Mentor Up Cohort Application Requirements

Thank you for your interest in the upcoming NSF Grant-Writing Workshop. The focus of the workshop is on completing an actual proposal for submission to the NSF, more specifically, a proposal related to the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. To that end, participants will be expected to attend the workshop with a specific idea related to the ATE program and a commitment to create a completed proposal. In order to be accepted for the workshop you (your team) will need to provide two things and complete the application form:

1. A one-page pre-proposal describing a potential ATE project. ATE projects are given priority under the conditions of the workshop funding. Be sure to refer to the NSF solicitation when preparing your one-page pre-proposal in order to understand the scope of work allowed and expected by the NSF. (https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/advanced-technological-education-ate/nsf24-584/solicitation) For additional guidance in writing the pre-proposal see the document titled “Pre-Proposal Guidelines” below.

2. A letter of commitment from an academic administrator at the level of dean or above to insure institutional support for the actual grant writing and submission. The letter should be on school letterhead and must specifically acknowledge the expectation that that a proposal will be submitted, and that there will be administrative support to carry out an awarded project.

Final selection for participation in the workshop will be determined according to the following criteria:

• On-time submission of pre-proposal and administrative support letter

• Proposed project’s alignment to ATE goals and purposes

• Quality of the 1-page pre-proposal

• Priority will be given to colleges that have not previously received ATE-related funding

Your letter of recommendation and pre-proposal will be uploaded through the application form.

Application Deadline: April 1, 2025

One-Page Pre-Proposal Guidelines

The 1-page Pre-Proposal will be used to determine the merit of your grant proposal idea in relation to the purposes and guidelines of NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. It should be a concise statement of your proposed project's scope, possible activities and potential impact.

More specifically, the pre-proposal should be 1 page, single -spaced, using 11 or 12 pt. font and should include the following specific information:

Required:

1.     Overview of project

2.     Goal of the project

3.     Technology discipline to be addressed and brief discussion of why now

4.     Overview of workforce need to be addressed (References not required for Mentor Up application)

5.     Names and disciplines of the faculty team

Helpful But Not Required:

1.     Results of any survey or other data showing workforce need and/or student interest in project

2.     Some project objectives or activities

3.     Number of students to be impacted

4.     Will this produce new courses or certificate and will these fit into a current or new degree?

5.     Administrative support

6.     Location of college and overview of students and ethnicities

7.     Industry partners

Other information that will be added later during the grant writing phase:

1.     References

2.     Full survey or focus group results or other documentation of workforce need

3.     More explanation about the college, their student body, and their service area

4.     Roles of all of project team

5.     Dissemination and Sustainability

6.     Evaluation

7.     Motivating rationale

8.     Budget

9.     Comprehensivel explanations of Goals, objectives, activities, deliverables, and timeline

*If you are having trouble accessing the application, please contact Wendy Robicheau at wrobicheau@gmail.com.

About the Workshop

Workshop Focus: Participants in this workshop will learn about the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program and how to most effectively apply for grant funding. Faculty must propose a specific project to improve an ATE-eligible technical program in a one page proposal. One-page proposals will be reviewed through April 1st or until all spaces are full. Proposals will be either accepted or sent back for corrections and the website will remain open until the workshop and a waiting list are full. Workshop activities will include presentations; planning and writing sessions with mentors who have had extensive experience with ATE and NSF; and networking with colleagues from similar institutions around the country. Two faculty from each college can receive stipend support. 

When: TBD

Location: Virtual Zoom

Eligibility: Full-time STEM discipline faculty involved in technician education programs from two-year colleges. Two faculty per college are eligible for stipends. Since this is an online format, colleges may also include a grant writer or additional team members that will make their team stronger. Teams of two or three are strongly encouraged.

Stipends and Support: Faculty participants (up tp two per team) will be eligible for a $500 stipend at the completion of the virtual workshop. An additional stipend of $250 will be available for the two faculty upon submission of an ATE proposal in the October 2025 competition.

Ongoing Support: The mentor assigned to each college team will continue throughout the year to support each college’s efforts to write a complete proposal. This will include creating pre- and post-workshop milestones, webinars, suggesting resources, and providing feedback both for proposal writing and in the award process.

Find out more about the ATE Program through the solicitation at: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/advanced-technological-education-ate/nsf24-584/solicitation

Testimonials

“We were very appreciative of the amount of support and the base of knowledge from which we could draw on. It made our experience smoother and helped us craft a better proposal.”

“This was a wonderful workshop that provides immense value. I hope it continues way into the future, as it was greatly beneficial in helping our team design a proposal.”