Call for Research Proposals

The Reading Recovery Council of North America (RRCNA) announces the availability of research grants.

Objective
The objective of RRCNA grants is to promote research on Reading Recovery and related research aligned with the RRCNA and the North American Reading Recovery Trainers Group (NATG) missions, purposes, and strategic plans including:

• New research on the impact of Reading Recovery or Descubriendo la Lectura (RR/DLL).
• Well-designed pilot studies of aspects of RR/DLL or innovations on Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals to assess impact on children's learning, teaching, implementation, cost-effectiveness, innovation and re-design, and professional development.

Eligibility
Reading Recovery trainers, teacher leaders, teachers and site coordinators are eligible for RRCNA grants. Qualified educational researchers in universities and school districts are also eligible. Applicants must describe procedures for human subjects approval at their institutions. Proposals related to the national data base must follow National Data Evaluation Center guidelines.

RRCNA grants are typically one year in length. Multiple-year grants may be awarded depending on the scope of the project. The funding cycle begins July 1 and runs through June 30 of the following year.

Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be judged on research design, overall quality and cohesiveness, potential for contributing to new knowledge, RRCNA and NATG research objectives, and National Data Evaluation Center guidelines.

Reporting Requirements
Recipients of awards are expected to report the results of the work supported by RRCNA to the RRCNA Board of Directors and Chair of the Research Committee. This includes an interim research report, final research report and final fiscal report.

RRCNA shall be free to provide selective dissemination of any completed project reports and the author(s) shall be given full credit. In order to disseminate research about Reading Recovery to the wider education community, it is expected that the author(s) will submit a manuscript to juried journals in education within 12 months of completion of the project. Any such publication shall be submitted to the Chair of the Research Committee within two months of publication.

Award Amount

• $3,000 to $5,000 for most grants, but larger grants will be considered
• 50% awarded upon project start-up and documentation of human subjects approval
• 30% awarded after January interim project review
• 20% awarded upon submission of Final Project Report
• For grants of $5,000 or less, no funds may be allocated for indirect costs. For grants larger than $5,000, indirect cost must be limited to 10% or less.

Grant Cycle

Proposals emailed (PDF or Word) - January 7
Award notifications mailed - June 30
Two-page Interim Report Due - January 5
Draft research report due - June 1
Final research report due - October 1
Final fiscal report due - October 1

Multiple year grants may also be awarded.  

Application Format for RRCNA Grants

Narrative
Limited to a maximum of three (3) single-spaced typed pages.

1. In words understandable to the non-specialist, describe the nature and significance of the project as it relates to the stated missions and research objectives. State whether this is a continuation or a new project. If a continuation, briefly explain previous work and funding.
2. In sufficient detail for reviewers to understand the general activities of the project, describe the approaches and methods proposed to meet project goals and include a timetable.
3. Describe the expected project outcome including publication, subsequent funding, and the impact on Reading Recovery.
4. Include figures when applicable and number all pages.

Please be aware that you may consult with a university trainer in developing your proposal.

Budget
Applicant must submit a one (1) page detailed budget, on a separate page, outlining the use and justification for the items listed.

Curriculum Vitae
Submit a two (2) page curriculum vitae each for the Principal Investigator(s) and all key personnel named within the proposal. The curriculum vitae should describe the education, skills, and experience of the investigator or project team, emphasizing what is relevant to the proposed project. Include a list of pertinent publications.

Partnership Client Agreement
If you are proposing to do research in a school, attach a letter from the principal or teacher leader in charge of the site stating that the proposed research matches its priorities and has been mutually agreed upon by the Partnership Client Organization and Principal Investigator(s).

Deadline
Email proposal in PDF or Word format by January 7, 2008, to Jady Johnson, RRCNA Executive Director at jjohnson@readingrecovery.org.