Golden Opportunities: KEEN Student Mini-Grants

This integration effort began with the project manager providing EM training to the program coordinator, who would go on to train other FSE staff and the ECs. The project manager and program coordinator developed the program’s goals, budget, and application process, as well as award criteria. They also established administrative and oversight processes, planned the program’s implementation, and developed all materials. 

Implementation started with the project manager and program coordinator conferring with FSE’s Academic Student Affairs (ASA) staff to learn about their existing student funding opportunities as well as to explore how to most effectively collaborate on integrating the new funding opportunity into ASA messaging. Key to the collaboration was determining the best way to keep ASA staff informed of the status of individual grants and how to integrate showcasing KSMG recipients’ work into existing student showcase events. This initial work with ASA included providing several ASA staff training on EM, so that they too understood the program goals and could address student questions.

The team developed administrative and grant-making materials, foremost among them the actual grant application, including its narrative proposal and budget templates, and a webpage, which they linked to Wufoo, a platform that hosts the application and submission process. They defined the application review process, currated the KEEN videos and framework, and created the EM quiz applicants must pass to be eligible. 

To market the KEEN student grants among students and student organizations the first year, the grant team developed electronic and print marketing materials, gave presentations to student groups, informed KEEN Professors and advisors about the opportunity, attended numerous events to meet prospective applicants, and presented to classes at faculty members’ request. In later semesters, the team implemented several additional advertising tactics, including tabling at Academic Advising buildings, launching the student grant webpage, enlisting ECs to present to student organizations, promoting the opportunity during faculty workshops, and connecting with student teams at Devils Invent events. 

Applicants use a narrative proposal template to describe in one page how their project, event, or conference integrates EM and why it is beneficial. More specifically, they provide an overview that clearly defines their objective and explains how the 3Cs of EM are integrated. They also describe how the application of EM in the project, event, or conference will advance EM at ASU and who will benefit. Applicants use a budget template to provide an accounting of anticipated expenses. The application process continues as follows:

1. The project manager and program coordinator review each application package (some students ask for advice before even submitting their applications).
2. If a proposal doesn’t meet funding standards, the program coordinator coaches students to create stronger applications, resulting in a proposal development process that is a learning experience for the applicants, as with each round of revision they gain a better understanding of EM and its role in their proposals. 
3. After revision of proposals is complete, proposals undergo review by top-tier program leadership.
4. The program coordinator notifies students or student organization leaders of their applications’ award/non-award status. 
5. The program coordinator administers the award, then provides guidance and support to awardees throughout the grant period. 

The application timeframe is one to three weeks, depending the amount of coaching individual applicants need.

NOTE: Supporting resources for this case study can be found within its companion KEEN card (link below), which is also where the community can discuss the case and its broader topic.