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Paul Lee Workshop Mini-Grants

 

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Purpose

Workshop Mini-Grants provide funding for the development of employee group activities such as workshops, in-service activities, and conferences involving at least two or more VCCS colleges in the planning and implementation.

Regional proposals, duplication of successful programs in other regions, and programs aligned to Complete 2021 and student success are encouraged. The VCCS Workshop Mini-Grant Program encourages projects in the following areas:

  • Discipline development – builds knowledge and skills within the academic discipline or professional specialty.
  • Instructional development – improves classroom teaching, learning, and assessment techniques.
  • Career development – provides tools for effective personal planning to improve the quality of work and life.
  • Organizational development – enhances administrative and leadership skills to fulfill the institutional mission of the community college.

Steps to Apply

Step 1: Submit the VCCS Paul Lee Workshop Mini-Grant Application (online only). We suggest using the templateicon provided to first fine tune your proposal in draft form, then cut-and-paste into the online application. Once your application is successfully accepted into the database, you will immediately receive a confirmation page to print for your records.

Step 2: Complete the VCCS Paul Lee Workshop Mini-Grant Application Cover Pageicon (PDF email attachment only – must contain signatures). Consult the list of College Grant Contactsicon requiring applications to first go through their designated grants person.

Step 3: Following review by the Professional Development Committee (PDC) Grants Committee, you will be notified by emailed PDF letter if accepted or not.

Step 4: If accepted, return the Acceptance Sheeticon that will accompany your letter (PDF email attachment only – must contain signatures).

Step 5: Submit the VCCS Paul Lee Workshop Mini-Grant Final Report Form (online only).

 

Funding

A maximum of $1,500 is available per mini-grant. There is a limit of one mini-grant award per person for each funding cycle.

Allowable expenditures include:

  • Honorariums for external speakers (non-VCCS employees)
  • Travel expenses for all speakers reimbursed in accordance with state travel policies
  • Meeting room charges, although every effort should be made to negotiate space on campus at no cost
  • Audio/visual equipment, although every effort should be made to use college equipment
  • Food and beverage at state per diems
  • Other miscellaneous items such as materials and duplication costs may be allowed upon committee review

Non-allowable expenditures include: fees paid for services not connected with an approved budget activity, gifts, alcohol and entertainment. Once you have completed your grant project, file the final report within designated time or you and your college will be asked to return the funds awarded and be ineligible for future grants.

 

Before You Submit

  1. Read through the entire grant application packet and instructions on this site.
  2. Discuss the idea for your proposal with colleagues, especially those who have applied for VCCS grants in the past, and with your supervisor.
  3. Prepare a draft application for review by your college grants officer. Note: Seven colleges are required to route their application through the grants office. Click hereicon for a list of college grant officers.
  4. Make it clear that what you are proposing is not considered part of your normal teaching and faculty duties.
  5. Be sure that items in the outcomes section have corresponding items in the methodology and assessment sections.
  6. Justify each budget item.
  7. For faculty and administrative international exchange-related projects, know about and, if possible, connect with the VCCS faculty exchange program.
  8. If you are developing courses or programs, demonstrate knowledge of, and connect your proposal with existing policies and structures such as curriculum committees, experimental courses, or existing repositories for learning objects such as MERLOT.
  9. If you have questions that cannot be answered locally, email the Office of Professional Development at opd@vccs.edu.
  10. Submit the online application.
  11. Put your name and the name of your college only on the cover page of your proposal and email a PDF to the Office of Professional Development.
  12. Once you have completed your grant project, you must file the final report of your project within designated time or you and your college will be asked to return the funds awarded.