{"id":10667,"date":"2022-01-05T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virginiawestern.edu\/grants\/?p=10667&preview=true&preview_id=10667"},"modified":"2021-10-01T10:05:45","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T14:05:45","slug":"innovation-grant-lab-series-what-does-success-look-like-january","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virginiawestern.edu\/grants\/2022\/01\/innovation-grant-lab-series-what-does-success-look-like-january\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovation Grant Lab series: What does success look like? (January)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Image by Pixabay<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hello, and Happy New Year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have followed our asynchronous workshop series, How to Design a Successful Innovation Grant<\/strong>, from the beginning — and have completed most of the “homework” — then this means you have trekked the most difficult part of the journey! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It gets easier from here, I promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The series began in September, and it will end in March 2022, the same month Innovation Grant proposals are due to the Virginia Western Educational Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hopefully this approach will help you slowly explore your ideas — on your own time, at your convenience — as you continue to juggle your regular to-do list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re just now joining us, it’s OK! You still have plenty of time to catch up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s review some of our Lab Lessons<\/strong> so far, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1:<\/strong> Grant proposals are not time wasted … even if you FAIL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2:<\/strong> Know the rules of the game<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3<\/strong>: Focus on NEEDS first, solutions second<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4: Begin with the budget<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#5<\/strong> Relationships are the secret sauce<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lab Lesson #6<\/strong> is what inspired this series: Baby steps work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Haven’t they already? If you have been diligently completing each step of the series since last fall — and you’re still here! — then point proven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let’s go to the next baby step, which will ease you into 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I want you pick a day in January when you know you will have a block of free time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And on that day, I want you to set an appointment for one hour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is going to be the time you write the first draft of the application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just one hour, no big whoop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And well before you reach that 1-hour appointment on your calendar, I want you to make sure you have the most recent Innovation Grant application, which is usually released by the Educational Foundation before January in-service. If it hasn’t been shared in the weekly Bulletin, then I would reach out directly to Carolyn Payne<\/a> to be 100% sure you have the right version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you start your 1-hour draft session, I want you note the first direction on the application: Complete this form in Word<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So go ahead and create your draft application in Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, focus on the Project Title<\/strong>. Often this becomes an afterthought, but it would be a good time to draft some strong contenders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is when I would ask yourself: What does success look like?<\/strong> What does success feel like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Really sit with that question and envision the best possible outcomes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could you see it on a postcard from the future? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or play it in your head like a movie?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vividly imagining your success is going to help you address the other segments in the application, most notably the:<\/p>\n\n\n\n