Assessment Mini Grants

What are Mini-Grants?

SMSU has established assessment mini-grants in order to facilitate success in assessment activities at all levels across campus. Academic areas (e.g., programs and departments) as well as non-academic areas (e.g., student affairs and student-life) should be engaged in the assessment of student learning outcomes associated with the Liberal Education Program (LEP), academic programs, and non-academic learning experiences. The Committee for Institutional Assessment (CIA) encourages applications for mini-grants to offset the cost of these assessment activities and to encourage progression through the four levels of assessment.

• Level One:  Identify and define student learning outcomes
• Level Two: Determine assessment measures, assessment plans, and evidence collection processes
• Level Three:  Analyze collected data or evidence using previously defined assessment measures
• Level Four:  Use analyzed data or evidence to support sustained success or implement practices for continuous improvement

Requested funds may be used for the following items: food, printing costs, reference material, copy paper, assessment instrument purchase or development, student help, and so forth. Grants will be awarded three times during the academic year. Please see application deadlines listed below.

All grant recipients are expected to forward a summary of work or product resulting from the grant to the CIA via the Assessment Coordinator.

Funding Criteria:

• Grant applications are limited to one per program or non-academic unit per fiscal year.
• Priority will be given to programs/units not previously funded.
• Mini-grants are maximum awards of $200.
• Grant funds must be expended or services received by June 30 of the fiscal year. There will be no carryover of funds into the next fiscal year. Unencumbered funds will be returned to the general CIA account.
• Grant recipients must submit a final report to the CIA by June 1st to allow its inclusion in the Department’s Annual Report.

• Retroactive requests for activities completed prior to the announced period covered will be considered for funding, but only if such a proposal is submitted during the first application round following the activity and is within the same fiscal year.

Applying for Mini-Grants

Applications are ongoing during regularly scheduled CIA meetings.

Apply: Mini-Grant Application

Assessment Mini Grant Awards: Summary of awards

Final Report Template: Report Template

Contact Information

Kristin A. Kovar, PhD
Southwest Minnesota State University
1501 State Street * Marshall, MN 56258
Phone: (507) 537-6441
Email: kristin.kovar@smsu.edu