Workforce Success Initiative
The Workforce Success Initiative provides financial support for activities led by faculty and/or staff to improve workforce development opportunities for Regional Higher Education and the communities we serve.
Workforce Success Initiative Application
RHE WORKFORCE SUCCESS INITIATIVE
Revised on February 7, 2024
I. PURPOSE- The Office of the Executive Dean of Regional Higher Education seeks to enrich campuses and communities served through enhancing workforce development activity in southeast Ohio and surrounding geographic areas served by RHE. This funding opportunity will serve as the framework for the RHE Workforce Success Initiative with the intent to provide financial support for activities led by faculty and/or staff to improve workforce development opportunities for the RHE campus(es) and communities.
Funded projects will focus on positive impacts to the region’s workforce. This initiative will be competitively awarded based on the review and recommendations of the RHE Workforce Success Initiative Review Committee.
II. PROJECT ELIGIBILITY- Applications will be accepted from faculty or staff in good standing and employed by Ohio University for at least two (2) years. Exceptions may be requested by faculty or staff employed for less than two years and should include a letter of support from their direct supervisor or dean.
Applications shall seek support for projects focused on creating or enhancing workforce development opportunities which:
- are envisioned to produce measurable impact for the campus(es) and / or communities served;
- include one or more of the following approaches:
- research;
- scholarship;
- creative activities;
- career exploration activities for OHIO students, high school students, or students from feeder school districts in communities served; and/or
- student-focused efforts to impact improvements to the region’s workforce (such as stipends for student work experiences, internships, and similar activities.)
Applications shall be complete and include all required proposal elements to be considered. The Review Committee may decline to consider incomplete or late submissions.
III. ANTICIPATED AWARDS- The RHE Workforce Success Initiative will provide funding not to exceed $5,000 per award. There is no minimum request amount; however, applicants are urged to request only sufficient funding deemed necessary to support the size and scope of the proposed project.
Contingent upon available funds, it is anticipated that multiple projects will be funded each year of this initiative where resource needs are modest and in areas where opportunities for external funding are limited. If seeking the maximum request of $5,000, the applicant may indicate the request is for seed funding for the purpose of obtaining significant external funding. In this case, applicants are encouraged to identify a targeted external funding agency in their application. And, if funded by this Initiative, the applicant must agree to submit a proposal to the agency or similar funding opportunity within one year of project completion.
IV. REVIEW COMMITTEE- An application review committee will read, review, and score each application and make recommendations for award. This committee will be invited to serve by the Vice Provost for Regional Higher Education and shall include faculty and staff from across the institution as indicated:
- Three (3) members shall hold the rank of faculty, with two (2) in service to RHE
- Two (2) members shall be staff (classified or administrative)
- The review committee will be facilitated and led by Kim Addis.
V. FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS- All applications shall be formatted with 1” margins and twelve- point Arial font. All narrative sections must be double-spaced. For tables or graphs, ten-point Arial font and single-spacing are acceptable. The application shall not exceed the specified page limits for individual sections. There are no exceptions to these limits. Handwritten copy will not be reviewed.
VI. APPLICATION TIMELINE-
Application period opens | February 19, 2024 |
Microsoft Teams meeting for prospective applicants / Q&A about the RFP. Please feel free to Contact me on TEAMS at your conveniences if you cannot make the meeting. As noted below a summary will also be posted on the website. Registration is required to join meeting. | February 29, 2024 10 a.m. |
Summary of Q & A session posted to website | March 6, 2024 |
Application due via email | March 29, 2024 |
Evaluation of application process to applicants (Qualtrics link to be provided to applicants) | April 3 – 5, 2024 |
Applications reviewed / scored by committee | April 3 – May 2, 2024 |
Applicants notified of scores and funding decisions | May 5, 2024 |
Funded projects begin | June 1, 2024 |
For consideration for funding approval, eligible applicants must submit their applications in Microsoft Word format from an shipyardlawyer.com email account to: workforcesuccess@shipyardlawyer.com.
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Submitted applications may not exceed pages limits as indicated in this RFP. Applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of submission.
Applications deemed incomplete will not be scored.
