Week 12: Grant Writing in Reverse!

My time recently has been spent furthering my writing preparation and cultivating industry relationships; including budget research to be presented in a teleconference next week with the NPF's Communication and Financial Directors. All verbal indications are that this is going forward with the sponsor to be named later (May/June 2010).

Additionally, I tried to comment on most of your blogs last weekend. There were a number of great ideas, ideas that are truly going to impact and help many people (and animals)!

I have also been experimenting with Camtasia for Mac and am considering a video presentation to show to potential corporate sponsors for Packet #2.

Thanks for all of your suggestions, ideas, and support!

RB

Week 11: Progress!

As promised, I have completed a total rewrite for all of my blog postings through Week 8. Week 9's Gantt Chart will stay the same.

My contact at the NPF was excited to report that mobile apps were recently discussed at their National Meeting. She feels that my proposal in on target and strongly feels that we will be able to start my project this summer, pending medical/legal review. Therefore, my first packet will go toward a traditional government proposal contest, while my second will incorporate a more detailed budget and business-like model to facilitate corporate requests/submisssions.

We've already started to plan personnel appointments, meeting schedules, and app construction timelines. Our efforts to prevent "too many cooks in the kitchen" will allow for the following:

1-Leader, Grant Writer, and Translator (Me)

1-M.D. (Dermatologist)

1-PhD. (T.C.)

1-SDK/Computer Programmer

1-Pharmaceutical Corporate Representative

1-NPF Representative

A total of six professionals will participate in the design process. I will keep you posted!

RB

Week 10: Spring Break

While restful for some, I used the extra time to revise and catch up on my grants and proposal project. My contact and I were able to do some more brainstorming and early planning. Additionally, I was able to finish the rewrites for all of my past blog postings to reflect my new project. I also completed the Moo 3-10-10 transcript.

Moo 03-10-10

Many of us will be using Spring Break to revise, rethink, and rework various aspects of our projects. Some of the main talking points were:

1. Who benefits from evaluations the most?

-sponsors

-the grant writer(s)

-the organization (submitting the proposal)

-target audiences

-future grant proposals (old ones are the basis for new ones per Rich)

2. "evaluation is rhetorical"-Rich

3. formative (w/information and details) vs. summative (summarizes effectiveness) evaluation plans

4. implementation of Gantt Charts- to record, evaluate, and manage project progression and established expectations

5. Bea pointed out, "two sets of measurements"-

a.) getting funded and b.) implementing the project

6. evaluations have both monetary and time-consuming costs involved

7. Brett recommends a formative evaluation method with G.O.T (goals/objectives/tasks)

8. Rich agreed with G.O.T. and likened the "genre" to the basic grant writing process (i.e. problem--->solution--->funder's role in solution)

9. data reporting/data dissemination should be included in the 'evaluation process' and in the 'budget'; thus demonstrating that we, the writers, have "thought it through'

10. goals/objectives must be revised and measurable so that data can be measured, collected, and analyzed

11. sustainability (p.280) is important because:

-shows seriousness

-shows project can continue when their (funder's) money runs out

-plans for and keeps project momentum

12. sustainability- Which project can take the money the furthest?

(i.e. The most bang for your buck)

13. types of sustainability:

-financial

-managerial

-technical

-environmental

-social

14. B.I.O.R.- if you have style/typographical differences with participants and want to push the issue, then BIOR!

(Blame It On Rich) :)

15. our nation, on average, hates large blocks of uninterrupted words

16. Rich said, "just remember how cool I am on evaluations"

17. Spring Break jumped out of no where and started early!

Week 9, 2nd Attempt!

Week 9: Gantt Chart

Please forgive the smaller size. I will figure out an adjustment and repost!

Week 8: Overall Writing Progress

As previously discussed, my logistical delays with the TxDLA manifested itself with corresponding setbacks in my writing progress; however, it did not delay some of the valuable lessons I was able to learn. In the interest of gaining experience, and to better organize this beginner's first proposal writing attempts, I spent extra time this week reconnecting with my contacts at the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). For better or worse, they do not have a grant writer and do not write very many grants; therefore, they have appreciative of my help and have placed very few restrictions on my efforts.

I have chosen to continue to work at rewriting my past blog assignments. I have found the new focus, or rather a focus at all, to be both comforting and inspiring. Please find a new summary of the problem that I wish to address. While working with the NPF, I will concentrate on the medical specialty of Dermatology for obvious reasons; however, the successful completion and implementation of such a project can have far-reaching implications for many medical specialties in the future.

New Problem Statement (Week 1):

There is a discrepancy between the access to healthcare that is experienced by rural Americans and their urban-based cohorts. Both anecdotal and empirical research studies support such an analysis. While the short falls encompass several aspects, each with their own deficiencies; I would like to work on the limited access to specialty-based medical treatment (e.g. Dermatology, Urology, etc.) that some rural residents must face. Attracting, or retaining, healthcare providers, especially those practicing specialty-based medicine is difficult, costly, and often based on perceived geographical or cultural drawbacks associated with rural living.

