Cleveland State University Spring 2000
Levin College of Urban Affairs Saturdays 9 am-5 pm
Department of Urban Studies

Class Dates: January 22, February 5, 19, 26
March 4, 18, April 1, 8, 2000
Place: Urban Affairs Building, Room 22
1737 Euclid Avenue
Instructor: Monika K. Moss, Adjunct Faculty

This course will focus on the elements and processes of program planning, proposal writing and program evaluation.. The rational for this course is the organizational concern for planning, funding, and accountability. Urban planners, public and nonprofit administrators are expected to identify and solve problems and to think and act strategically. In addition, planners and managers must possess the skills necessary to obtain funding and to determine the impact of a particular program and/or policy. Students will gain experience and skills through the development and writing of a proposal.

By the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the program planning process
• Develop a project/program plan
• Understand and apply research principles and methods to needs assessment and program evaluation
• Design a program evaluation
• Relate major trends and issues in public and nonprofit funding to the allocation decisions of government, corporate and foundation donors
• Identify and understand key components and practical steps for proposal preparation
• Demonstrate the skills to research, plan and write a proposal
• Demonstrate familiarity with social, political and institutional change in the urban environment

This course will be taught in a seminar format. Class sessions will consist of assigned readings, lectures, guest presentations and group exercises.

Students are expected to attend class and participate in class discussions and exercises.

Grades will be assigned on the basis of the following percentages:

Students should refer to the CSU bulletin for procedures for drop-add, withdrawal, S/U grading and incomplete.

The following assigned text and manual have been ordered and are available through the Cleveland State University Bookstore. Supplemental handouts will be distributed in class.

Hall, Mary, Getting Funded: A Complete Guide to Proposal Writing

Kiritz, Norton, Program Planning and Proposal Writing

I. Orientation, Overview of Fund Raising & Philanthropic Trends
Date: Jan. 22, 2000
The Proposal: The Introduction/History & Accomplishment
Assignment: Decide on Organization for future assignments and final proposal project
Reading: Getting Funded - Chapter 1-3 and Chapter 5

II. Organizational & Program Planning
Date: Feb. 5, 2000
The Proposal: Goals, Objective, Program Description
Speaker: Sheila Ferguson
Assignment: Develop a program plan
Reading: Getting Funded - Chapter 6, 7

III. Program Development: Our Environment, Needs Assessment, Methodology, Evaluation & Quality Assurance
Date: Feb. 19, 2000
The Proposal: Problem Statement, Evaluation Plan
Speaker: Francis Mills
Assignment: Development of Program Evaluation Plan
Reading: Getting Funded - Chapter 8-10

IV. Fundraising Planning & Prospect Research
Date: Feb. 26, 2000
The Proposal: Goals, Objective, Program Description Revisited
Assignment List of 6-8 Potential Funders with prospect rational
Reading: Getting Funded: Chapter 4, 11

V. Asking for Money in Person - Meeting with Funders
Date: Mar. 4, 2000
The Proposal: Methods, Implementation Plans
Speaker: Goldie Alvis, The Cleveland Foundation
Assignment: Begin costing out process for the budget
Reading: Getting Funded - Chapter 14

VI. Budgeting & Pulling All the Pieces Together
Date: Mar. 19, 2000
The Proposal: Budgeting, Executive Summary
Assignment: Complete Budget
Reading: Getting Funded - Chapter 13

VII. Evaluating the Proposal
Date: Apr. 1, 2000

VIII. The Grants Panel - Evaluating the Proposal
Date: Apr. 8, 2000
This class will be conducted as a mock grants panel using student proposals as the basis for the discussion.

Final Exam
May 6th, 2000