LSC FOUNDATION AND LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM

Mini Grant Program Application & Guidelines FY 2011-2012

Rev. 09/28/2011

2

Table of Contents

CONTACTS ............................................................................................................................. 3

GUIDELINES ........................................................................................................................... 3

APPLICATION APPROVAL FORM ......................................................................................... 6

APPLICATION ......................................................................................................................... 7

PROPOSED BUDGET WORKSHEET .................................................................................... 9

MINI GRANT APPLICATION CHECKLIST ............................................................................ 10

SELECTION COMMITTEE SCORE SHEET ......................................................................... 11

EVALUATION AND FINAL REPORT .................................................................................... 12

3

FY 2011-2012 Mini Grant Program

September 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012

Supported by the LSC Foundation and LSCS

CONTACTS

Lone Star College System Location

Mini Grant Program Contact

Secondary

Contact

Extensions

LSC Foundation Darcy Mingoia** Alise Bailey 832-813-6636/6637

LSC-System Office Darcy Mingoia Alise Bailey 832-813-6636/6637

LSC-Cy Fair Georges Detiveaux Julie Hutchinson 281-290-5975/5240

LSC-Kingwood Peggy Whitley Jennifer Martinez

281-312-1493/1692

LSC-Montgomery Ron Dewlen Mary Rush 936-271-6177/7420

LSC-North Harris Katie Hurter Dulcie Mohammed

281-618-5563/7129

LSC-Tomball Victoria Waters Clay McGovern 832-559-4243/281-357-3626

** Darcy Mingoia is the Project Director of the Mini Grant Program

GUIDELINES

Purpose

The Lone Star College System and the Lone Star College Foundation provide Mini Grants to assist employees at each of the colleges and the System Office in the development and implementation of exemplary projects. The Mini Grant program seeks to finance projects not normally funded through the regular budgetary process. It is a great opportunity to utilize the funds as seed money to test an idea prior to applying to an external funding source.

Eligible Projects

Exemplary projects promote the goals and objectives of LSCS and the colleges. Mini Grant applications will be reviewed on the basis of merit and relevance to LSCS’s mission and strategic priorities.

4

Under the guidance of the Mini Grant Project Director, an eligible project should address one or more of the LSCS strategic goals, listed below:

Increase completion and achievement of all students.

Provide high quality academic instruction.

Provide quality student focused service.

Maintain affordability and accessibility.

Recruit and retain talented full and part-time faculty, administrators and staff.

Enhance internal and external systems of communication.

Strengthen efficiencies in operations.

Develop and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships.

Leverage technology to increase and enhance education, operation, and innovation competitiveness.

Plan and manage sustainable quality growth.

Note:

Mini Grants do not support salary compensation.

Mini Grants are considered “seed money” for new projects rather than continuation support for previously funded projects.

Equipment requests are funded only when necessary to fulfill the project objectives.

Mini Grant funds cannot be used for food or refreshments for employees or students.

Funding Levels and Restrictions

Each location may choose the number of selection rounds, the number of recipients, and the amount awarded. These grants are competitive and funding is limited. Individual project support will range from $500 to $2,500.

Administration

Application Process

Read the Mini Grant Guidelines.

Consult with your campus Mini Grant Coordinator regarding application procedures and project scope.

Submit a completed application by the deadline, Friday, November 4, 2011, to the designated campus Mini Grant Coordinator.

5

Review Process

The local selection committee reviews all applications to ensure adherence to guidelines and for appropriate fit with the mini grant program’s stated purposes and objectives.

Each project must be able to describe a measurable result that will support one or more of the LSCS strategic goals.

Qualifying applicants may be asked to present their proposals before the selection committee.

Award Process

The committee selects the best projects based on the quality of the proposal and priorities established by the college and/or committee.

Following notification of award, Mini Grant recipients must attend a mandatory system-wide kickoff. The kickoffs (there will be multiple time options) will be the week of November 28.

Encumbrances against a Mini Grant account should occur before April 27, so expenditures can be processed in a timely manner before the May 28 deadline. However, there are instances when the Mini Grant implementation will occur over a summer month or two. These are exceptions that can be approved by the Mini Grant Project Director, Darcy Mingoia.

Project Final Report

After the project is completed, the recipient will prepare and forward a final report to the Project Director, via the campus Mini Grant Coordinator for inclusion in the year-end cumulative Mini Grants Report.

This report will be submitted to the Executive Council and the Foundation Board of Directors. The report will include an evaluation of the project’s success in meeting the identified project objectives. The report must also show the final amount of funds spent per project.

Final reports are due upon completion of the Mini Grant project on or before May 28 of the academic year for which the project is funded unless an extension is approved by the Mini Grant Project Director.

6

APPLICATION APPROVAL FORM

Please attach this form to your application.

MINI GRANT APPLICATION LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM

Project Title:

Location:

Applicant: Ext.

Co-Applicant: Ext.

Co- Applicant: Ext.

Amount Requested: $ Who is your DOM or equivalent designated to submit expenses? Name____________________________ Email______________________________________ Ext._____________________________________

Approvals:

Dean/Director

Signature Date

Typed Name

Vice President/Associate Vice Chancellor

Signature Date

Typed Name

President/Vice Chancellor

Signature Date

Typed Name

Note: Signatures may be replaced with email confirmations from the appropriate administrator.

Dean/Director and VP/AVC Approvals are required prior to Selection Committee review. Presidents’ approvals are required prior to funding.

7

APPLICATION

Format for Mini Grant Applications.

Return the completed application to the campus Mini Grant Coordinator.

I. Need

Why should this project be undertaken? Describe the underlying issue, problem or question to be addressed by this project. What is the significance of this issue, problem, or question? What current efforts are being made in this area and how effective have they been?