Therefore, I wish to proceed in a different direction and wish to bring specialty-based information and treatment algorithms to the general practitioners already established in America's rural areas. The pilot project, or treatment algorithms, will focus in the treatment of psoriasis. While advanced therapeutic modalities in the treatment of patients with psoriasis can be difficult; most of the lower and moderately aggressive treatment agents can easily be implemented and monitored by knowledgeable primary care personnel, thus removing some of the economic and transportation problems keeping rural patients from urban-based specialty medical care. I would like to work with the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) since they are the premier catalyst for education, improvements, change, and research in the ever-changing field of psoriasis care. Their mission is "to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy, and education".

Week 7: A Reenergized Direction

I began this project hoping to build a web-based medical database specifically designed for mobile accessibility in an effort to assist rural healthcare providers, who commonly have less access to fewer educational resources, to stay abreast of recent medical research and clinical studies. On behalf of the Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA) I was planning to write a proposal for submission to the USDA's Telemedicine Grant Program. The anecdotal research and official USDA RFP guidelines offered a more lenient criteria than other award contests and offered close to $35 million in telemedicine grants last year. In an attempt to make this into a real-world project, we were to secure a group for whom we would write and submit our work. Logistical delays, as described previously, did not allow for a partnership with the TxDLA.

Through the on-line MOO teachings, textbook readings, and class discussions; I realized that the grandure of my project’s scope was too large for one person and needed to be scaled down or adjusted for a student’s first writing project. Additionally, the in-class teachings seemed somewhat constricted without real-world problems, organizations, or solution-oriented possibilities to augment the didactic reading.

In week five (5) I readjusted my project and during the latter part of last week, I found an organization to write for: The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). The late changes in both my organization and my project have offered me a chance to refocus, but I feel this small set back has been a small price to pay for the lessons learned. The next several days will include strengthening my rapport with and knowledge of the NPF. Additionally, I have elected to re-write all of my blog posts to reflect my newly energized campaign.

To review my new project: Click Here (Week 5)

Week 6: If At First You Don't Succeed....

If at first you don't succeed ....

Completing this week’s blog post came with much difficulty because of logistical delays and not because of a lack of effort. As per Mikelonis et al, a letter of intent should offer a “ succinct” description of the problem at hand, your solution to the problem, and a clever “sell” of yourself and your organization. “This is not the time for false modesty!,” the authors bluntly proclaim, (Grant Seeking, p.142).

However, matching a cause, describing one's qualifications, the interests of sponsor, and the goals of an organization are less feasible when one does not have an organization committed to his participation. The intended organization, the Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA), has experienced a recent re-election, the take over of a new President, and historical weather delays with recent snow and power outages. Therefore, I have been unable to secure a position with them.

I am currently in the process of seeking an alternative organization to write for. I will keep you posted.

Week 5: A Map to Stardom

After our last meeting and some reflection, I have concluded that my previous proposal idea was too grand in its scope and thus may have adversely affected my ability to be taken seriously by potential collaborating organizations or potential sponsors.

My new direction is centered around developing basic medical specialty applications (apps), which would facilitate a basic understanding of specialty-based medical care by rural-based clinicians. This basic digital assistance would allow a higher quality of health care to reach many rural Americans that can't otherwise reach the big city specialists. Perhaps specialty care delivered by general practitioners is better than no care at all?

While beginning this project's proposal writing process, I will simultaneously secure an organization that will accept me as an advocate. I will write the proposal in accordance with the class schedule. In the event that I am am to pry some money out of the USDA's Telemedicine Grant Program, I feel confident that the following timeline is feasible:

a.) 1 month to arrange a few industry thought-leaders

b.) 2 months to gather data and compose a medical algorithm for psoriasis

c.) 1 month to develop app template and data (iphone & Blackberry based)

d.) 1 month to secure freelance SDK software programmer and start work

e.) 1 month to build app which is content rich, not technically complex

f.) 1 month beta testing and legal review

g.) 1 hour to call Steve Jobs & tell him that I need an iPad for the project :)

g.) LAUNCH!

Week 4: Thesis Statement

Mission/Thesis Statement

“We believe in developing and implementing web-based medical databases and video-conferencing portals that are accessible via mobile technologies (i.e. netbooks) that will link rural primary healthcare providers with urban specialists and facilities in an effort to enhance the currently decreasing quality of healthcare offered to Rural America.”

Evidence for the Naysayers

Many may choose to refute the above claims and the implied problems with rural healthcare; but the anecdotal evidence, the empirical research findings, and my personal experience have all validated similar conclusions: rural patients have a decreased access to quality healthcare. Internet-based technologies have already and will continue to bridge the discrepancies between rural and urban healthcare resources.

