A Proven Strategy to Improve Funding Success Rates for Two-Year Colleges Seeking Grants from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Program

Elaine L. Craft; Pamela J. Silvers

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Two-Year College Potpourri
Tagged Division: Two-Year College Division (TYCD)
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--42474
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/42474
Download Count: 120

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Elaine L. Craft Florence-Darlington Technical College

visit author page

Elaine L. Craft (Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, SC-retired) holds a baccalaureate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mississippi and MBA from the University of South Carolina with additional graduate studies in mathematics. Following work in industry, she became an educator, academic administrator, and an external evaluator, advisor, and mentor for grant-funded projects. She has served as the Principal Investigator for National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Projects continuously since 1994.

visit author page

biography

Pamela J. Silvers Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

visit author page

Pamela Silvers teaches in the Computer Technologies Department at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Currently she is Principal Investigator (PI) for an NSF ATE Grant entitled Skilled Workers Get Jobs 2.0: Appalachian Impact which includes

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Too few two-year technical and community colleges pursue funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Instead, they tend to rely on the U.S. Department of Education or the U.S. Department of Labor for federal grants. From the way grant funding opportunities are announced, to the processes used in reviewing proposals and making funding decisions, to the policies and procedures that govern submission of proposals and implementation of grants, NSF operates differently from other federal funding agencies that make grant awards. The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program is unique within NSF because of its focus on two-year colleges and workforce development, specifically for those who complete for-credit programs of study and earn credentials that enable program completers to enter the skilled technical workforce. NSF expects faculty to be involved in developing proposals and implementing projects funded by the agency. Meeting this expectation requires a paradigm shift for many community and technical colleges where the primary emphasis is on teaching and where there is seldom any expectation that faculty will contribute to college efforts to secure external funding from federal sources. In addition, in 2021, the overall NSF funding rate was 26% which presents daunting odds for success. However, 10 years of research demonstrate the effectiveness of an intervention that dramatically increases the funding rate for two-year colleges seeking funding from the NSF ATE Program. Since 2012, the Mentor-Connect initiative has been funded by the NSF ATE Program to help two-year college technician educators and related STEM faculty develop the grant-writing skills needed to meet NSF expectations and benefit from ATE funding. Over the past decade, 80% of Mentor-Connect participants have successfully submitted proposals. To date, the average funding rate for these proposals is 71%.

This paper describes how the Mentor-Connect intervention works and for whom, what outcomes have resulted for participants who become grantees, and how two-year colleges and technician educators can benefit.

Citation
Format

Craft, E. L., & Silvers, P. J. (2023, June), A Proven Strategy to Improve Funding Success Rates for Two-Year Colleges Seeking Grants from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Program Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--42474

TY - CPAPER
AB - Too few two-year technical and community colleges pursue funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Instead, they tend to rely on the U.S. Department of Education or the U.S. Department of Labor for federal grants. From the way grant funding opportunities are announced, to the processes used in reviewing proposals and making funding decisions, to the policies and procedures that govern submission of proposals and implementation of grants, NSF operates differently from other federal funding agencies that make grant awards. The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program is unique within NSF because of its focus on two-year colleges and workforce development, specifically for those who complete for-credit programs of study and earn credentials that enable program completers to enter the skilled technical workforce. NSF expects faculty to be involved in developing proposals and implementing projects funded by the agency. Meeting this expectation requires a paradigm shift for many community and technical colleges where the primary emphasis is on teaching and where there is seldom any expectation that faculty will contribute to college efforts to secure external funding from federal sources. In addition, in 2021, the overall NSF funding rate was 26% which presents daunting odds for success. However, 10 years of research demonstrate the effectiveness of an intervention that dramatically increases the funding rate for two-year colleges seeking funding from the NSF ATE Program. Since 2012, the Mentor-Connect initiative has been funded by the NSF ATE Program to help two-year college technician educators and related STEM faculty develop the grant-writing skills needed to meet NSF expectations and benefit from ATE funding. Over the past decade, 80% of Mentor-Connect participants have successfully submitted proposals. To date, the average funding rate for these proposals is 71%.

This paper describes how the Mentor-Connect intervention works and for whom, what outcomes have resulted for participants who become grantees, and how two-year colleges and technician educators can benefit.

AU - Elaine L. Craft
AU - Pamela J. Silvers
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - A Proven Strategy to Improve Funding Success Rates for Two-Year Colleges Seeking Grants from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Program
UR - https://peer.asee.org/42474
DO - 10.18260/1-2--42474
ER -