10 Year Mini-Grant

ABE Ireland 10 Year Celebration - Funding Opportunity

Purpose
The purpose of the ABE Ireland 10 Year teacher mini-grant programme is to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ABE Ireland, while also supporting the efforts of ABE Ireland teachers in extending the biotechnology learning experiences they offer their students, and which can in turn, be shared with the broader ABE community.

Rationale
The ABE Programme Office, with support from the Amgen Foundation, has provided ongoing encouragement and support for the leadership, creative development, and academic endeavors of ABE teachers through the Master Teacher Fellows programme - an annual stipend where exceptional ABE teachers across the globe are recognised and provided with opportunities to develop their own expertise and contribute to the ABE community (awarded to ABE Ireland teacher Declan Cathcart in 2020). ABE teacher mini-grants are usually an extension of the Fellowship programme and are used in various ways to support specific projects of ABE Master Teacher Fellows who are interested in going beyond the existing ABE learning opportunities. 

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of ABE Ireland, a similar mini-grant call is being opened to all ABE Ireland teachers.For some teachers, a mini-grant may involve engaging students in inquiry-based investigations to determine the effects of changing the concentration or amount of a reagent while for others it may involve creating a new extension lab that builds on existing ABE labs. Some teachers may need to purchase equipment and consumables while others may needspecial books, software, or supplementary materials to achieve their project’s goals or implementation. Mini-grants may only be used for activities, resources, and/or materials that will benefit the ABE community, whether that is ABE Ireland or the global ABE community. 

Available Funding
The maximum award available is €5000.00 per project. Please note, applications that are approved may be awarded lessthan the amount requested, commensurate with the rationale of the budget provided. The number of awards made will depend on the total amount of funding available as well as the quality of the applications. 

Proposals
All applications should include the following: 

  • Abstract (maximum 100 words): Short description of the project to be shared publicly.
  • Project Proposal (maximum 500 words):
    • Title and description of the project
    • Goals and objectives of the project
    • How this project will help the ABE community (ABE Ireland or theglobal programme)
    • Timeline for completion of the project
  • Budget 
    • Itemized budget and rationale for how the award will be used.
    • Sustainability of project after end of grant (brief description of plan for continuation of work after funding period; any other funding opportunities that will be pursued).

Criteria
Any teacher participating in the ABE Ireland programme is eligible to apply. Grant proposals will be evaluated on any or all of the following areas, as relevant to the project described: 

  • impact of project on adult or student learning
  • impact of project on faculty learning
  • impact on increasing equity in STEM
  • contribution to ABE Ireland or the global ABE community
  • feasibility of project 
  • overall quality of proposal (including completeness and clarity of proposal) 
  • quality of budget rationale

Deadline
Emailed to abe-ireland@ucd.ie by Wednesday 4th September, 8pm
 

Review Process
The ABE Ireland team and the ABE Programme Office will evaluate the proposals and select those that are to be funded. 

Summary Report
Any work associated with the mini-grant must be completed within one calendar year of the award, unless the recipient seeks and is granted approval to continue the project longer. Each mini-grant recipient will be responsible for providing a brief summary report (200-250 words) of the outcomes of their project for inclusion in communications.