VII. PROPOSAL COMPONENTS:
- Application Cover Page: (1 page, 0 points.) The application cover page shall include:
- Applicant name (s)
- Name of Project
- Campus and/or Center to be served by the proposed project
- County /counties to be served
- Targeted employment sector and type of proposed activity
- Amount of request (If seeking maximum funding, please indicate intent for prospective use of the funding for seed money for future project. Applicant shall indicate an external funding agency anticipated for future funding.
- Statement of Applicant Funding and Past Productivity: (not to exceed 2 pages, 2 points)
The Statement of Applicant Funding and Past Productivity is required of all applicants to inform the review committee of any grants from external funds or internal funds offered by any program, college, or department of OHIO University. Please do not exceed 250 words to describe:
- the results of previous grants from external and internal sources, if applicable
- any attempts to secure external funding.
This statement is required for all proposals. If there has not been any prior grant effort by the applicant, please indicate “N/A” in lieu of a full response. One statement is required per applicant. For projects that include co-applicants, co-principal investigators, this statement form must be completed for each.
- Project Narrative: (not to exceed ten (10) pages, total value 80 points)
The Project Narrative constitutes the principal basis for judging the merit of the proposed project. As the Review Committee is interdisciplinary in membership, applicants are expected to ensure that the narrative can be understood by a lay audience and should avoid using professional jargon. The narrative must include a clear and concise presentation of sections A-D below in the order indicated. Subheadings must be clearly labeled. (See below for the per section point value.)
A. Introduction and Background (value 10 points)
- Provide an overview of the proposed project, including a clear statement of the problem and the objectives of the proposed project;
- Describe the background of the project, including appropriate data sources or literature review;
- Justify the significance of the research or creative activity to the discipline.
B. Project Description (value 45 points)
- Describe the goals and objectives of the project, clearly identifying the targeted sector and intended workforce impact;
- Provide a detailed description of project activities and how the project aligns with the priorities of this RFP;
- Justify how the project’s design is appropriate to meet the project’s objectives.
C. Management Plan (value 15 points)
- Describe the experience and expertise of the applicant(s) and involvement of students, any co-researchers, and/or other RHE campuses, OHIO colleges, departments, or programs.
- Show the adequacy of the project's management, including available time, facilities, equipment, and other resources.
- Provide a simple timeline that details the scope and sequence of the project.
D. Utilization of Project Findings (value 10 points)
- Describe a plan for the dissemination of findings, through presentations at professional meetings, publications in scholarly journals, or the pursuit of external funding to expand and/or continue research in the research area.
VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY (not to exceed one page, value 5 points)
The bibliography is limited to one page of current and/or most relevant literature and may be single- or double-spaced.
IX. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH (not to exceed two pages per applicant / co-applicant, value 3 points)
The Biographical Sketch is required per applicant. For projects that include Co-PIs, two pages are permitted for each applicant.
X. DETAILED BUDGET AND NARRATIVE (with Guidelines): (not to exceed four (4) pages, value 10 points)
The requested budget should be presented in a simple table or spreadsheet and must include narrative description(s) of proposed costs. Costs may be requested only in the categories outlined below. Proposal budgets at or near the cap that do not include sufficient justification will receive additional scrutiny.
All project expenses covered with sources other than funds from this initiative should be clearly identified.
- The maximum budget request is $5,000.
- No more than 50% of the total budget request may be allocated to compensation or wages (including faculty/staff compensation and/or student wages.)
- The request should provide a breakdown of individual budget items. Applicants should show the total cost and cost per unit (e.g., cost x quantity = total, etc.) Without sufficient details, funding may be reduced.
- All budgetary items should be justified as to their relevance to the project. Without sufficient justification, items may be eliminated.
- Applicants are reminded that all equipment, reference materials, and supplies purchased with funds from this initiative remain property of Ohio University.
NOTE: Budget expenditures encumbered before applicant is awarded funding and an account is established will not be reimbursed.
