UA Learning Technologies

Arizona Regents Reach Out (ARRO) Grant Program

Arizona Regents Reach Out (ARRO) Grant Program
Proposal Guidelines, Instructions, & Reporting
Proposal Postmark Date: October 2, 2006
Awards Announced: December, 2006
Funding Begins: January, 2007
The purpose of this program is to encourage the development and growth of anytime, anyplace projects at the collegiate level.

Full Proposal with forms is available at the ABOR website.

Arizona Regents Reach Out (ARRO) Grant Program

Program Preferences
The purpose of this program is to encourage the development and growth of anytime, anyplace projects at the collegiate level. The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) provides the following grant preferences. Reviewers will give primary consideration to grants that:
• Promote educational merit, feasibility, demonstrate collaborative elements of the proposal and its benefit to the Arizona higher education environment;
• Promote rapid development of high quality online, distance learning, or technology assisted projects;
• Develop projects that meet a demonstrated demand or need in Arizona;
• Develop projects that are transferable, portable, shareable, and scalable;
• Develop projects that are in short supply but needed for graduation;
• Collaborate, match, and/or leverage funds on project offerings with other partners;
• Apply existing innovations in new areas;
• Explore opportunities for competency or performance based assessment;
• Are programs as contrasted to individual courses only;
• Have not been previously funded by Arizona Regents University (ARU), Arizona Universities Network (AZUN), or Arizona Regents Reach Out (ARRO); and,
• Utilize inter- or intra-institutional collaboration.

Fully articulated, non-duplicative projects are highly desirable and may increase the likelihood that the grant will be awarded.

Proposal Guidelines and Instructions
The following guidelines provide instructions on how to develop a request for ABOR ARRO Grant funds. To be eligible for selection, a proposal should address an existing distance learning related need. ARRO grants are awarded annually and should be completed within 18 months, but may be extended under special circumstances.

Funding Ranges
These guidelines should be followed when determining the budget requests. Additional information on budget preparation follows.
• Up to $50,000 Individual university
• $50,000 to $100,000 Multiple university collaborative projects

Fundamental Considerations
Proposal Requirements
A proposal may not exceed five (5) standard 8 1/2 x 11-inch pages, excluding the table of contents and required attachments. Proposals must be black and white, single sided, 12 font with 1” margins around, single- or double-spaced, stapled at the top left. An original, eight (8) paper copies, and one electronic e-mail copy of proposals must be postmarked by Monday, October 2, 2006. Electronic proposals must be e-mailed to ARRO@azregents.edu. A return receipt will automatically issue advising proposer that proposal has been received. Do not reply to this email; this is your receipt only.

Each proposal submitted should contain the following in the order presented:
1. Institutional Support Form as page 1 (See Attachment A).
2. Proposal narrative.
3. Budgetary requirements form (See Attachment B).
4. Reporting (See Attachment C). While budget actuals and projections may not be available during the proposal process, it is imperative that the initiative overview, goals & objectives, and performance measures be completed on Attachment C and included with your submittal.

Deliverables
Applicants must submit a clear plan showing definable milestones, baseline measures, and measurable performance goals. (See Attachment C)

Institutional Support Form (Attachment A)
The applicant will obtain the required signatures, complete information for each item, and submit the form with original signatures.

Proposal Narrative
Part 1: Table of Contents: Page 1 of the proposal shall begin with a table of contents indicating the page numbers for each section of the proposal.

Part 2: Identification of Need: Provide an identification and justification of need for the grant proposal. Address any collaborative activities within or among institutions. Include supporting data or references to workforce development needs and/or indications of demand. Estimate number of students who may be attracted to or use the project.

Part 3: Technical Needs: Briefly explain the technical requirements (software, hardware, and networking) that will be used to provide the deliverables. List any virtual library or electronic media content that will be used in the project (reference data sources and). Demonstrate compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Part 4: Work Plan/Timeline: The work plan should indicate what will be done, and where and how it will be accomplished. The methods planned to achieve each objective or task should be discussed in detail. Also include:
• A timeline
• Schedules
• Task descriptions and assignments
• Definable milestones
• Resource allocations
• Planned accomplishments including project milestones

Part 5: Key Personnel: Identify key personnel and provide contact information for those personnel involved in the design of the programs and courses. The Project Director should supervise the project and is responsible for the successful completion of the project’s goals.

Part 6: Performance Measures & Expected Outcomes: Applicants must submit a clear plan defining:
• The expected results or outcomes
• Proposed performance goals
• Baseline and performance measures
• Plans for the sustainability of the project, to the extent possible

In addition, plans or means for disseminating results to other faculty within the Arizona University System should be addressed.

Budget Request Attachment (Attachment B): A copy of the Budget Request form is attached. Complete information for each item and submit the form with the proposal narrative document.

Detailed Budget (Limited to 2 pages): Should include an explanation for any items greater than $250. Key budget items also should be noted in the narrative and the narrative should account for how the money awarded will be used to accomplish the objectives of the project. Refer to the “Budget Considerations” section below for additional information.

