Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program FY 2015 PREAPPLICATION WEBINAR Washington, DC April 28 and April 29, 2015 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM, EDT U.S

Minority Science and Engineering

Improvement Program

FY 2015 PREAPPLICATION WEBINARWashington, DCApril 28 and April 29, 2015 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM, EDT

U.S. Department of Education

United States Department of Education

Minority Science and Minority Science and Engineering Engineering

Improvement ProgramImprovement Program

Office of Postsecondary EducationHigher Education Programs

Institutional Development and Undergraduate Education Service

FY 2015 PREAPPLICATION WEBINARApril 28 and April 29, 2015

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM, EDT


Program Manager, Minority Science and Engineering Improvement ProgramEmail: [email protected]: (202) 219-7038

Dr. Bernadette M. Hence

Presented by:

mailto:[email protected]

GOALS:

Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program

TO PROVIDE

…to help you understand the MSEIP grant opportunity

• Information

• Technical Assistance

• Guidance

Minority Science and Engineering Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program Improvement Program Competition HighlightsCompetition Highlights

1. Program Purpose and Authorization

2. Program Definitions

3. Examples of What this Grant Supports and Does Not Support

4. Eligibility, Grant Types, and Authorized Uses for Each Type of Grant

5. MSEIP Eligibility Form

Overview: (continued)Overview: (continued)

6. Maximum Awards

7. Submission Requirements

8. Competitive Preference Priorities and Invitational Priorities

9. Selection Criteria

10. Program Contacts

Disclaimer:

• You are reminded that the Notice published in the Federal Register is the official document detailing the requirements for applying for a MSEIP grant.

• You should not rely upon information in this webinar that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official Notice.

MINORITY SCIENCE AND MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMPROGRAM

1. Program Purpose and Authorization



PURPOSE• To effect long range improvements in the

science and engineering education programs of predominantly minority institutions

• To increase the participation of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into science and technological careers


Authorized under Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended Section 350

Title III, Part E

Commonly referred to as:


Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 84.120A

Supports the technological and economic competitiveness of the United States

….by improving and expanding the scientific and technological capacity of the United States.

MINORITY SCIENCE AND MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANTPROGRAM GRANT

2. Program Definitions

Minority Science and Engineering Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program Improvement Program Competition HighlightsCompetition Highlights

Definitions that Apply to MSEIPMinority – American Indian, Alaskan Native, Black (not of Hispanic origin), Hispanic (including persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central or South American origin), Pacific Islander or other ethnic groups underrepresented in science and engineering.

(Not defined by Gender)

Definitions that Apply to MSEIP

Minority institution – an accredited college or university whose enrollment of a single minority group or a combination of minority groups exceed fifty percent of the total enrollment.

(Unduplicated Headcount including credit and non-credit students)

Definitions that Apply to MSEIP

Science – the biological, engineering, mathematical, physical, behavioral, and social sciences, and history and philosophy of science; also interdisciplinary fields which are comprised of overlapping areas among two or more sciences

3. Examples of What this grant Supports and Does

not Support


MINORITY SCIENCE AND MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANTPROGRAM GRANT

Supports:

Student research in STEM fields;

Stipends for eligible participants;

Pre-college programs, K – 12 (students and teachers);

College programs (STEM); Faculty Development (STEM); Curriculum Development

(STEM fields); Renovation of STEM labs/

classroom.

Does Not Support:

Scholarships for students

New Construction projects

4. Eligibility, Grant Types, and Authorized Uses for

Each Type of Grant

MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMIMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Eligible Applicants:


Dependent of the type of MSEIP Project:

1. Institutional

3. Cooperative

2. Special Projects

4. *Design

* Will not be awarded in FY 2015

Institutional grants:


Support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving the preparation of minority students for careers in science

Institutional Grants

Institutional Grants include (but are not limited to):

(A) faculty development programs; or

(B) development of curriculum materials.

Special Project Grants:


(A) a special project grant to a minority institution which supports activities that—

(i) Improve the quality of training in science and engineering at minority institutions; or

(ii) Enhance the minority institutions’ general scientific research capabilities;

(B) a special project grant to any eligible applicant which supports activities that— (i)Provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions; or

(ii) Provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.

