Grant Program for Projects on Multicultural Activities
Proposals receiving funding will be announced August 2012. The online proposal submission for 2012 is closed.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recognizes the value of supporting the infusion of multiculturalism into our clinical, educational, and professional programs; and the activities of allied/related associations and organizations.
Who is eligible?
This RFP competition is open to clinical and/or school-based speech, language, and hearing programs; university programs, state associations, allied and related professional organizations, and ASHA's Special Interest Groups. An ASHA member must serve as project director.
What kinds of projects will be funded?
Proposals must have a multicultural focus. Multicultural is defined to include issues dealing with race, ethnicity, language, gender or gender identification, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and disability. There is particular interest in, but not limited to, proposals that respond to ASHA's Envisioned Future: 2030 and ASHA's Strategic Pathway to Excellence.
Projects must:
- be compatible with ASHA's mission and vision,
- have a clear high-quality plan for meeting its objectives,
- be completed, including evaluation, within 12 months of initiation of the project,
- be adaptable by other clinical and/or school-based programs, university programs, state associations, and associated and related professional organizations for their own use, and
- describe the future of the project after ASHA funding has ended.
Grants will not be awarded for fund raising, governmental lobbying, or awards ceremonies.
Please Note: ASHA retains the first right of refusal for marketing and/or future dissemination of any products developed from or during the funded project.
How much money is available and how will it be dispersed?
It is expected that the average individual award will be $7,000 to $10,000. Individual awards will not exceed $15,000. The exact number of grant awards will depend on the nature, quality, and number of proposals received. If no proposals meet a minimum level of quality, no grants will be awarded.
One-half of the funding will be provided at the start of the project. The balance will be provided upon receipt of an interim report. A final report is required of all awardees.
Who evaluates the grant proposals?
The Review Panel will consist of representatives from the Multicultural Issues Board, National Office staff, and various multicultural constituency groups. Members of the panel will exclude themselves from reviewing proposals where a conflict of interest may exist.
A staff member from the ASHA Office of Multicultural Affairs will coordinate the review panel. The coordinator's or alternate's evaluation of a proposal will be considered only when a panel member must exclude himself/herself from reviewing a specific proposal or when the panel's ratings do not provide a clear-cut decision on a specific proposal.
How will the grant proposals be rated?
Each reviewer will assign up to 100 points to each proposal as follows:
| Need for the project, including degree of impact |
0–15 points |
| Consistency with the objectives of the grant program and ASHA's mission and vision |
0–10 points |
| Plan of operation |
0–20 points |
| Evaluation plan |
0–15 points |
| Replicability by other programs, associations, or organizations |
0–20 points |
| Budget/Cost effectiveness/Justification |
0–20 points |
Proposals will then be ranked according to the average number of points awarded and any additional comments made by the reviewers. In addition to the Review Panels' numerical ratings and critical comments, funding decisions are made with consideration given to factors such as the project's similarity to previously funded projects, overlap with other Association efforts, area(s) of practice, timeliness, projected impact, focus on a specific cultural or linguistic population, projected return on investment, and ability to respond to members' needs.
What is the application process?
1. Complete the Application Form.
2. In no more than the equivalent of 5 typed, double spaced pages, describe:
- the need for the project, including degree of impact;
- project objectives and how they are consistent with those of the grant program;
- a plan to meet project objectives that includes specific activities, a time line for their accomplishment, the person(s) responsible for executing the plan, and a description of what will happen to the project once ASHA funding has ended;
- a means for evaluating the project's effectiveness including meeting stated objectives, quantifiable outcomes, and impact; as well as a client/patient/consumer feedback component, if appropriate; and
- how others (individuals, programs, associations, or organizations) will benefit from the project including replication of the project and dissemination of results.
3. Complete the Budget Form that includes the amount of and justification for requested funds.
4. Obtain one letter of endorsement of the project. The letter should come from someone who can attest to the project director's capability in completing the project.
5. Proposals receiving funding will be announced August 2012.
ASHA's Mission
ASHA: Empowering and supporting speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists by:
- Advocating on behalf of persons with communication and related disorders
- Advancing communication science
- Promoting effective communication
ASHA's Vision
ASHA: Making effective communication, a human right, accessible and achievable for all.