Budget categories acceptable under this initiative include:
A. PERSONNEL: The role and task of any personnel on the project should be defined in the justification and/or the discussion section. This explanation is particularly important for graduate students employed on the project. Please Note: No more than 50 (fifty) percent of the total requested budget may be allocated to personnel, including student wages.
Faculty/Staff Compensation: Not to exceed 20 (twenty) percent of the total budget request of the application. If co-applicants, please delineate in the budget the percentage and dollar value intended in the budget for each co-applicant.
Student Wages: Funds may be requested for student employees up to the standard hourly rate. All hiring of student employees must be compliant with University policies governing student employment. Student hours and pay rates should be justified based on the nature of the work being done. Include the following information: hourly wage to be paid to the student and the number of hours to be worked; amount of semester stipend and percentage of effort (for graduate stipends); and the method for determining the hourly rate of pay. Extraordinary rates of pay will not be funded without a detailed justification. The Ohio minimum wage for 2024 is $10.45 per hour more details can be found at http://www.com.ohio.gov/laws/MinimumWageLaws.aspx.
Fringe Benefits: If faculty/staff compensation and/ or student wages are requested in the budget, current fringes rates shall be included in the request.
B. CONSUMABLE SUPPLIES: Enter dollar amount of requested funds by price and quantity. If the budget item is a common consumable supply generally available in most laboratories, offices, or studios, justify use of these funds to support the purchase.
C. EQUIPMENT: All major items of equipment, including computers, to be purchased with funds from this initiative should be listed with the estimated cost of each item and components of each item, as applicable. Because of limited funds available, requests for equipment should be made only after a conscientious search has been conducted to determine whether this equipment is already on campus and available through a loan or share arrangement. The duration of use or percentage of time used, project-based activities supported with the equipment, and inability to secure the equipment through other channels should be addressed in the narrative of the request. For computers, the specifications and capabilities must be stated and justified. Any equipment purchased with funds from the RHE Workforce Success Initiative is Ohio University property.
D. OTHER: Costs for transcription charges, photocopying charges, postage, purchase of essential publications, and fees paid to participants are eligible.
The following costs are ineligible for funding by this initiative:
Faculty release time | Travel expenses | Professional memberships |
Conference fees | Payments to non-OHIO consultants and collaborators | General purpose items not necessary for the specific project (laptops, general computer software, etc) |
For use to hire part-time or other employees, excluding student employees | Typing drafts, preparing camera ready copy, or preparation of graphs, tables, or illustrations | Equipment in excess of $5,000 |
XI. APPLICATION APPENDICES
Only the following items may be included as appendices and must be limited as specified. Appendices may not be used to circumvent the page limitation for the project narrative, and appendices will not be considered in scoring the project narrative during the review process. The Appendices file must be one single PDF attachment. Do not submit spreadsheets of data or other files that are not formatted for printing.
1. Appendix A: Data Collection Instruments (i.e., surveys) – All instruments to be used should be included without limitations on the number of pages.
2. Appendix B: Letters of Support (Optional, not to exceed 4 letters)
3. Appendix C: Equipment Quotation(s) (Optional, no page limit.)
4. Appendix D: Other relevant documents – (Optional, up to 5 pages of other documents deemed necessary by the applicant may be included.)
XII. Funding Timeline
The period of project funding shall be June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025
XIII. Project Reporting
All funded projects will provide brief narrative reports illustrating progress toward project objectives, project activities and other relevant milestones at follows:
- Period 1- To be provided by September 15, 2024.
- Period 2- To be provided by February 15, 2025.
- Period 3- To be provided by June 15, 2025.
XIV. Publications / Presentations
Funded applicants shall publish about their work in a scholarly or professional journal; and / or, will present project findings at a professional meeting or workforce development event. In all cases, the funded applicant must acknowledge that support for the research was made available in whole or in part by the RHE Workforce Success Initiative.
XV. Questions/Clarifications
- Current guidelines for this initiative will be posted on the website at: http://igyh.shipyardlawyer.com/regional/faculty-and-staff-resources
- Prospective applicants are invited to participate on Teams call: March 29 at 10 a.m.
Registration is required - Additionally, questions may be submitted in advance via email to: workforcesucccess@shipyardlawyer.com.