Special Project Grants

Include (but are not limited to):

A. advanced science seminars;

B. science faculty workshops and conferences;

C. faculty training to develop specific science research or education skills;

Special Project Grants

D. research in science education programs for visiting scientists;

E. preparation of films or audio-visual materials in science;

F. development of learning experience in science beyond those normally available to minority undergraduate students;G. development of pre-college enrichment activities in science; or any other activities designed to address specific barriers to the entry of minorities into science.

Cooperative Grants:


assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities to work together to conduct a science improvement program.

Any nonprofit accredited college or university may participate in a cooperative grant; however, the fiscal agent must be an eligible minority institution.

Cooperative Grants

Include (but not limited to): 1. assisting institutions in sharing facilities and

personnel;2. disseminating information about established programs

in science and engineering; 3. supporting cooperative efforts to strengthen the

institutions’ science and engineering programs; or carrying out a combination of any of the activities

Design Grants:


Assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs

We will not award design project grants in the FY 2015 competition.

Eligibility of 4-yr Minority InstitutionsPublic and private nonprofit institutions of higher education that:

• Award baccalaureate degrees; AND

• Are minority institutions

Eligible Grant Types: Eligible Grant Types: Special ProjectsSpecial Projects

InstitutionalInstitutional

CooperativeCooperative

MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MINORITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANTIMPROVEMENT PROGRAM GRANT

Eligibility of 4-yr Non-Minority Institutions

Public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees AND:

• Provide a needed service to a *group of minority institutions; or

• Provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from minority institutions

GRANT TYPE GRANT TYPE Eligibility:Eligibility:

SPECIAL SPECIAL PROJECTSPROJECTS

*Group – minimum of two minority institutions

• Are minority institutions

• Have a curriculum that includes science or engineering subjects;

•Enter into a partnership with public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees in science and engineering

Eligible Grant Eligible Grant Types: Types:

Special ProjectsSpecial Projects

InstitutionalInstitutional

CooperativeCooperative

Eligibility of 2-yr Minority Institutions

Public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that award associate degrees AND:

Eligible Grant Eligible Grant Types: Types:

Special ProjectsSpecial Projects

Eligibility of nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional scientific societies, and all nonprofit, accredited colleges and universities, or consortium of organizations

• Provide a needed service to a *group of minority institutions; or

• Provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from minority institutions

*Group – minimum of two minority institutions

Eligibility of *Consortium of Organizations

(i) institutions of higher education which have a curriculum in science or engineering;

(ii) institutions of higher education that have a graduate or professional program in science or engineering;

(iii) research laboratories of, or under contract with, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense or the National Institutes of Health;

*Consortium Membership may include::

Eligibility of a *Consortium of Organizations: (cont.)

(iv) relevant offices of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation and National Institute of Standards and Technology;

(v) quasi-governmental entities that have a significant scientific or engineering mission; or

(vi) institutions of higher education that have State-sponsored centers for research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

*Consortium Membership (cont.)::

5. MSEIP Eligibility Form


All applications must include a completed MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form.


MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form

The lead institution or organization submitting an application must identify the appropriate eligibility criteria and complete the applicable MSEIP ELIGIBLITY CERTIFICATION FORM.

Please reference the Application Checklist (Reference: Page 109, FY 2015 MSEIP Application Package) for a complete list of all of the required forms.

6. Maximum Awards


Grant Types available for funding in FY 2015:


• Institutional Grants

• Special Project Grants

• Cooperative Grants

Maximum AwardsInstitutional Projects: $250,000 per single budget period of twelve months

Year 1 = $250,000 maximum Year 2 = $250,000 maximum Year 3 = $250,000 maximum Total = $750,000 maximum

Special Projects: $250,000 per single budget period of twelve months


Cooperative Projects: $300,000 per single budget period of twelve months


7. Submission Requirements


An applicant may submit more than one application as long as each application describes a different project.


