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University of Southern California School of Social Work
Sowk 665
Program Development & Grant Writing for Social Workers
Instructor: Maryalice Jordan-Marsh
Office: SOWK 212
Telephone: 213-740-4600
Office hours: Tuesdays 11:00a – 12:30p; by appointment
E-mail:
Section: 60695R
Location: VKC 155
Day/Time: Tuesdays 4:00p – 6:50p
I. Course Description
Utilizing the theory of Effectiveness-Based Program Planning, this course is designed to provide second year social work students with the necessary skills to plan and design programs and write grants/proposals*. The Results Based Accountability framework is also incorporated to provide students with the knowledge of whole population and program performance accountability to measure effectiveness of agencies, services, and programs. The course is applicable within all concentrations, since planning and designing programs and services and writing effective grant proposals, are necessary skills for anyone interested in innovating or sustaining current programs and securing the funding required. Any practitioner interested in planning, providing or administering programs and services for agencies, communities and clients, will find this course essential to effective practice. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of developing the macro practice skills of problem analysis, need assessment, program planning and development, goal and objective formulation, developing program performance measures and logic models, and finding funders, responding to requests for proposals and then persuasively writing a grant to secure the resources needed to implement or sustain a program. These skills can be generalized to any setting and are relevant to direct and macro social work practice in mental health, children and family, aging, substance abuse, school social work and so forth.
The course emphasizes agency-based action planning. This encompasses: a) how agencies acquire, analyze and use information from clients and other sources; b) how information and an evidenced based approach informs practice, service planning and program design; c) how service planning and program design is used to advance the well being of clients and communities through action planning; d) how service planning and program design logically guides the grant proposal process; and e) how funded grants affect program and service delivery implementation; f) this in turn eventuates in additional information for both micro and macro practitioners to identify those interventions that work best and differentiate them from ones that work poorly; and g) such information can then be incorporated to improve and develop effective programs and services through the use of evidenced based literature, research and information to substantiate need and support an effective program design and strategy. This course offers students the opportunity to acquire more advanced theoretical, practical, and evidenced based practice approaches to program planning and development, implementation, operation, and to become competent in finding sources of funding and writing grant proposals. The emphasis is on the application of useful and real world skills in traditional and non-traditional social work settings.
* It is recommended that students enrolled in the Family and Children concentration do not take this course due to possible curriculum overlap with the core concentration Research course.
II. Course Objectives / learning outcomes
In completing this advanced practice course, students will have both a theoretical and practical understanding of action planning, Effectiveness-based program planning and design, Results based accountability, proposal preparation and grant writing skills that can be generalized to agencies delivering services in complex, urban environments. Through learning, discussion, and practice, the student will become proficient in skills that can be used to assist their agency to develop and fund innovative programs which prevent and / or mitigate severe social problems.
1. Students will advance their knowledge and understanding of Effectiveness Based Program Development theory and the application to increase program effectiveness;
2. Students will demonstrate their capacity to conceptualize program designs and strategies informed by problem analysis, need assessment, goal & objective formulation, and evidence & effectiveness-based program intervention & design methodologies;
3. Students will demonstrate the capacity to identify and develop relevant, measurable program goals and objectives;
4. Students will advance their understanding of fund development identification and solicitation strategies;
5. Students will advance their knowledge of the Results Based Accountability framework, understanding the distinction between Whole Population and Program Accountability;
6. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop proposals for agency services, develop the effective grant proposals, concept papers, and proposal papers;
7. Students will advance their knowledge of developing outcomes, performance measures, and logic models for population and program/service/agency accountability and evaluation practices;
8. Students will advance their knowledge of program implementation, operational components, and sustainability strategies; and
9. Students will analyze and discuss the importance of consumer-driven and objective program planning and design to mitigate the potential effects of personal, cultural, social, ethnic, gender, and political bias and assumptions of social work practitioners.
III. Course Format
There will be in-class lectures/discussions, group exercises, field exercises/visits, guest speakers, written assignments, peer reviews, Internet interactions, and a comprehensive final paper to facilitate the student’s learning experience. Much of your work will be done in teams and teams will be paired to critique each other’s work. Students will be given class time to work with their teams. This course will be hands-on and practical. Lastly, we will enjoy learning together!
IV. Course Evaluation and Grading
All students are expected to regularly attend class and be on time. A student with more than two unexcused absences during the course of this class may receive a no credit. A student who is tardy three or more times to class may receive a grade of no credit. If a student receives a no credit grade in this seminar, they will be required to repeat this class.
Grading:
Faculty will use the full range of grades (A-F) in their evaluation of assignments and finals, etc. Within the School of Social Work, grades are determined in each class based on the following standards, which have been established by the faculty of the School:
1. Grades of A or A- will be reserved for work which not only demonstrates very good mastery of the content, but which in addition demonstrates that the student had undertaken a complex task and applied critical thinking skills to the assignment. The difference between these two grades will be determined by the degree of these skills demonstrated by the student.
2. A grade of B+ will be given to work that is judged to be very good. It denotes that the student had demonstrated more than a competent understanding of the material pertinent to the assignment.
3. A grade of B will be given to student work that meets the basic requirement of the assignment. It denotes that the student has done adequate work on the assignment and has met basic course expectations.
4. A grade of B- denotes that a student performed less than adequately on an assignment with only a moderate grasp of content and/or expectations.
5. A grade of C or C- reflects a minimal grasp of the assignment, poor organization of ideas and/or several significant areas requiring improvement.