- A summary of Q&A session will be made available online at http://igyh.shipyardlawyer.com/regional/regional-campus-faculty-development-resources
2023-2024 Projects
Health Exploration and Training (HEAT) Camp
Pamela Sealover, MSN, RN, CNE; Christy Watson DNP, APRN, PNP; and Teresa Polen MSN, RN
Ohio University Zanesville
$3,769 Award
This healthcare exploration camp will outreach to children entering 7th, 8th, and 9th grades (during the 2023-2024 academic year) who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing or a related health field. The camp was so successful during the last round of funding that OUZ submitted another proposal. Health care is the number one employer in Muskingum County. Maintaining a strong nursing workforce is essential to the success of the community healthcare institutions.
Certificates and CEU Program: Focus on Recruitment and Retention
Pamela Kaylor, Ph.D.; Candice Thomas-Maddox, Ed.D.
Ohio University Lancaster
$4,482 Award
These faculty members were awarded an RHE Workforce Development grant last year to create a series of more organized, branded, and revitalized training programs. Funds from the grant supported the development of continuing education programs.
This new proposed project includes: 1.) a more focused non-credit certificate program for career attainment and retention for participants and 2.) seed money to launch the next phase of the Women’s Leadership Summit.
OHIO Valley Teachers RISE (Rally to Inspire and Shape Education)
Jacqueline Yahn, Jason Rawls, Kim Ciroli, Jennifer Kellner-Muscar
Ohio University Eastern
$4,680 Award
The proposed project, OHIO Valley Teachers RISE (Rally to Inspire and Shape Education), is designed to provide OHIO University outreach from the Eastern campus to Wheeling Park High School students participating in the Beyond Education program. This program focuses on introducing students--especially minority and first generation students—to the field of public education. The Beyond Education team works closely with high school faculty and staff to identify participants for the program that demonstrate natural leadership. This program is designed to remove or reduce spatial inequality barriers, such as access to resources, services, and educational opportunity, that limit entry into the education career field.
Professional Support Systems in Education
Amy Wolfe, Ph.D.; Karen Corcoran, MS
Ohio University Chillicothe
$1,917 Award
This project focused on the education sector and aimed to establish an education professional organization and an advisory committee for Education programs at OU Chillicothe. The project's overall goal is to increase recruitment and retention in the field of education. Our speaker series will be promoted to regional teacher candidates, practicing teachers and administrators, and high school students interested in pursuing education majors.
2021-2022 Projects
Health Exploration and Training (HEAT) Camp
Pamela Sealover, MSN, RN, CNE; Christy Vickers, DNP, APRN, PNP; and Teresa Polen, MSN, RN
Ohio University Zanesville
$3,453.72 Award
The Health Care Exploration and Training (HEAT) camp is a three-day camp experience that allows middle school students the opportunity to explore the nursing profession and related careers in the health field. Equipped with stethoscopes, thermometers, and blood pressure cuffs, participants will learn how to use these tools to complete various nursing skills. Participants will also be able to engage with nursing faculty to learn more about the profession and to discover what to do to prepare for a health care career. On the final day of camp, students will tour a local hospital where they will see the information and the skills they have learned being applied in a health care setting.
Teacher Education Test Preparation and Support
Amy Wolfe, Ph.D.; Karen Corcoran, M.S.; Martha Evans, Ed.D.; and Trey Speakman, student
Ohio University Chillicothe
$4,900.00 Award
This biannual test preparation process was developed to benefit education students when taking the Ohio Department of Education certification test and the edTPA. In addition to increasing the first-time pass rate for students taking the certification exams, program goals include increasing candidate academic self-efficacy through test preparation and relationships, decreasing test anxiety and providing support for educators as they become new teachers. An added benefit to students participating in this program is access to a subscription-based test preparation program to practice digital test-taking similar to the format of OAE with the assurance that study guides are current with updated or modified tests.
