Application 5.2

Grant Rationale

Overview:

The key to an effective grant application is a well-crafted and logical rationale. A rationale—sometimes referred to as a statement of need, need statement, or problem statement—is the foundation for a grant. It should connect the agency with a prospective funder (e.g. mission), state specifically who or what is being served or addressed, and provide evidence that supports the cause, all while being realistic. A strong rationale is easy to follow, does not use jargon, and paints a picture of what can be. A compelling rationale leads the reader, clearly states what needs to be addressed, provokes a response from the reader, and has the power to secure funding. Conversely, a weak idea and a poorly drafted rationale can dissuade funders from examining a grant in detail—they have left the party before it even started.

Assignment:

Below are several examples of rationales used in grant applications; both projects were funded by foundations. After reading each rationale, answer the following ten questions. Next, using your understanding of a successful rationale, compare and contrast the two rationales to include positive attributes and areas of improvement.

Questions for Each Rationale

What is the problem/need? How do you know it is a problem?

Is the problem pressing and something that needs to be addressed? Why does it need to be addressed now?

Does the need statement use comparative data (e.g. year to year)? Is it effective?

Is the support in the rationale current and credible? Does it include qualitative and quantitative data on the nature, size, and scope of the need to be addressed?

What is the target population of the program?

Why should your organization be selected to address the problem/need? Explain.

Is there evidence that the problem statement is connected to the prospective funder’s mission? Explain.

Does the statement explain how your organization, given its history, size, and resources, can address the problem meaningfully? Explain.

Is the writing style clear, concise, and easy to follow? Explain areas for improvement.

Explain what parts of the problem statement are compelling, persuasive, and engaging. Is it too wordy, about right, or needs elaboration? Explain.

Comparison Question

• What elements of each rationale are informative and helpful in making the case for funding? Explain.

   

• What areas are distracting and/or areas for improvement? Explain.

   

• What data and statistics are missing that would help support the case?

   

• Of the two rationales, which one would you support and why?

   

Rationale 1 – Pilot Environmental Education Program

We request $25,000 from the Fund to establish a pilot program in environmental education for underserved youth at Parker Bennett Community Center in Bowling Green, KY. The pilot program will utilize the resources at the McChesney Field Campus (MFC) to include a newly constructed pavilion and outdoor classroom. The program aims to introduce underserved youth to the outdoors through experiential learning that will either complement what they currently do in the school classroom (science, art, reading, etc.) or fill a void due to deficiencies in their curriculum. The ultimate goal is to scale the initiative to serve elementary school age (e.g. 5th and 6th grade) in the Bowling Green and Warren County Kentucky School Districts.

Benefits of Environmental Education

While there is clear evidence that youth participating in environmental education (EE) programs gain knowledge about the environment, the benefits are much broader. In a study analyzing over 119 peer-reviewed articles between 1994 and 2015 on the benefits of EE, the findings suggest enhancement in overall academic performance, critical thinking skills, and the development of personal growth and life-building skills such as confidence, autonomy, and leadership (Ardoin et al., 2017). The study further shows increased civic engagement – an invaluable outcome that can provide youth with a voice.

While the benefits of EE are well established, they are only as good as youth having access to natural resources. The racial and economic disparities in communities profoundly impact the access and use of natural resources. The historical exclusion of people of color from public lands and natural places has had a long-term impact on behaviors and views of outdoor spaces (Rowland-Shea et al., 2020). Moreover, legacies of exclusion have impacted “visitation to national parks and other public lands and participation in outdoor recreation, as well as causes people of color to feel unwelcome or in danger in nature.” (Rowland-Shea, 2020, p.1). Fortunately, the evidence points out that being outdoors (even without involvement in an environmental education program) is invaluable for youth and enhances overall health and cognitive function, strong motor coordination, reduced stress, and enhanced social skills (Strife, & Downey, 2009). The proposed environmental education program could be a start in addressing access to natural places for underserved populations.

Pilot

The initial program will serve the youth of Parker Bennett Community Center – a public parks and recreation center primarily serving youth who reside in Section 8 housing. The community center was selected because of the population they serve, and an existing relationship with the leadership. The center needs programming assistance and has limited resources to engage youth in natural settings. Based on formative and summative findings, the program will be scaled to serve more youth in elementary schools with the hope of building a sustainable outdoor program for environmental education.

McChesney Field Campus

The McChesney Field Campus (MFC) is a 130-acre outdoor education site nestled between the Green River and Indian Creek; the Mary Frances Kindell Pavilion is the centerpiece of the facility and includes a classroom, covered open-air pavilion, and restrooms. The unique forested area has 3.5 miles of hiking trails; two primitive campsites; a canoe storage facility; a spring; two caves; and multiple cultural sites, including a cemetery, stone walls, a ferry landing, and ruins of an old home site.