6. A grade of D reflects serious deficiencies in all aspects of the student’s performance on the assignment
Class grades will be based on the following:
3.85 – 4 A
3.60 – 3.84 A-
3.25 – 3.59 B+
2.90 – 3.24 B
2.60 – 2.87 B-
2.25 – 2.50 C+
1.90 – 2.24 C
Final Grade:
93 – 100 A
90 – 92 A-
87 – 89 B+
83 – 86 B
80 – 82 B-
77 – 79 C+
73 – 76 C
70 – 72 C-
Seminar grades will be based on the following:
Class participation
In-class Participation (includes peer reviews) 10 points
Written Assignments
Exercises 1, 2, 3 20 points
Midterm 30 points
Final Paper 40 points
Each written assignment is designed to prepare for the final written paper. The final paper is a compilation of all assignments combined. This format allows students to gain practice experience in constructing a program proposal by breaking up each section and receiving feedback to construct a well-written and designed final program/project proposal. Students, traditionally, have benefited from this format and have done very well on the final exam/paper. Some students have submitted their proposals to their field agencies for funding consideration. Students will work in teams and everyone in the group will receive the same grade except as noted.
Exercise 1: Find a Request for Proposal (RFP) DUE WEEK 3
Students are required to locate an RFP from a foundation or government funding source within the state of California. Other search terms would be FOA, RFA, or Program Announcement. Grant amount must be under $500,000 for all expenses, even if collaborating. Note that each student must locate a separate funding source. Your team will examine the proposed funder list and select one to pursue as a group. See Worksheet on page 11 for more details. This exercise is part of your individual grade which accumulates through completed worksheet and short assignments.
Exercise 2: Problem/Need Statement DUE WEEK 5
This paper should be 6 pages written in a narrative format (plus references) and provide a brief context of the agency or program that will be accountable for the project. Include the population(s) it serves, and its mission. The statement of need includes a) a problem analysis and needs assessment identifying the current/anticipated gaps in service (Statement of Need Questionnaire, Carlson) and b) the program hypothesis and program and/or policy intervention(s) proposed; include research references about the problem selected. This is part of your group grade.
MIDTERM: Goals & Objectives, and Methodology DUE WEEK 8
The paper should be in 8-10 pages in length written in a narrative format, plus reference page and an Appendix (if appropriate), detailing the task plan and scope of work for your program and references. The paper has two main parts: a) the general goals and specific measurable outcome objectives of the proposed program(s) using SMART format and program intervention(s) (Goals and Objective Exercise, Carlson) and b) a description of key program tasks and activities and evidenced-based program intervention and implementation strategies. It should include a brief description of the responsible agency’s capabilities in supporting the proposed program(s) and / or policy intervention(s) (Methods Exercise and Identify Your Program Elements, Carlson). Be sure to describe the role of any collaborating agencies or partners. Identify evidenced-based interventions appropriate for filling current or anticipated gaps in service. Begin to develop some ideas for future funding (Future Funding Questionnaire, Carlson). The Midterm will be a team effort and is part of your group grade.
Exercise 3: Develop Graphics DUE WEEK 11
Each student will develop a graphic to illustrate a key point or engage the reviewer on a motivational level. See page 12 for more details. Teams will agree on the point(s) to be illustrated by each team member individually. The minimum number of graphics should equal the number of members on your team. Graphics should represent both formal display(s) of information and creative inspirational/motivational visuals. A logic model is a common graphic for a proposal. When downloading images be sure that they are not copyrighted or that you obtain permission BEFORE placing in draft. This will be part of your individual grade.
FINAL PAPER: DUE December 8, 2010
The FINAL will be 12-15 pages long, exclusive of reference page(s) and Appendixes. The assignments are designed to assist you in planning and developing the elements needed for a sound program proposal that can actually be funded. The final will include sections you have completed plus: a) ideas for future funding (Future Funding Questionnaire, Carlson); b) a description of a program/project evaluation strategy including performance measures of program effectiveness; c) a program budget and narrative (Revenue and Expense Budget, Carlson); and d) a sustainability plan. Students are encouraged to build on knowledge gained in other courses offered; c) a program budget and narrative (Revenue and Expense Budget, Carlson). The final will be a well-organized grant or project proposal. All students will use a similar foundation proposal format that will incorporate the following: problem analysis and needs assessment, the program hypothesis and evidence-based proposed intervention, program/project goals, objectives, methodology, budget, sustainability plan, and program performance measures and a logic model. This will be a part of your group grade.
V. Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend every class and to remain in class for the duration of the session. Failure to attend class or arriving late may impact your ability to achieve course objectives which could affect your course grade. Students are expected to notify the instructor by telephone or email of any anticipated absence or reason for tardiness.
University of Southern California policy permits students to be excused from class, without penalty, for the observance of religious holy days. This policy also covers scheduled final examinations which conflict with students’ observance of a holy day. Students must make arrangements in advance to complete class work which will be missed, or to reschedule an examination, due to holy days observance.
VI. Course Expectations and Guidelines
The focus of this course will be program design and the preparation and submission of a grant proposal that builds on the capabilities of your current field placement either singly or in collaboration with other like-minded organizations and the strengths of diverse communities. Students should discuss these assignments with their respective field instructors at the outset of their field placements. Historically, some interns / students have secured planning grants or operational grants that have substantially aided their field placements in meeting the needs of their respective communities. Those individuals enrolled part-time and thus not in a current field placement will base their set of assignments on their most recent field placement and/or relevant professional work experience.
Current preparation requires that micro and macro practitioners understand and practice all the competencies necessary for successful agency-based management and program development. This course begins with a conceptual framework that draws on evidence and effective-based theory to program planning. We then will apply these theories to examine approaches and best-practices to program planning and development and grant writing. We will discuss these experiences as it relates to respective field placements through this same lens. We will also review and assess agency management and practices based on the techniques / tools of program design and the grant / proposal process. We will finish with the development of an agency-based action-planning system and program development strategy using information and knowledge formation.