved
  outcomes?
• Are letters of commitment from collaborative
  agencies included?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (iii) Extent to Which the Services Reflect
  Knowledge from Research and Effective Practices
• Are the educational approaches planned based on
  sound research that indicates they will be
  successful for the population to be served?
• Does the review of literature include the
  research and effective practices that corresponds
  to the proposed activities?
• Does the proposal address innovative strategies
  for TA?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (iv) Impact of Services on the Intended
  Recipients
• Are project objectives measurable?
• Does the proposal clearly state the results for
  which the applicant is responsible?
• Does the proposal clearly indicate that training
  data will be documented?
• Will the types of measures to be used demonstrate
  the intended results/outcomes?
• Does the proposal indicate what type of measures
  of child/youth changes will be used?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (v) Extent to Which the Services Involve
  Collaboration of Appropriate Partners for
  Maximizing the Effectiveness of Project Services
• Are the specific agencies and collaborative
  partners clearly indicated and their roles
  clearly committed?
• Are the anticipated results/outcomes from the
  collaboration clearly addressed?
• Are the goals and roles of the Advisory Board
  stated?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER PROJECT SERVICES

• (vi) Extent to Which the TA Services Involve the
  use of Efficient Strategies and Leverage
  Non-Project Resources
• Are TA strategies based on research?
• Does the proposal indicate how services will be
  linked with CSPD-Parts B and C?
• How will services impact educational practices?
• Does the project describe which effective
  strategies will be used?

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(c) Quality of project personnel (20)

• The Secretary considers

• The quality of the personnel
• Recruitment of individuals from
  under-represented groups
• Qualifications, training and experience of key
  personnel
• Qualifications, training and experience of
  consultants

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Quality of Project Personnel

• NOTE This section is worth a lot of points for
  the length. Staff on a project should have the
  experience and skills (a) to provide technical
  assistance to service providers or families
  working with children (b) to demonstrate a
  working knowledge with the age-span of children
  who are deaf-blind and (c) to deliver inservice
  training and follow-up.

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - PERSONNEL

• Quality of Personnel
• Has the applicant included short paragraphs
  summarizing the skills and experience of key
  staff?
• Does the staffs experience reflect skills in
  directing grants and in work specific to DB
  content, local capacity building and system
  change?
• Has the applicant included a table (remember to
  double space this) or text of time each staff
  will commit to project?
• Does the application include personnel summaries
  for key donated or in-kind staff?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - PERSONNEL

• (2) Extent to Which Applicant Encourages
  Applications
• Does the applicant describe active strategies for
  encouraging applications from members of groups
  that have traditionally been under represented
  based on race, color, national origin, gender,
  age, or disability?
• Does the applicant specify how a parent(s) may be
  included as staff?
• What specific accommodations for personnel may
  need to be considered and budgeted?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - PERSONNEL

• (3) The Secretary also Considers the Following
  Factors
• Qualifications of key personnel
• Describe major roles and responsibilities of key
  personnel with FTE
• Does staff expertise match the major objectives
  and work scope of the project?
• Are key staff on the project at sufficient FTE?
• How does staff experience/skill correspond to
  objectives?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - PERSONNEL

• (ii) Qualifications of the consultants or
  subcontractors
• Do you have letters of commitment and vitae from
  consultants?
• Has the applicant clearly outlined how
  consultants will be selected and utilized?

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(d) Adequacy of resources (10)

• The Secretary considers

• Support, facilities equipment and other resources
  of the applicant
• Adequacy of the budget
• Reasonableness of the costs in relations

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Adequacy of Resources

• NOTE This section should be kept short (1-3
  pages) with lists of specifics placed in an
  appendix with clear references to that appendix
  in the text.

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - RESOURCES

• Adequacy of Support
• Has the applicant discussed all resources?
• Does the agency have a history in carrying out
  projects?
• Has the applicant adequately described their
  facilities, equipment, support services, and
  overall agency-resources?
• How can the Advisory Board be considered a
  resource?
• Can the applicant adequately carry out project
  activities in terms of word processing, data
  storage and analysis, duplication, and travel?
• What types of resources are available from the
  collaborating agencies?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - RESOURCES

• (ii) Extent to Which the Budget is Adequate
• How has the applicant addressed the budget in
  relation to the work scope?
• Has the budget been addressed in relation to all
  activities?
• Has the applicant convinced the readers how the
  allocated budget will be used to accomplish the
  projects objectives?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER - RESOURCES

• (iii) Extent to Which Costs are Reasonable
• Has the applicant discussed how costs are
  reasonable in terms of the projected numbers of
  children, parents, service providers,
  administrators, paraprofessionals to be served?
• Can project resources meet TA requests?
• Has the applicant indicated donated and in-kind
  dollars and sources of these dollars?

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(e) Quality of the management plan (25)

• The Secretary considers

• Adequacy of the plan as it relates to
• Time
• Budget
• Responsibilities
• Timelines, and
• Monitoring accomplishments

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(e) Quality of the management plan (25)
The Secretary also considers

• Procedures for feedback and continuous
  improvement
• Ensuring high-quality products
• Appropriateness of time commitments for key
  personnel
• Ensuring a diversity of perspectives

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Quality of the management plan

• NOTE Whereas a number of tables may be included
  in the Management Section (and it is worth 25
  points), you may want to show a snap shot of
  one or two objectives and place the entire 3-5
  page table in the appendix. However, do give the
  reader a feel for what you are doing and what it
  will look like so they are tempted to look in
  an appendix. They do not have to read everything
  in the appendix. Put what is critical into the
  pages allowed. Put what complements, reinforces
  and clarifies in the appendix. However, do not
  over-do the appendix section, more is not
  necessarily better.

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POINTS TO CONSIDER MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Adequacy of the Management Plan
• How will the applicant use its resources and
  personnel to achieve the objectives?
• Has the applicant developed an effective
  management plan with realistic timelines?
• Has the applicant included a personnel loading
  chart by objective?
• Has the applicant included timelines?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER MANAGEMENT PLAN

• (ii) Adequacy of Procedures for Ensuring Feedback
• How will staff assignments and assigned
  responsibilities be monitored?
• What feedback systems are in place?
• Are the goals, roles, and processes used for the
  Advisory Board clearly outlined?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER MANAGEMENT PLAN

• (iii) Adequacy of Mechanisms for Insuring High
  Quality Products and Services
• Does the project show how the planning process
  for TA is based on needs?
• Does the project proposed a product development
  cycle for development activities?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER MANAGEMENT PLAN

• (iv) Extent to Which Time Commitments of the
  Staff are Appropriate and Adequate
• Does the applicant show the time commitments for
  staff across administrative and TA activities?
• Are the staff time commitments adequate?
• Do letters from agencies indicate their time
  commitment?

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POINTS TO CONSIDER MANAGEMENT PLAN

• (v) Insure a Diversity of Perspectives
• How does the applicant include stakeholders,
  including parents and consumers, in all aspects
  of the project?
• How does the project solicit cultural
  perspectives?
• N\ntac\ppw\Selection Criteria Webinar.ppt

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• TIME FOR QUESTIONS

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THANK YOU!

• Good Luck with Your Application!