Competitive Awards

The UNC Charlotte ADVANCE Program

Solutions Team Program Solicitation


The UNC Charlotte ADVANCE Program

In the Fall of 2006, UNC Charlotte received an award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE program to fund a five-year project entitled "UNC Charlotte ADVANCE Program: Institutional Transformation for the Future of the Faculty." The overall goal of the project is to support innovative and comprehensive programs that bring about institution-wide change at UNC Charlotte and promote the increased participation and advancement of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty positions and in leadership positions.

The specific goals and outcomes for the five-year UNC Charlotte ADVANCE Program are as follows.

  • Goal 1 is Recruitment, with the desired outcome of increased numbers of STEM women, including women of color, interviewed and hired at all ranks at UNC Charlotte.
  • Goal 2 is Retention, with the desired outcomes of a) increased numbers of STEM women, including women of color, at all ranks at UNC Charlotte; and b) gender equity in views on climate and gender equity in salary, workload, resources and recognition, at UNC Charlotte.
  • Goal 3 is Advancement, with the desired outcome of increased numbers of women, including women of color, in full professor and leadership positions at UNC Charlotte.

Solutions Team Program Synopsis

The purpose of the Solutions Team Program is to broadly engage departments and colleges to examine the status of women nationally, as well as within UNC Charlotte departments and colleges, and to implement new, sustainable, unit-based policy and practice that fulfills the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program goals and outcomes for recruitment, retention and advancement at UNC Charlotte.

Solutions Team Awards are unit-based awards. The intent is to encourage units to identify the specific challenges for recruitment, retention and advancement of women STEM faculty and women leaders within the unit, and to propose innovative solutions that are motivated by national research and "best practices." Priority will be given to projects that address the needs of women in fields supported by the NSF, but proposals are not limited in scope to the departments or colleges that represent those fields. Collaborative projects with the potential for broad institutional impact are encouraged.

Applicants are encouraged to examine the web sites of NSF ADVANCE programs at other institutions for best practices, new ideas, and challenges (www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/advance/itwebsites.jsp).

Projects ideas include, but are not limited to:

  • Targeted initiatives to bring about institutional transformation in the STEM disciplines at UNC Charlotte
    • Review and revise existing policies and procedures to identify barriers to success for women faculty. Implement changes to remove barriers and to provide support structures for faculty success. This may include addressing: work/life balance, childcare, dual-career couples, student attitudes, attitudes within external research communities, and increasing the awareness of the need for greater participation by women in STEM disciplines.
    • Review policies and procedures for conducting faculty search, allocating resources (including salary, space, and startup packages), hiring, reappointment, promotion, tenure, and annual review. Implement changes to produce clearly articulated, transparent policies and procedures that support faculty success.
    • Review policies and procedures for faculty development and administrator development. Implement changes that support faculty success. This may include addressing: mentoring, career coaching, negotiation skills, conflict management, faculty workload (research, teaching, and service), and faculty evaluations by department chairs.
  • Targeted initiatives to improve the climate for all faculty at UNC Charlotte, including women faculty in the STEM disciplines
  • Targeted initiatives to attract women to leadership roles and positions in the department, college, or university and to foster their success and retention in these roles

Because the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program is designed to achieve institutional transformation, funded Solutions Team projects are expected to have long-term consequences. As such, applicants are encouraged to leverage Solutions Team funding as seed funding to catalyze an application to external funding sources. The Committee recommends contacting the Office of Research Services at ext. 7-2291 for information about possible outside grant programs.

Requests to support initiatives for sub-awards within the proposing unit are not encouraged.

Requests to support initiatives unique to one individual faculty (e.g., stipends for a particular opportunity, travel to a particular conference, equipment for a specific project, etc.) should be directed to the Bonnie Cone Fellowship Award Program.

Eligibility, Cost-sharing, and Deadline

Solutions Team awards may be granted to a single unit or to multiple collaborating units, with one unit designated as the lead. Any department, college or other unit in the STEM disciplines is eligible to serve as the lead for a Solutions Team proposal and award. This includes any discipline supported by the National Science Foundation. Other units may collaborate on a proposal with at least one STEM unit. All proposals must address the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program goals.

Proposal principal investigators may be faculty members or administrators in the lead unit.

Awards should be used to fund new projects only, and should not be requested to cover existing programs or efforts.

Cost-sharing by units seeking awards is strongly encouraged.

The Solutions Team Program may fund either short term or two-year initiatives. Funding will be awarded on a 12-month basis, with an option to request a renewal for two-year initiatives. Generally, funds for each project will not exceed $25,000/year.

Full proposals are due October 17, 2008.

