NASPA Innovation Grants Program

NASPA Innovation Grants Program is sponsored by NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The Innovation Grants provide awards to support innovation, exploration, and development for NASPA members, leading to student learning and success. All submissions should relate to the NASPA Strategic Plan.

Grant applications should adhere to the word limits below and should contain the following: Applicant and Institutional Profile Proposal Abstract — (500 word limit) A succinct, yet comprehensive description of project goals and objectives, plan of work, intended outcomes, and measures of success Innovation Project Plan — (2500 word limit) Should include a detailed description of the following: OBJECTIVES (What are the project goals, objectives, and learning outcomes?)

DESIGN (What are the methods for achieving plan objectives, desired outcomes, and assessing plan objectives?) APPLICABILITY and TRANSFERABILITY (How is it applicable to similar challenges within and across campuses? What can other campuses take away from this project?

How do you propose sharing your results?) o INNOVATION (How does the project make something new, different, significantly improved, or enhanced in a creative way?) IMPACT (How will this project impact your campus’s ability to develop and sustain a culture of innovation?)

PRACTICALITY (Define the extent to which project objectives address cost-savings, increased efficiency of internal processes and productivity, improved employee and/or student morale, enhanced campus constituent satisfaction, clearer communication throughout the college/university, or other target area for your department/division/campus.)

Management Plan and Budget — An outline of proposed plan activities with related timelines with a budget detailing allocation of grant funds to specific plan expense items, including justification. Supplemental Materials (Optional) — Supplemental materials are not required.

However, applicants are invited to submit a PowerPoint presentation (up to 5 slides), video clip (up to 3 minutes), or other supplemental material to communicate their innovation concept. The intent of this grant program is to help successfully implement new ideas. However, we understand that not every innovative idea becomes an innovation.

Many fail. That’s the nature of experimentation. Therefore, while our goal is innovation, what we’re really looking for is innovative ideas — along with a plan to apply those ideas.

We’re encouraging campuses and individuals to try new things. If you are wondering whether your new program or process qualifies as an “innovative idea,” consider these questions: Does it seem innovative to you? Do you hope it will create new opportunities or significantly improve ways of operating?

Is it new for you or your campus — and also not standard practice in the student affairs and higher education community? (If others have tried something similar, with any degree of success, that’s okay with us, as long as it’s new and not commonplace. In fact, you might build on the concepts of innovative project you’re observing elsewhere.)

If your answer to all three questions is yes, your idea will probably sound innovative to our review committee as well. As you can see, we’re not defining this narrowly because we don’t want to limit your creativity.

When reviewing applications, we consider the following major areas: Project Design and Practicality The project design should state specifically the actions and process by which the project will address the underlying need and achieve the objectives. In order to evaluate the design, we must have a good sense of what you intend to do and how you intend to accomplish your tasks.

We look for a vision, a plan for integration, and projected next steps that are carefully considered and clearly articulated. The methods for achieving project objectives, the desired outcomes, and the process for evaluating plan objectives should all be well-defined and understood.

Applicability and Transferability Although each campus community is unique, a common tie throughout all of our campuses is the advancing of student learning and success. A core element for this program moving forward is funding projects that can serve as inspiration for other campus communities facing similar challenges, problems, or opportunities.

These grants intend to grow innovation in the higher education and student affairs community but it also seek to share models for innovative efforts. Therefore, we examine each proposal with regard to broader application, adaptation, and transferability. We are looking for projects that will have long-term effects for your institution and students.

We look for projects that can potentially disrupt the status quo by implementing new ideas, creating new models of engagement, and transforming campus culture. Additionally, we take into account the project’s potential for far-reaching impact and/or appeal to other institutions of higher learning.

In addition to the above major criteria, reviewers also look at the project’s objectives, the applicant’s potential and commitment to innovation, the clarity of the application, the project management plan and budget, and the organizational commitment and resources. Please continue reading for more information about the major areas. Who is eligible to apply for the grants?

The intended audience for the Innovation Grants Program is the creative individual working at any level and at any institutional type. Therefore, individuals from all professional levels, including students, and from any institutional type, including but not limited to Community Colleges, Small Colleges and Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions, are eligible to apply.

All applicants or applicant teams must include at least one NASPA member. What types of grants are available? Awards are available in three categories: under $1,000, $1,001 to $3,000, and $3,001 to $5,000.

Applications will be reviewed against other applications of the same category; however, the selection committee has the authority and permission to move an application into another category. Can the grant funds be used for expenses like staff training and consultants? Yes.

The key is to provide sound justification for use of grant funds for any proposed expenses in your application. You should use the budget section of your application to explain how each expense and its expected outcome will contribute to your project’s overall implementation and success. What is the "Letter of Intent"?

Though it is not required, you are encouraged to submit a letter declaring your intention to submit a proposal. The Letter of Intent should include the point of contact for your project, the contact’s title, the organization name, and the type of grant you intend to request.

The letter should be sent via email to [email protected] or by postal mail to: Innovation Grants Program, Colleen Dougherty, 111 K Street, NE 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20002 I've missed the “Letter of Intent” deadline? Can I still apply?

Yes, you are welcome to apply to the Innovation Grants Program even if you did not submit a Letter of Intent by the deadline, though we encourage you to submit a Letter of Intent ahead of your application. If you have any questions about the program, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] . Although there must be a staff member to serve as the grant administrator, the grant is conferred to the institution.

If the staff member leaves the institution, a new grant administrator must be identified within 30 days or the grant may be forfeited by the institution. Does the grant expire? Are there any stipulations on the grant?

All funds must be used with 12 months of conferral. Once the project is completed, recipients are expected to present their project at a NASPA Conference or Event.

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