Tips for Writing a Winning Miller Faculty Fellowship Proposal
Steve Freeman, CELT Assistant Director
Due to the generosity of F. Wendell Miller, each year approximately $250,000 is allocated to ISU faculty across campus for Miller Faculty Fellowships, grants intended to enhance or enrich the undergraduate academic experience. Any faculty member (tenured, tenure-track, adjunct, lecturer, clinician) may apply for a Miller fellowship individually or as part of a team. Details regarding the required five-page application may be found on the CELT website at www.celt.iastate.edu/fellowships/miller.html.
The most important characteristic of a successful proposal is that it be clearly written and reviewer-friendly. Applicants should follow the guidelines provided online, using headings and structure that allow the reviewers to find required information easily. Within each section, the criteria that will be used to review the proposals should be clearly addressed.
Proposals are reviewed by the CELT Advisory Board following the criteria outlined on the website. These criteria are listed below with an explanation of what reviewers look for.
Primary Criteria
- Significance for the undergraduate instruction program at ISU>. Reviewers look for proposals that will have significant impact on a high number of students and/or are central to the development of core competencies. Proposals that primarily affect students in a single major can also be successful if there will be significant impact for those students. Proposals that focus on just a few students or on elective courses are less likely to be funded. (It should be noted that, due to the funding guidelines, proposals focusing on veterinary medicine curricula are acceptable, but proposals addressing traditional graduate curricula are not.)
- Enhancement of student learning outcomes and the student learning experience through improvement of pedagogy and instructional delivery>. Reviewers seek proposals that clearly connect appropriate teaching strategies to intended student learning outcomes in order to maximize student learning. There needs to be a clear rationale that supports the use of the proposed pedagogy, and in-depth learning outcomes need to be clearly identified and explained.
- Clearly articulated assessment plan>. Reviewers look for proposals with an in-depth assessment plan that is clearly presented and will successfully measure the proposed project outcomes. Assessment plans that directly support the advancement of departmental, college, and/or university outcomes and strategic planning goals also increase the likelihood of success.
- Sustainability of the project>. Many successful proposals demonstrate a high likelihood that project activities will continue beyond the year of Miller funding. For example, project activities may be incorporated into required curricula, or may be central to departmental activities and mission. Proposals are less likely to succeed when it appears unlikely that project activities will continue beyond the funding cycle and/or departmental and college support for the sustainability of the project is not addressed.
Secondary Criteria
- Originality and innovation of the project>. Many successful projects are innovative and original with the potential for advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning. Proposals need to clearly explain how the project is new and different and does not duplicate existing programs or activities. The likelihood of success is diminished if the explanation of originality is missing or vague or if the project duplicates existing university or department successes.
- Clarity, appropriateness, and relevance of the proposed budget>. Reviewers look for a detailed budget worksheet that provides a clear rationale for each expenditure and directly relates the expenditures to the intended project outcomes. Matching funds from the department or college are viewed very favorably as an additional measure of congruence with department and college goals. (Miller funds may not be used for computer hardware. However, software or other instructional equipment that directly support project activities is acceptable. Graduate student salary is acceptable; faculty buy-out may be possible, but generally is not approved.)
- Quality of the project plan>. Reviewers seek an overall project plan that will likely be completed within the timeline provided and a project design that is consistent with the intended outcomes. A successful proposal will also clearly demonstrate that all the investigators and departments involved are motivated and committed to the success of the project.
Faculty interested in Miller Faculty Fellowships for the 2005-06 academic year can see abstracts of successful applications on the Miller website. The CELT staff is happy to help with questions. Applications for the next round of Miller Fellowships are due to college deans by Tuesday, February 1, 2005.