Carefully review: Formatting, Page Limitations (varies by grant type), Fonts, Spacing, Margins, Table/Charts, Letters of Support

Multiple Applications:Multiple Applications:

Formatting and Page Limits:Formatting and Page Limits:

We will reject your application if it exceeds these limits:

The page limits for the project narrative are as follows: Institutional Project applications – 40 pagesSpecial Project applications – 35 pagesCooperative Project applications – 50 pages

…Using GRANTS.GOVElectronic Submission RequiredElectronic Submission Required

Due On or Before June 1, 2015 4:30:00 PM Washington, DC time


Grants.gov will not accept your application after the above deadline.

Only authorized individuals from your organization can submit an application. Please check with your Sponsored Research Office early to minimize problems with submission.

DO NOT call ED-MSEIP Program Officers.


If you have problems submitting an application to Grants.gov

Please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or by Email: [email protected]

Electronic Submission ProblemsElectronic Submission Problems

Verify Your ApplicationVerify Your ApplicationYou should verify that Grants.gov and the U.S. Department of Education received your submission on time and that it was validated successfully.

Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read.


8. Competitive Preference Priorities and Invitational

Priorities


What is a Competitive Preference Priority?

A competitive preference priority is where the U.S. Department of Education gives competitive preference to an application by either:

(1)awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to which the application meets the competitive preference priority or

(2)selecting an application that meets the competitive priority over an application of comparable merit that does not meet the priority.

COMPETITIVE PREFERENCE PRIORITY:

2 points added to the score of applications that meets the Competitive Preference Priority:

Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Projects that are designed to improve Student Achievement (as defined in the Notice) or other related outcomes by identifying and implementing instructional strategies, systems, and structures that improve postsecondary learning and retention, resulting in completion of a degree in a STEM field.

What is an Invitational Priority?

An invitational priority is an expression of interest by the Department of Education in a particular strategy, approach, or results of projects funded under the program.

No additional points are awarded when an invitational priority is met.

Invitational Priority:Improving STEM Education in the First Two Years of College. Projects designed to improve retention and other student outcomes in the first two years of college through strategies including, but not limited to, one or more of the following:(a)Obtaining institutional support and support from accrediting agencies for changes in curricular, pedagogical, and graduation requirements that are necessary to improve the first two years of STEM coursework.(b)Developing early intervention tutorial programs to help students academically deficient in STEM reach college level proficiency.

No additional points awarded if this invitational priority is met.

Competitive Preference Priority and Invitational Priority

The applicant is encouraged but not required to address the competitive preference priority or the invitational priority.


9. Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria


Address all parts of the selection criteria:

6. Adequacy of resources (Total 5 points).

7. Potential institutional impact of the project (Total 15 points).

8. Institutional commitment to the project (Total 5 points).

9. Expected outcomes (Total 10 points).

10.Scientific and educational value of the proposed project (Total 10 points).

1. Identification of need for the project (Total 5 points).

2. Plan of operation (Total 20 points).

3. Quality of key personnel (Total 5 points).

4. Budget and cost effectiveness (Total 10 points).

5. Evaluation plan (Total 15 points).

Selection Criteria


• Describe the specific needs in science and engineering education that you have identified, and describe the approach you used in this analysis.

• Justify your needs with relevant data or metrics of evidence used in this assessment.

• How did these needs lead to formulation of the goals for the proposed project?

1. Identification of need for the project

Selection Criteria


• Describe the project design comprehensively and in full detail.

• Provide a clear description of how the project objectives relate to the project goals.

• Discuss the plan for managing the grant that ensures proper and efficient administration of the project, including methods of coordination across organizational units.

• Describe how resources and personnel will be used to achieve each of the project objectives.

2. Plan of operation

Selection Criteria


• Describe the qualifications of the project director, co-project director(s) and other key personnel for the proposed project.

• Include any evidence of past experience and training, in fields related to the objectives of the project, as well as other relevant information.

• Indicate the required time commitment of the project director, co-project director(s), and other key personnel.

3. Quality of key personnel

Selection Criteria


Demonstrate and justify that the budget is adequate to support the proposed project.

Explain how the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential impact of the proposed project.

Explain how the costs will be effective in achieving the goals of the MSEIP.