Budget Considerations: Please use the following guidelines for preparing the budget. Proposed changes in line item expenditures from the authorized budget greater than ten percent (10%) must be pre-approved by the Assistant Executive Director for Strategic Planning at the Arizona Board of Regents and meet the budget requirements as set forth in the RFP. Expenditures made outside the authorized budget without pre-approval may be result in a reduction in the final payment. Purchasing and expenditures guidelines & rules must conform to established university requirements. In no case will expenditures be reimbursed for an amount greater than the approved grant award.

• Matching Funds: Matching funds are encouraged. Match sources may include the institutional contribution, external support, or a combination.
• Indirect Costs: No indirect costs can be charged to the ARRO grant. Indirect and overhead funds may be included as part of the institutional match, but may not be included in the amount requested from ARRO funds.
• Funding Cycle: These grants address short-term start up funding and should be designed for completion in the 18-month cycle.
• Grants may not replace other state funding: Proposals will be evaluated on the appropriateness of the budget request in light of the size and scope of the project. Funds may not be assigned to full-time 12-month faculty or staff or to full-time nine-month appointees during the academic year. Funds may be used to provide salary or stipends to nine-month appointees during the summer. Replacement costs for documented release from teaching responsibilities are allowed.
• External Consultants: Consultants may not be university employees. The narrative or budget detail must provide justification/role of external consultants.
• Items disallowed: Budgets should not include requests for permanent items such as equipment, furniture, or computers. They will not be allowed and, if included, may disqualify the proposal. No international travel.
• Software/license allowance: Proposals may include funding for computer software, licenses, or other user fees if necessary to the success of the project.
Educational Merit and Feasibility
It is important to demonstrate that the educational needs or demands of Arizona students will be addressed, and to identify:
• How the project will be sustained after the grant period.
• The ability to leverage scarce resources by collaborating with other entities and securing matching funds.

Selection and Evaluation Criteria
The ARRO proposal review panel may be comprised of multi-disciplinary faculty from ASU, NAU, and UA. Panelists will be nominated by the university provosts.

The review panel will rate and rank order the proposals in accordance with the four levels of recommendations, using established rubric based on criteria listed in this RFP.
Excellent – Definitely fund
Good – Possibly fund
Adequate – Fund, if resources available
Fair – Funding not likely
Poor – Do not fund

The review panel recommendations will be presented to the Arizona Board of Regents IT/AZUN Committee for approval. Each proposal will be judged on its own merits using the program grant preferences listed on page 1 of this RFP under “Program”.

Multi-university proposals
Proposals involving more than one campus or university should follow these additional guidelines.
• One proposal should be submitted with individual campus authorizations as required in Attachment A.
• Institutional Support Form (Attachment A) must be signed by an official in the sponsored projects office at each participating institution.
• If awarded, each participating institution will receive a separate award for an equal portion of the total award, unless the budget requested is allotted in a different way. All reports (progress and final) must be submitted in one narrative report.

Intellectual Property
Proposals funded and resulting intellectual property shall be the property of the Arizona Board of Regents.

Distribution of Funds
• Payment Schedule: Depending upon the availability of funds, payments will be authorized as follows: 50% at the time of award and 50% when the progress report has been submitted and approved.

Reporting
Periodic progress reports (Attachment C) will be required. The reports shall address:
• document progress made on the project and activities required for completion,
• number of courses developed or near completion,
• number of enrollments obtained or anticipated,
• delivery mode: web, video, technology enhancement, distant center, etc.
• any collaborative efforts among universities or other entities,
• results of student and/or faculty surveys,
• any other quantitative or qualitative information,
• performance measures and deliverables, and
• clearly documented grant expenditures.

A final report must be submitted upon completion of the program. The report will include the project objectives, accomplishments, results obtained, performance measures, and final expenditures. The final report should also contain the elements referenced in the interim report along with actual performance measures and deliverables.

The ARRO Grant Coordinator may arrange periodic meetings to answer questions and provide support as needed.

Where to Send Proposals
Submit the original, eight (8) paper copies, and an electronic copy (CD or floppy) of the proposal to:
Arizona Regents Reach Out (ARRO) Grants
c/o Arizona Board of Regents
2020 N. Central Avenue, Suite 230
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Attn: ARRO Grant Administrator
e-mail: ARRO@azregents.edu
(602-229-2500 may be used for reference by delivery services.)

You will receive an e-mail within 7 days acknowledging receipt of your proposal, copies, and electronic copy. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, contact the ARRO Grants Administrator as soon as possible.

All proposals must be postmarked by Monday, October 2, 2006. Incomplete and late proposals will not be considered. Multi-campus/university projects will need a complete, signed proposal from each participating institution.

For further information, please contact the Arizona Board of Regents:

Phone: 602-229-2500
Fax: 602-229-2555
Web Site www.azregents.edu