Rationale 2 – Bike-Friendly Program

We are requesting $5,000 to sponsor a three-day training workshop to certify bike safety instructors (i.e. League Certified Instructors or LCI) who will subsequently implement riding/safety clinics (e.g. bike rodeos) in the Bowling Green, KY community.

Organization Information

Western Kentucky University is a public comprehensive institution that consists of five academic colleges serving nearly 17,000 students. Undergraduate students may select from 93 academic majors, 77+ minors, and 21 certificates. The Graduate School at WKU offers 92 degrees and certificate programs. The bike safety workshop is the first phase of a bike-friendly initiative based out of the School of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport (KRS), part of the College of Health and Human Services. The initiative was conceived and supported by several key university and community stakeholders including, WKU Parking and Transportation, WKU Sustainability office, Bowling Green Metropolitan Planning Organization, and the School of KRS.

Rationale

Multiple surveys in the Bowling Green community show a high demand for improved walking and biking facilities, and increased pedestrian and cycling safety. One way of measuring progress toward becoming bicycle-friendly is to pursue “Bicycle Friendly” status through the League of American Bicyclists. The “Bicycle Friendly Communities” and “Bicycle Friendly Campuses” programs certify communities based on five evaluation criteria:

• Enforcement: presence and enforcement of bicycle-friendly laws (such as a 3’ distance law for vehicles passing cyclists)
• Education: public education, outreach, adult cycling courses, and secondary school programs
• Engineering: bicycle facilities such as bike lanes, greenways, and bike racks, access to mass transportation
• Evaluation: incorporating bikes into the transportation planning process
• Encouragement: sponsoring rides and events that promote cycling, having an active advisory group, having an active cycling club

Bowling Green scores well on most evaluation criteria except for “education”. Our current education efforts are a patchwork of community volunteers loosely organized through BikeWalkBG (formerly the Greenways Commission) in planning and zoning. As a community, we lack a network of trained instructors who can conduct bicycle skills development and bicycle safety courses.

The goal of the bicycle-friendly initiative at WKU and in the surrounding community is twofold: increasing the number of cyclists while decreasing the number of bicycle crashes and fatalities in the area, and improving the overall health and wellness of campus and community members. The goals are timely and important because the report card on bike-friendly states ranks Kentucky at 43rd (out of 50) and grades the state low on community health metrics. By improving the safety of bicyclists and increasing the physical activity of riders, many accidents (i.e. injury or death by car/bike collisions), health conditions, and diseases can be reduced.

Description of the Work/Solution

This bike-friendly initiative seeks to fill the education gap by sponsoring several individuals at WKU and in the Bowling Green community to become certified League Cycling Instructors (LCIs). Each sponsored LCI will conduct a minimum of three outreach programs per year in the WKU, Bowling Green, or South Central Kentucky area. This can include civic groups, school groups, or public events (such as the Bike Rodeo event at the annual Arbor Day celebration at Kereiakes Park, a local municipal park).

We seek to develop a stable program by housing it at the WKU School of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport. This project aligns with the school’s educational mission and incorporates faculty and student engagement. Faculty will not only serve as certified instructors, but they will also conduct applied research to learn the effectiveness of the education programs and information that can be useful in shaping public policy. Students in the program will get hands-on experience, both in the research and in helping to coordinate the outreach programs.

We are working with several community partners, including the city, county, and civic groups to support this project. Several entities will provide in-kind support of equipment, transportation, and storage space, while others will provide personnel to become LCIs themselves. We are also working with the local cycling club, the Bowling Green League of Bicyclists, who are interested in supporting bike safety initiatives.

With LCIs in the Bowling Green area, we can develop a “train the trainers” program that will not only sustain this program in Bowling Green but will spread bicycle safety skills in communities where the LCIs may travel.

Project Benefits

The benefits of the LCI and Bike Friendly initiative are numerous and include the following:

• People who become LCIs will benefit personally by acquiring new cycling safety and teaching skills.
• Faculty involved in the program will benefit from scholarly research, as they work with students to assess the constraints of bicycle use for youth, explore the intersection of bicycle use and wellness, and examine best practices for policy change for communities that are becoming bike-friendly.
• Students involved in the program will benefit from hands-on experience in organizing outreach activities and conducting field research.
• Community members who partake in bike safety courses taught by the LCIs will benefit by acquiring bicycle safety skills.
• The community will benefit by experiencing fewer bicycle-related crashes and fatalities and improving its bicycle-friendly status.
• Active participants reap the benefits of increased wellness and reduce the risk of several diseases and health conditions.