Applicants are required to prepare a detailed and comprehensive budget narrative for all proposed line items listed in ED Form 524 (Sections A and B) which will be reviewed with this response.

4. Budget and cost effectiveness

Additional Budget Guidance


(This program has no cost sharing or matching requirements.)

The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) limit reimbursement to grantees for indirect costs they incur under grants to the grantee’s actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee’s negotiated indirect cost agreement

or a maximum of 8% of a modified total direct cost base, whichever is less.

Indirect cost rate

Additional Budget Guidance (cont.)


The use of non-federal funds is not required for this grant.

Budget Forms – ED 524 A and BU.S. Department of Education Budget Summary ED 524 Form

Section A – Budget Summary U.S. Department of Education Funds

Section B – Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds

Comprehensive budget narrative: describes the justifications for Section A and B federal and non-federal funds that include all costs that are allowable, reasonable, and necessary for the proposed MSEIP project.

This includes justifications for the personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, other, training stipends, indirect costs, and total costs.

Selection Criteria


For each proposed objective, describe:the methods of evaluation, data collection procedures that will be used, the proposed timetable for conducting the evaluations, and procedures for analyzing (using both formative and summative data.) Identify the baseline indicators of progress for each proposed grant year.

5. Evaluation plan

Selection Criteria


• Discuss the types of data that you plan to collect to assess the final project outcomes.

• The evaluation plan should address the use of appropriate controls and techniques that provide for independent evaluation.

The use of an external evaluator is required.

5. Evaluation plan (cont.)

If you have selected an external evaluator, you may consult him/her to prepare this evaluation plan.

Selection Criteria


• Describe the resources needed in accomplishing the project objectives.

• Justify the need for specific resources, equipment, and supplies in the project, and that these are adequate to accomplish the project objectives within the schedule.

• Describe if these resources are available in your institution (or in partner institutions); or if you plan to acquire them.

The use of an external evaluator is required.

6. Adequacy of resources

Selection Criteria


• Explain how the proposed project will expand or strengthen the institution’s capacity and ability in increasing the number of minority students, especially minority women, entering science and math programs in terms of enrollment, retention, persistence, or graduation improvements.

7. Potential institutional impact

Selection Criteria


Provide evidence of institutional commitment for this project. Describe the plans for continuing activities after funding

ceases. Describe in detail how after federal funding ends the grant

burden will be absorbed into regular operations of the institution.

Provide a letter of commitment from the institution’s chancellor, president, provost, dean, or CEO of the organization

8. Institutional commitment to the project

Selection Criteria


• Discuss the assessed likelihood that the expected outcomes will be achieved as a result of the project.

• Explain the anticipated benefits for minority students, especially women, who participate in the program.

• Describe the possibility of long-term benefits to participating students, the faculty and the institution resulting from successful completion of the grant.

9. Expected outcomes

Selection Criteria


In the context of the present state of science and engineering education, especially for minority students, particularly women, describe how your project will enhance this knowledge.

Describe how the project will contribute to the development of effective techniques and approaches to science and engineering education.

Describe your plans for sharing this new knowledge with other institutions.

10. Scientific and educational value of the proposed project


Program DefinitionsEligibility RequirementsReview of Grant Types & Projects Application Procedures (Grants.gov) Selection Criteria Formatting and Page Limits Required documents (checklist)How to handle submission problems

Key Elements You Should Know Before you apply:


10. Program Contacts


Program Manager, Minority Science and Engineering Improvement ProgramOffice of Postsecondary EducationHigher Education Programs1990 K St. NWWashington, DC 20006Email: [email protected]: (202) 219-7038

Dr. Bernadette M. HenceMSEIP Program Contacts:



Program Manager, Minority Science and Engineering Improvement ProgramOffice of Postsecondary EducationHigher Education Programs1990 K St. NWWashington, DC 20006Email: [email protected]: (202) 219-7124

Dr. Stacey A. Slijepcevic

MSEIP Program Contacts:


Time for Action

Documents

Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program FY 2015 PREAPPLICATION WEBINAR Washington, DC April 28 and April 29, 2015 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM, EDT U.S