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Project Description
- Length: 750 to 1,000 words
- Format: Put your name and today’s date in the upper left-hand corner of the 1st page. Use block paragraphs: no indent, single-spaced, 1” margins, 12-pt type, Times New Roman. To cite sources, use MLA Style or APA Style for parenthetical citations and for a works cited page.
- Relevant assigned readings:
- “Lesson 8: Goals and Objectives: What Do You Hope to Achieve if You Get the Money?” (OGWB) and “Step 4: Defining Clear Goals and Objectives” (WGSBS).
- “Lesson 9: Developing and Presenting a Winning Program” (OGWB) and “Step 5: Developing the Methods” (WGSBS).
- “Lesson 11: The Evaluation Plan: How Can You Be Sure if Your Program Worked” (OGWB) and “Step 6: Preparing the Evaluation Component” (WGSBS).
Details
The “Project Description” component of your grant application describes, in concrete detail, what you plan to do with the money awarded by the grant and how you will know your program is working. Writing a successful Project Description requires having already written a strong Problem Statement. This component should contain the following parts:
Goals & Objectives (Lesson 8 / Step 4)
- A goal is a general statement about what the program hopes to achieve.
- Example: “Improved academic performance”
- An objective is a measurement to tell if the program is meet its goals
- Examples: “Absences from class reduced by 50%, average GPA increased by 1 point, graduation rate improved by 50%”
- Be sure to describe
- What is going to change in the community?
- Who will be involved in the change?
- How will the change be measured?
- When will this change take place?
Methods (Lesson 9 / Step 5)
- What the organization will specifically do to accomplish its goals and objectives:
- What activities need to be carried out in order to meet the objectives?
- What are the starting and ending dates of these activities?
- Where will these activities take place?
- Who has responsibility for completing each activity?
- How will participants be selected? (Not always relevant.)
Evaluation (Lesson 11 / Step 6)
- Include a description of these 2 kinds of evaluations:
- Process evaluation: Describe how you will go about evaluating whether or not your program is being implemented according to your original plan.
- Outcome evaluation: Taking your objectives and your methods into account, describe how you will evaluate whether or not your objectives are being met (or have been met).
Timeline (Lesson 9 / Step 5)
- See sample timelines in Lesson 9 (OGWB) and Step 5 (WBSBS).
- “The timeline should include absolutely every activity that you must undertake to establish, implement, and evaluate the program” (OGWB 172)
Research
As needed, find relevant supporting information from credible sources and be sure to cite them according to MLA Style or APA Style in both parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page.
Samples of Project Descriptions:
Evaluation criteria for Project Description
Adapted from OGWB and WGSBS
- Specific goals and objectives are described clearly and match the community needs as described in the Problem Statement.
- The methods of the project are explained, including all relevant details about what will be done, where, and by whom.
- Includes description of how the project will be evaluated, addressing both process evaluation and outcome evaluation.
- Provides a timeline that accounts for all activities associated with the project and its evaluation.
- Document is clearly written, easily digestible, avoids using jargon, and does not make the reader have to work to understand the point.
- Writing is mechanically and grammatically correct, free from significant errors that detract from meaning.
- Research is cited correctly according to MLA Style or APA Style, both in the text of the statement and on the works cited page.