II. General Methodology

A. Specific Focus a. What are the disciplines or subject areas, groups of students, faculty or

employee groups, areas of LSCS operations, etc. which will be the focus of this project?

B. Overall Goal of Project a. What is the basic outcome that this project will attempt to achieve?

Provide a measurable result that supports one or more LSC Strategic Goals.

C. Major Objectives a. List 2–3 measurable objectives of your proposed project. These

objectives must align with the project goal. D. Specific Sequence of Activities and Projected Timetable

a. How long will your project take and when will each activity be completed?

E. Project Personnel a. List all persons who will work on this project. For each person, indicate

what role he/she will fill on the project. Remember that employee compensation is not an allowable expense on Mini Grant budgets.

III. Impact

A. Short-term Impact - During the period of funding, how many people will be affected by this project and what benefits will they derive from it? What data can be collected to demonstrate this impact?

B. Long-term Impact - How might this project affect the System, its operations, its students, and/or its personnel over the next 2–3 years?

C. Personal Impact - What do you personally expect to learn from your involvement in this project, and how will that knowledge impact your professional competency, job satisfaction, etc.?

D. Strategic Objective - How does this project fit into your department, division, or your college’s strategic plan or mission? Is there a potential for a future grant to continue this project?

8

Evaluation Plan

How will you be able to determine whether or not this project is successful? Describe the information you plan to collect which will enable you to verify the degree to which the project has met its goals and objectives (see attached evaluation form).

Dissemination Plan

Describe your plan to share information concerning this project and its outcomes with others, such as LSCS colleagues, the general public, and colleagues in other institutions.

Costs/Benefits

For each type of expense, describe what you need, why it is necessary, and how much it will cost.

A. Column A of the Budget Worksheet should indicate all funds requested from the Mini Grant program.

B. Column B of the Budget Worksheet should indicate any additional funds you have from other sources to support your project. If additional funds are available, name the source of the identified supporting funds.

9

A

Mini Grant Request

B

Other Sources

Supplies. Don’t forget shipping charges.

What?

$

$ $ $

Why?

Printing/Reproduction/Shipping

What?

$

$ $ $

Why?

Contract Service

What/Whom?

$

$ $ $

Why?

Travel Expenses?

Where?

$

$ $ $

Why?

Other (Specify)

What?

$

$ $ $

Why?

TOTAL BUDGET $ $ $ $

PROPOSED BUDGET WORKSHEET

10

MINI GRANT APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Each Mini Grant application should include:

Application Approval Form

Application

Need

General Methodology

Impact

Evaluation Plan

Dissemination Plan

Costs/Benefits

Proposed Budget Worksheet

11

This is a copy of the scoring sheet your Campus Selection Committee will use.

Review your application by these standards.

SELECTION COMMITTEE SCORE SHEET

Application Title

Project Director

Yes___No___ Is this application a request for continuation support for a previously funded project?

Yes___No___ Should this project be funded as part of the regular budget process?

Yes___No___ Does this application involve faculty or staff compensation?

Yes___No___ Does the application meet one or more of the intended objectives of the Mini Grant program? (Check all that apply & describe how each relates to the project)

Increase completion and achievement of all students.

Provide high quality academic instruction.

Provide quality student focused service.

Maintain affordability and accessibility.

Recruit and retain talented full and part-time faculty, administrators and staff.

Enhance internal and external systems of communication.

Strengthen efficiencies in operations.

Develop and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships.

Leverage technology to increase and enhance education, operation, and innovation competitiveness.

Plan and manage sustainable quality growth.

On a scale of 0-5 (0 being not at all to 5 being perfect) rate the application on the following:

__________ Fulfills one or more of the intended objectives of these funds.

__________ Addresses one or more of the LSCS Strategic Goals.

__________ Will use as seed money and be explored for future grant opportunities.

__________ Need: Need is clearly identified in the application.

__________ Methodology: Logical and feasible plan is provided to implement the project.

__________ Impact: A measurable impact has been defined, and supports LSCS Strategic Goals.

__________ Evaluation Plan: Evaluation plan has been provided.

__________ Dissemination Plan: Dissemination plan is provided.

__________ Costs/Benefits: The stated benefits of this project outweigh the stated costs.

__________ TOTAL POINTS (0-45) (add the points)

__________ OVERALL RATING (0 – 5)

12

EVALUATION AND FINAL REPORT

Please use this form to evaluate your project and submit to your campus Mini Grant Coordinator no

later than May 28, 2012.

1. Please list names of all project staff:

2. Please list the objectives/outcomes of this project and rate your success in meeting each objective

of your Mini Grant. Success is defined as meeting each desired effect/result you aimed to achieve.

1 = Not Successful 3 = Moderately Successful

2 = Minimally Successful 4 = Highly Successful

Objective/Outcome Rating Comments

Project Title:

Project Director:

Address:

Phone Number:

E-mail Address:

Report Date:

13

3. On a scale of 0-5 (0 being not at all and 5 being perfect) rate the project on the following aspects.

___ Overall rating of project success

___ Met the stated need.

___ Made a measurable impact.

___ Served as seed money and the project will expand.

4. What are you most pleased about now that the project is complete?

5. What are the “lessons learned” from this project?

6. Is this project worthy of consideration for seeking external funding for further research,

development, and/or expansion?

7. Please include a list of your complete expenses below, or you may provide an excel spreadsheet

listing all expenses.

8. Please conclude with a paragraph summary of your Mini Grant Project. (This summary will be

used in reports to the Foundation Board and the LSCS Executive Council).

Thank you for your evaluation!

It will help make the Mini Grant Program more effective.