The DPS Committee invites DPS members to apply for this cycle of DPS Education and Outreach Grants
The DPS Committee is offering small grants (average amounts of $200 to $500) to support DPS members to engage in local and virtual education and public engagement activities. These grants are intended to support DPS member efforts to engage other members, students, teachers, and the public and can be used for materials, consumables, equipment but not for salary or travel to DPS meetings. Proposals are now being accepted. If you have a question about what is an acceptable cost, please contact the DPS Education Officer, Sanlyn Buxner, buxner@psi.edu. Proposals should be emailed to buxner@psi.edu and you will receive an email confirmation.
Applications will be accepted until all grant funds have been depleted, that cap will be posted on this website. Grants have a rolling deadline with reviews occurring each month. Awardees will be alerted by the 15th of each month after they are received. All proposals will be reviewed by members of the DPS education committee and the executive committee (see rubric below). Awards will be issued as a check mailed to the lead proposer.
Each grant awardee is expected to
- Allow their name, institution, and program description to be posted on the DPS website.
- Share a one-page summary of the event(s) with the DPS that includes at least one visual (you must have permission to have identifiable pictures of others), preferably a picture of you, and a summary of the event and participants. This will be shared on the DPS website.
- Present their program as a talk or poster at the next DPS meeting they attend - please note that there is an additional abstract slot reserved for education and outreach in addition to science talks/posters at the DPS meeting.
Applications should be no more than two pages and include the following:
- Name, title, institution (if applicable), and contact information of the DPS member(s) applying. Emails for all are required, a phone number, and mailing address should be provided for the lead of the mini grant.
- Short - 1 paragraph bios of the individual or team members proposing.
- An overview of the program, including a timeline (subject to change due to ongoing worldwide events), and at least one outcome measure, articulating what the program is intended to achieve (this will be shared on the DPS website).
- A list of any partners (e.g. museum, school), if applicable.
- A budget of what the funding will be used for.
- Identified audience and any arrangements that have been made with that audience or to reach that audience.
- An acknowledgment of the DPS expectations listed above.
- Optional, you may include pictures or other images.
- Email proposals to buxner@psi.edu and you will receive an email confirmation.
Rubric for scoring:
| Criteria | 2 | 1 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is the individual or team current members of the DPS? | Yes | - | No |
| Is the program well explained? | Well explained program, it is clear what the team is doing | Simple explanation given, not entirely clear what the program will entail | No explanation or vague explanation of program |
| At least one goal or outcome is articulated (what is the program hoping to achieve) | Goals/outcomes are clearly articulated and reasonable | Outcome is articulated and is either unreasonable or unclear | No goals/outcomes are articulated |
| Presence and quality of feedback/evaluation | Appropriate evaluation or feedback mechanism is described | Feedback does not align with program | No feedback mechanism is identified or described |
| Budget and reasonableness | Costs are fully described and within cost cap and reasonable | Costs are not fully described or not within cost cap | Costs are not described |
| Alignment to DPS goals to support DPS members to engage other members, students, teachers, or the public in high quality programming | Program is well aligned with DPS goals | Unclear if the program aligns with DPS goals | Program does not support DPS member in education or outreach activities |
| Audience identified | Audience(s) are identified and program | Audience has been identified, but no arrangements have been made | No specific audience is identified |