For example, a rural clinician that requests a second opinion from a urologist would have the ability to meet that urologist on the Internet instead of making the patient drive three hours to the nearest urban-based medical facility.

Below are just two sources, from a plethora available, that support the need for enhanced access to healthcare resources, knowledge, and specialty expertise by rural clinicians and patients. The first citation documents one of the many examples of such need and the second offers evidence to the benefits afforded through the implementation of mobile technology and video-conferencing.

Nebraska Urban and Rural Populations, 1990 Census Report

Kvedar, J., Menn, E., and Loughlin, K. "Technologic Advances in Urology: Implications for the Twenty-First Century." Urologic Clinics of North America, Feb. 1998: 25(1).

For Boot

I found this link during my searches. In the center of the page is a PDF link for 2008's education grants, I'm sure that 2009 and 2010 are similar.

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gtep/index.html

Hope it helps!

R.B.

Feeling Better (Shawna's post)

Shawna,

I wish that I had more information to offer to you regarding the search for an organization to write for but I'm in the same boat. I was able to do a simple Google search with "non profit ___________ (topic)" in the search engine and surprisingly found a lot of information in a short time. I was also able to type "non profit (topic) texas" and found some excellent resources. I'm sure you already did this but I wanted to let you know that most of us are still looking for an organization too!

Best of Luck,

R.B.

Week 3: My Pet Peeve Is That Mac Users Are Forgotten

As part of this week's required post, I have chosen to discuss the duct-tape and bubble gum that we Mac users need to piece together small presentations that are cross compatible with a PC, presentation software like Adobe Presenter and Camtasia (both for PC only) can perform such tasks with fewer steps. The world is not going to switch to Mac anytime soon and the Adobe folks have been dragging their feet during the development of Presenter for Mac (Beta edition). So for my downtrodden, creative Macheads, here's a quick preview of how to make a PPT video with voiceover that the whole computer world can enjoy!

1. Complete a PPT slide deck in PPT for Mac

2. Open Garageband, create a "new project", and open a "basic track".

3. Erase the default "grand piano" track.

4. In PPT, go to "slideshow" and then "record narration."

5. Select "sound input", then "external microphone", then check "link narration"

6. Both PPT and GB are now open and prepped.

7. Quickly hit "record" on GB immediately followed by "record" in PPT.

8. Verbally narrate your project & advance each slide with the keyboard's right arrow.

9. Allow PPT to run on the last slide for an extra 8-10 seconds before stopping it.

10. Send your GB track to iTunes and convert to mp3 format.

11. Save PPT with"save as..."---> "format:movie (.mov)--->"options: background soundtrack"--->select the chosen track from iTunes---> press "ok".

12. Press "save" in PPT.

13. Close PPT and GB.

14. Wait 1-2 minutes and test your work.

Hope this helps someone!

R.B.

MOO Highlights This Week!

Just the Highlights: Tips and Tricks from Our Last GP-MOO Class (01-20-2010)

Highlights from our last MOO discussion included, but were not limited to, the following:

Heather got a new computer.

Brett’s computer was acting funny and he was unable to access Dr. Rice’s class page.

Monica, Brett, Boot, and others seem to be dialed-in, while Bea struggled with online information and resources and I was a “ship without a port.”

Local foundation centers are excellent sources to find organizations in need and various funding sources.

Monica is working to help Lanky and other exotic big cats in need. Some of the big cat conundrums while in rescue centers include issues of safety, staff training, insurance, and neutering.

If a problem is too large then break into “digestible chunks,” advised Brett.

Basic Proposal Writing Formula: Give us X, which helps Y, which prevents Z.

Instrumental Purpose: the professional term used for “getting the money,” (Marc), but Heather reminded us that allocations can include “equipment, etc.”

Need Statement: the introduction to a proposal that includes; 1.) a concise description of the problem, 2.) a proposed solution, and 3.) a suggestion on how the funder can assist.

Thesis: “an opinion presented as a fact that needs evidence to support it,” (R. Rice).

Pathos: emotional appeal

Logos: rational appeal

Ethos: appeal to character and credibility

GP’s can be political and it is the wise writer who researches the sponsor(s) before completing the proposal. I thought this sounded “covert” (LOL!) but was reminded that it’s just “rhetoric.” (Still laughing!)

Game and genre are interchangeable.

Use actual concepts from a sponsors mission statement in the proposal.

We explored the ethical quagmire of whether or not we should disclose the involvement of additional sponsors when writing proposals. Despite not reaching a clear consensus, I think we impressed our professor!!!!!