Format of the Full Proposal

Each proposal must be typed and include the following components, in order:

  • A Cover Page that lists the Project Title, Principal Investigator (PI), co-Principal Investigator(s), and the Unit(s) involved, and includes the signature from the head of each unit involved.
  • If the PI is not a College Dean or Department Chair, the application must include a letter of support from the PI's department chair.
  • An Abstract of the project, not to exceed 250 words.
  • A completed Budget Request Form that has been signed by the unit head for the lead unit involved. A Budget Justification is to be included in the Project Narrative (explained below).
  • A two-page biographical sketch for each of the PI and co-PIs.
  • A Project Narrative that provides a brief introduction to the project and includes the sections listed below. Guidelines for each section are found in the Selection Criteria section below. The narrative must not exceed 2500 words and must consist of numbered pages.
    • Meeting the purposes of the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE Program
    • Extent of the need for the project
    • Project plan
    • Engagement plan
    • Project administration
    • Evaluation
    • Dissemination
    • Sustainability
    • Timeline
    • Budget justification

Proposal Submissions

Proposals should be submitted electronically to the ADVANCE Faculty Affairs Office at advanceuncc@uncc.edu by October 17, 2008.

The electronic submission must be complete to be considered for review.

Additionally, please send one hard copy of the submitted proposal to the ADVANCE Faculty Affairs Office, Denny, via campus mail. As long as the electronic copy is obtained by the published due date, the hard copy can arrive within 10 days after the original submission.

Selection Process

The Competitive Grants Committee will use the following criteria to review and rank proposals:

1. Meeting the purposes of the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program (12 points)

The Committee will review each proposal to determine how well the Solutions Team project will meet the purposes of the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program, including the extent to which: the overall aim of the project and the specific needs to be addressed are aligned with the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program; the project goals and outcomes are realistic and measurable, and are aligned with the unit's strategic plan; the project will contribute towards long-term institutional transformation at UNC Charlotte; and The project will benefit the unit, its members, and the university.

2. Extent of the need for the project (6 points)

The Committee will consider the extent to which a grant under the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program is needed by considering:

  • How the applicant identified the problems that form the specific needs of the project including
  • An overview of planning, pilot work or prior observations that support the project, and
  • A brief review of relevant literature to demonstrate understanding of the issues involved and "best practices" motivated by the research on recruitment, retention and advancement of women STEM faculty and leaders; and
  • How receiving an ADVANCE grant will meet the specific and general outcomes of the project.

3. Project plan (24 points)

The Committee will review the project activities and project plan and consider the extent to which:

  • The project is well planned;
  • The methods to be employed are presented in sufficient detail to illustrate the steps required to complete the project; and
  • The planned activities are likely to contribute to the project outcomes and to resolve the specific problems that form the need for the project.

4. Engagement plan (8 points)

The Committee will review each proposal to determine the quality of the plan to engage the target population, including the extent to which:

  • The targeted audience and the size of the targeted audience are clearly specified; and
  • A plan to engage the targeted audience to participate in the project activities is specified.

5. Project administration (8 points)

The Committee will review the plan for project administration and assess the extent to which:

  • The roles and time commitment of key personnel are clearly articulated and are sufficient; and
  • Key personnel are empowered to complete the project.

6. Assessment and Evaluation (15 points)

The Committee will review each proposal to determine the quality of the assessment and evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the methods:

  • Relate to the specific goals and measurable outcomes of the project;
  • Include both formative and summative evaluation;
  • Describe the data collection procedures, instruments, and schedules;
  • Describe how the applicant will analyze and report the data; and
  • Include a time-line chart that relates key evaluation processes to other project component processes.

7. Dissemination (5 points)

The Committee will review the dissemination plan to assess the quality of the plan for communicating the results of the project to the UNC Charlotte community and, if applicable, nationally through publications, presentations, or otherwise.

8. Sustainability (12 points)

The Committee will review the plans for sustaining project goals and outcomes after the ADVANCE granting period to assess the unit's commitment to long-term institutionalization of policy and procedures that meet the goals and outcomes of the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE program. The Committee will consider the following as evidence of a unit's commitment to institutionalization:

  • The commitment of matching funds for the proposed project;
  • The involvement of key administrators;
  • The plan to broadly engage faculty in the proposed activities;
  • The potential for the project to have a long-term impact on the ADVANCE program goals or to serve as a catalyst for additional funding (with funding sources identified) that will produce a long-term impact.

9. Timeline (5 points)

The Committee will review the project timeline and consider the extent to which the proposed project activities, including evaluation activities, are clearly listed with an annotated list of dates and activities.

10. Budget justification (5 points)

The Committee will review the budget and budget justification to assess the degree to which the budget supports the project goals.

Notification of Award

Notification of award will be made by December 1, 2008. Funding for project expenses will be available immediately following notification. A final report on activities is due within 60 days of the completion of the project. Applicants also agree to provide the UNC Charlotte ADVANCE Program with data as needed to a) assess the progress of the project and b) assist in reporting to the NSF throughout the entire five-year ADVANCE award period.

Questions

Questions about the grants program, eligibility to apply, or the proposal process should be directed to the ADVANCE Faculty Director, Dr. Yvette Huet, at 704-687-8696, ymhuet@uncc.edu.