Albany State University Center for Educational Opportunity Announces Request for Proposals
In April 2018, the Center for Advancing Opportunity awarded Albany State University a five-year grant to establish the Center for Educational Opportunity (CEO) to research ways families may obtain greater access to high-quality K-12 education. The Center’s interdisciplinary approach promotes research, innovation, and inquiry into issues relevant to K-12 education and beyond in order to improve products and services within the educational marketplace, especially for those living in fragile communities. The aim of the Center is to find ways, through research, to discover and uncover educational models, accessibility practices, innovations, and opportunities that can be operationalized, sustained, and shared in communities with the greatest need.
Request for Proposals
The Center for Educational Opportunity will offer grants for graduate students and faculty researchers to conduct action-based research projects aimed at supporting educational opportunities in fragile communities. Awards up to $7,000 will be funded.
Funds must be used to support the following research efforts:
Attracting regional, state and national experts, researchers may utilize the Center for Advancing Opportunity State of Opportunity in America reports and Opportunity Dashboard or other regional, state, and national datasets in research generation in order to understand trends, issues, and educational barriers;
Conducting action- and impact-based research that generates findings that may lead to educational policy recommendations, aimed at improving educational opportunities and removing barriers to education;
Researching ways to increase access to high-quality education for families living in fragile communities;
Researching issues pertinent to effective educational opportunities, educational access, educational innovations, and educational models;
Increasing involvement of educational stakeholders in better understanding educational policy implications, educational decision-making, and educational opportunities (including, not limited to students, parents, teachers, administrators, community partners, etc.);
Developing partnerships with educational organizations, including public school districts, private schools, charter schools, home schools, and other educational agencies and organizations with specific interests in removing barriers to high-quality education and improving educational opportunities for families living in fragile communities;
Expanding partnerships with researchers and practitioners across academic disciplines of students and faculty affiliated with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs);
Providing professional development workshops on research and writing methods for students and faculty or providing continuing education workshops for adult and K-12 teachers that align with the Center’s Vision, Missions, and Core Values;
Providing similar opportunities and programs for non-traditional teachers (i.e. home school parents, retired educators, etc.), non-traditional learners (i/e incarcerated, homeless, etc.), and in non- traditional educational settings (i.e. churches, non-profits, etc.)
Developing partnerships with other HBCU students and faculty to include as research partnerships, presenters, etc.
Eligibility Requirements:
Only full-time, tenured or tenure-track members of faculty and full-time graduate students are eligible to submit a proposal. Collaboration is encouraged and proposals may be written in coordination with anoth- er faculty member, department or relevant external partner. External organizations, staff members or non- tenured faculty or instructors may only collaborate with an eligible faculty member affiliated with an HBCU. The grant funds are to conduct research and while some programming may be involved, the grant does not support programmatic efforts (i.e. summer camps, campus programs, workshops).
Period of Performance:
The period of performance is 12-months upon acceptance of the grant award notification. Extensions may be granted for up to 6 additional months. Researchers are expected to produce at least 1-2 journal publications from the research grant awards (depending on the grant amount). Funds are not disbursed until receipt, and approval of the Contract, W-9, Supplier Authorization Form, and an Invoice. A portion of the funds are disbursed at the start of the grant, with additional funds being provided upon completion of grant expectations.
Publication Requirements:
Research studies must reference “This research study was supported by a research grant from the Albany State University Center for Educational Opportunity.”
Reporting:
Reports on the status of the research projects are required on a quarterly basis. A template is provided to all grant recipients. Quarterly reports are due:
Apr. 1 (covering Jan. 1 – Mar. 31); Jul. 1 (covering Apr 1 – Jun 30);
Oct. 1 (covering Jul. 1 – Sept. 30); and Jan. 1 (covering Oct. 1 – Dec. 31).
Guidance on what the Budget can be used for, allowable and unallowable costs:
No in-kind costs are covered. No indirect costs are covered. The grant funds may only be used to support research generation, conference attendance, conference presentations, student research support, or faculty stipend. Grant funds cannot be used to provide scholarships to students. Please use the M/S Excel file provided in the online Application.
Applications and Submission Deadlines:
The Proposal Application can be obtained and submitted online (you cannot return to the application; hence, you are requested to copy-and-paste your responses into the online application). Applications may be submitted throughout the year between Aug 1 – April 30. No proposals will be reviewed during May, June, or July of each year.
Evaluation:
External/Internal evaluators will review and score all proposals. Faculty members with experience in grant procurement and the grant proposal review process may be consulted. Proposals will be evaluated based on research plan, impact on removing barriers to high-quality education, and action-research that has the potential of improving K-12 education.
Questions? Please email Kathaleena.monds@asurams.edu, Founding Director, should you have any questions.
