Assessment Grant Guidelines

Assessment Grant Proposal Guidelines

The IU Indianapolis Program Review and Assessment Committee (PRAC) establishes guidelines for comprehensive program review of academic and administrative units and provides guidance for student outcomes assessment throughout the campus. This committee funds grants that promise innovative, transformative, and inclusive approaches and improved practice in assessment and/or program review.

PRAC will award up to $5,000 for each grant. Grants are awarded annually.

The Call for Proposals for the 2026 cycle will open later this year. You can review the guidelines below as you plan your submission. 


Guidelines

Assessment is a process of describing and documenting progress toward identified educational goals or outcomes for the purposes of improving student learning experiences and academic performance and determining program effectiveness. PRAC invites groups or individuals to submit proposals for initiatives that support:

  • the continued development of school/departmental assessment plans that focus on enhancing student learning and/or
  • assessment of program effectiveness in connection with preparing the self-study for program review. 

We are especially interested in projects which address the IU Indianapolis Profiles of Learning for Undergraduate Success, investigate inclusive and equitable assessment practices to support learning and success for all students, or focus on assessment strategies that advance the student success efforts outlined in the IU Indianapolis Strategic Plan. We as PRAC attend to these definitions of inclusion and equity. 

  • Proposals will be submitted online using the "Submit Proposal" button at the top and bottom of this page. 
  • Requests for funding should not exceed $5,000 for any individual proposal.
  • Applicants will be required to upload a support from chair or dean.
  • Project should be completed within one year after the award and a final report submitted within 30 days after completion. 
  • Ensure all sections of the proposal are completed thoroughly. 

Proposal Writing Support

  • Please contact a PRAC member in your school for consultation in the proposal development process.
  • Refer to examples of previously submitted successful grant proposals and reports.
  • Use proposal evaluation rubric to self-assess and revise draft.

Timeline and Review Process

  • Completed proposals are due by mid-February each year (date will be updated for the next cycle when the call opens).
  • Proposal should be submitted online only using the "Submit Proposal" button at the top and bottom of this page. Proposals sent via email will not be included in the review.
  • The PRAC Grants Subcommittee will review proposals using an evaluation rubric. Please use the rubric to guide your proposal development.
  • Awardees will be announced at the April PRAC meeting and notified via email by the PRAC chair. 
  • Awardees will be required to provide account number for funds transfer by mid-April. Disbursement of funds to personnel and/or vendors will be the responsibility of the project director(s).
  • Awardees are required to submit a project report within 30 days of project completion. The reports will be emailed to the PRAC Grant Subcommittee Chair, Anusha S. Rao. View final report template and requirements.

Proposal Format

The required sections of the proposal are listed below. Please refer to the proposal writing guidelines above before you draft your proposal. Proposal submission button located at the end of this section.

Download Word Version to draft your proposal. You can copy paste your responses into the online submission form.

Section 1: Cover sheet information to be included:

  • Name and rank/title of Project Director(s)
  • Department/Division and School
  • Campus Address
  • Campus Phone
  • IU email
  • Project Title 
  • Project Period Dates (all projects must be completed within one year of award) Include start month & year and End month & year.
  • Amount Requested
  • Co-project directors (if any)

Section 2: Abstract

Provide a brief abstract of your proposed project and the intended outcomes. 

Section 3: Project Description

You will outline your project description by responding to the following questions:  

  • What is the purpose of the project?
  • What are the intended outcomes of the project?
  • What assessment method(s) will be used in the project? These methods might include end-of-program exams, electronic portfolios, surveys, focus groups, interviews, and/or other measures.
  • What data analysis approaches will be employed? Include clear information about quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches.
  • How has inclusion and equity* been considered in project implementation? Examples include attending to and leveraging the identities of the project stakeholders, considering disaggregated data to drive project design and decisions, using Universal Design Learning and other inclusive teaching pedagogies, using accessible instructional and assessment practices, etc. 
  • How will the project be evaluated and what dissemination methods will be used?
  • What are the intended uses of findings for program improvement?
  • Upload a Word document with list of references for the relevant literature used in preparing proposal.

Section 4: Budget and justification

Provide a simple budget how the grant money will be spent and a justification for the amount requested.

Section 5: Support Letter

Upload an accessible Word document of the support letter from a program/department chair or school dean who is able to endorse the project. 

*Resources: Definitions of inclusion and equity. You may view the Equity-Centeredness criteria in the Assessment Improvement rubric from James Madison University and two examples of previously funded DEI-focused PRAC grants (example 1, example 2) for ideas for this section.

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