--- Forwarded Message from Mark Knowles <[log in to unmask]> ---

>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 08:43:32 -0400
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum               <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Mark Knowles <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5706 Grant Funding

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>--- Forwarded Message from "Mary Ohno" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>
>We are trying to submit proposals and wonder what are the best things to
>request from a prospective donor and what is the best way to convince them
>that they are worthwhile? What are things we might want to avoid in such a
>proposal? Thanks.
>
>Thanks for any thoughts.
>
>--Mary Ohno


In my experience, equipment funding has been one of the toughest 
sells. It is not easy to convince a funder that you need equipment 
because you simply don't have it. If you are going for equipment, 
have a clearly defined objective of what you are going to do with it, 
and have some reliable research to back up the claim.  You obviously 
are going from ground zero to wherever people try to get to with new 
equipment.  If you know of research that shows that certain software 
does, indeed, help students with similar profiles as yours learn 
faster or better (or certain essential parts of English) and that one 
of the components of your curriculum will be to concentrate on that 
aspect of English, then you'll be a lot farther along.

It also depends on who the funder is.  I remember a couple of years 
ago, some big money was available for people promoting "American 
values" in the curriculum.  While that may be a somewhat dubious goal 
for some ESL teachers and therefore turn them away from such funders, 
by looking under the surface, it may be revealed that the purpose of 
the funding  was not have all that nefarious.  And the way a grant is 
written and administered has as much if not more to do with the whole 
enterprise than where the money comes from.



-- 
Mark Knowles
Director, Language Lab
Union College
Library 222
Schenectady, NY 12308
(518) 388-6216
(518) 388-6641 (fax)
mailto:[log in to unmask]