We discussed Bea’s blog and her grant ideas and concluded that “pathos” should be emphasized and Bea was a step ahead having already thought to bring a local PNG resident to her next meeting. However, this meeting may not come in time and Bea continues to race the clock because unless quicker action is taken, her cause may “miss the boat.”

I shared next and received some excellent advice. This newbie needs to focus on documenting sources, offering a better description of fund utilization, and ambiguity in writing. Thanks everyone, I appreciate the guidance!

We finished by offering ideas for the following week’s blog assignment.

See y’all next week!

R.B.

Week 2: Need Statement

Dear Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack:

My name is Dr. R. M. VonMatterhorn and I represent the Society of Rural Health (SRH), a 501 (c)3 non-profit group dedicated to the improvement of educational healthcare resources in the rural communities. Please find our recent grant proposal enclosed with this letter.

While the healthcare crisis is troubling to small town citizens and big city dwellers alike, we can agree that finding quality healthcare and primary care medical services in New York or Los Angeles is easier than in Frenchtown, Montana. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agrees and noted in recent postings that rural residents tend to be in "poorer health" with fewer medical and healthcare-related resources. Generally accepted theories for such discrepancies include hospital closures, underdeveloped insurance coverage, and a shrinking supply of medical personnel. As a result, clinicians and rural medical facilities may have limited access to computers and, ultimately, new research data. This technological shortfall often translates into decreased CME activities, medical library resources, and up-to-date research outcomes.

One rational solution is to develop medical educational resources and databases that are specifically designed for the smaller screens of cellular phones, PDA Smart-phones, and net-books; which will inevitably level the intellectual playing field among healthcare workers. Ironically, despite limited funding for technology in some of these centers, most clinicians, and the general population for that matter, possess web-browsing cellular technology. In fact, as of late 2008 over 4 billion cell phone subscribers worldwide had collaboratively formed a virtually interconnected world. The widespread adoption of mobile technologies throughout all locational demographics is best illustrated in the 39% annual growth rate of cellular phone integration in Africa between 2005-2007. Hence, a modicum of hard-work and a minimal amount of funding could assist America's hardworking rural healthcare workers in caring for this country's rural patient population which traditionally consists of a larger elderly cohort.

The aforementioned solution is two-fold and consists of:

1.) developing a medical database that is maintained by volunteer urban-based resident physicians and

2.) posting the information, data, and medical studies to the Internet in a condensed mobile format that is easily accessible and implementable among technologically challenged rural facilities.

The SRH has already contacted, screened, and organized 52 resident physicians from 15 university-based urban medical centers and 4 computer science graduate students who have already committed to participating in this mission. Your approval, participation, and release of $250,000 of the USDA's Rural Development's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program will help to improve the healthcare information utilized in the treatment of America's rural population.

Sincerely,

Dr. R. M. VonMatterhorn

{The SRH and Dr. VonMatterhorn are fictional; however, the remaining data and need are real.}

Blog Review: Mark

Mark's theme of connecting both grants within the same industry is inspired and will most likely significantly decrease the overall research involved as the presentations are likely to overlap. I look forward to learning more from Mark.

R.B.

Blog Review: Amanda

Amanda's plan and overall cause is excellent and, of course, I enjoyed the animal participation angle. On a side note, dogs are amazing and can even sniff out various forms of fungus and bacteria on grape vines; hence, some Napa vineyards now have dogs on staff (true story!).

I like the desire to reform our ailing healthcare system, but am justly skeptical that political backdoor deals will be traded for our well-being. Unfortunately, insurance company "triage" is already deciding what will be covered and for whom. I hope that Amanda, Angel Service Dogs, and all of the devoted volunteers can gain a foothold early and bring true change!

Best Wishes,

R. Brandt

Thanks Bea!

Thanks Bea for the tip regarding blog browsing from a central location! Obviously, it works!

R.B.

Changing With Technology!

My interests are deeply rooted in the current conversion of our healthcare system's antiquated patient charting system to a more efficient, more reliable, and more versatile EMR (electronic medical records) alternative. While voluntary at this time; new healthcare legislation, upcoming federal medicare requirements, and third-party billing protocols are going to demand a paradigm shift in procedure, documentation, and utilization regarding patient information and medical charting. Furthermore, the dissemination of this information via computers, the Internet, and newly introduced hand-held mobile mediums is rapidly approaching although more research and development are needed. Our current political and financial climates coupled with impending legislation will most likely demand that solutions be cost-effective, secure, and expandable. However, such solutions must remain user-centric to facilitate an accurate and reliable transfer of data due to the obvious dangers that medical miscommunication can cause. Therefore, I would like to petition federal grant money to study the aforementioned problems and their solutions.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog. Class begins tomorrow night so I will patiently wait to see how we will use this technology. I am looking forward to meeting you all and hope to see some familiar names during our chat!

Best Wishes,

R. Brandt