STREAM Camp for Professional Educators, Grades 3-5
Teri M. Peasley and Theresa Paterra
Ohio University Zanesville
$4,286.57 Award
The STREAM camp provides a unique professional development opportunity for elementary grade teachers by engaging them in training followed by an opportunity to apply what they have learned with students. During this two-week camp, teachers will develop and deliver curriculum that engages the interest of 3rd-5th grade students in STREAM content (science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and mathematics) while preparing the students for middle and high school and positioning them for success in adulthood.
Nursing Career Exploration Day
Matthew J. Fox
Ohio University Eastern
$3,695.12 Award
The goal of this project is to expose high school students to the nursing profession and to highlight the nursing program offered on the Ohio University Eastern campus. Nursing Career Exploration Day will provide an opportunity for participants to experience the nursing profession and to discover program degree requirements while on campus through interaction with faculty, guest speakers, nurse recruiters and student services staff. Participants will visit the nursing laboratory and will become familiar with high-fidelity simulators.
Lifelong Learning Non-Credit Certificate Program
Pamela Kaylor, Ph.D., Debra Dunning, Ph. D. and Lisa Skeens, Ph.D.
Ohio University Lancaster
$5,233.45 Award
This project focuses on enhancing and expanding workforce development opportunities to targeted employment sectors through creative activities, career exploration, student-focused efforts, and measuring future suggestions for development. A goal of this project is partner with outside agencies to offer various non-credit certificate opportunities to nurses and social workers at the 2023 Celebrate Women conference.
2020-2021 Projects
Women in Technology and Science (WITS) Day
Pamela Kaylor, Ph.D. and Jacqueline Tudor, Ph.D.
Ohio University Lancaster
$5,000 Award
The WITS Day program targets the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics employment sector and seeks to engage students in grades 6 – 12 in a one-day, hands-on program lead by female STEM professionals.
Rural Teacher Fellowship
Jacqueline Yahn, Ed.D.
Ohio University Eastern
$5,000 Award
This fellowship is designed for early-career teachers employed in rural school districts located within the service regions of OHIO’s five regional campuses who are interested in implementing community and career connected learning in their classrooms and school districts. Fellows will be paired with a mentor (also from a rural school) with extensive experience in this form of teaching and learning. The pilot year of the fellowship will take place in the Eastern campus service area and be conducted in partnership with Building Bridges to Careers who will assist in matching fellows with mentors. Mentors will be recruited from the Building Bridges to Careers’ network of teacher liaisons and partnered with fellows to guide the fellow in their identified focus areas of community and career connected learning.
Southern Ohio Public Safety Workforce Development Training
Dr. James R. McKean
Ohio University Chillicothe
$4,150 Award
Against this landscape of deteriorating confidence in our nations’ public safety organizations, the goal of this project seeks to initiate a model of public safety workforce development training utilizing available instructional resources from Ohio University Chillicothe to meet the needs of local law enforcement officers in our service region.
Health Services College and Career Fair
Diann Nickerson, Lisa Jeffries, and Jay Morris
Ohio University Eastern
$2,326 Award
Ohio University Eastern plans to host 500 high school students from six counties at the Health Sciences College and Career Fair. The event’s objectives are to enhance prospective student awareness of health care programs of study on the OHIO Eastern Campus, provide information about the importance of internships for students’ educational experience as well as to fuel growth for workforce development, and developing a pipeline for the local health care workforce to tap into for internships, networking, and potential employees.
Telework 101: A Virtual Course on How to Thrive Remotely
Eric Doyle Brown
Ohio University Southern
$1,000 Award
This project seeks to introduce workers and community members to the fundamentals of working remotely. Throughout this virtual course, participants will establish a positive relationship with technology and telework literacy while also developing self- reliance and critical thinking skills. Overall, the course is designed for those individuals who have struggled to maintain their productivity, creativity, and personal times as they continue to work away from a traditional office setting. Participants will meet on a variety of online platforms, including but not limited to ZOOM, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
OAE Teacher Certification Testing Preparation
Dr. Martha Evans
Ohio University Southern
$3,750 Award
This workshop was developed to benefit education students when taking the Ohio Department of Education certification test. Goals for this project include increasing the first-time pass rate for seniors taking the certification exam, decreasing test anxiety and providing support for future educators as they become new teachers.