Professional Documents
Culture Documents
an Extension Program Tool 11: Develop a Grant Proposal
Core Competency Handbook for Extension Staff
A sample format to write a project proposal is provided below.
Preface
Defining the problem
This handbook is designed as a reference manual for front‐line extension staff to use in their day‐
Identify and analyze the problem that you have seen in your area.
to‐day work. It offers a set of tools for effective communication, program planning and
What general problem do you perceive in a village? For example: women have to struggle
evaluation. It is meant to support and educate agricultural extension workers worldwide. The
intended to feed themselves and their children.
audiences of this handbook include: governmental agriculture, fisheries, natural
Analyze and identify the factors of the problems.
resources and community development ministry officials; governmental and non‐governmental
extension district/regional managers; extension‐related faculty and their students—preservice
extension
Problem workers; and field‐level agents, Cause
whether governmental, non‐governmental or for‐
profit. We hope that this handbook will help advance efforts to empower and continue educating
Women have to struggle to feed Lack of sustainable sources of income for the
extension personnel through in‐service training opportunities, continuing education
themselves and their children. household.
programming and “train‐the‐trainer” programs. Such efforts may include targeting specific tools
of interest to audiences and inviting scholars/practitioners to teach participants about them.
Men regularly migrate to cities in Lack of sustainable income opportunities in the
search of work. area.
Agricultural extension and advisory services are transitioning from a focus on technology transfer
to a focus on facilitating a range of interventions in complex contexts. No longer is extension first
and foremost a conduit of innovations coming from research and passing them on to farmers.
Further analyze the problems ‐‐ find cause‐and‐effect relationships.
Today’s agricultural extension and advisory services are being challenged to serve as the
Look for more than one cause – remember, there is often a chain of events that lead to a
connecting actor in complex agricultural innovation systems. The role of extension in agricultural
certain problem.
development is continuously evolving, and effective front‐line staff members need skill sets that
Note down these events.
may differ from those they learned in school. Extension professionals must have an
Identify possible solution(s) to the problem.
understanding of the communities they work in and have compassion for the people they serve.
They should be well‐versed in adult education principles. Besides sound technical knowledge,
Problem
they Cause knowledge and
must possess adequate Further Causes
skill in participatory Possible Solutions
tools and techniques for
planning, implementation and evaluation of extension programs. Good communication skills are
Women have to Lack of sustainable Women depend on Profitable
critical in all aspects of their work. This handbook attempts to provide some tools and approaches
struggle to feed sources of income unprofitable microenterprises such as
that can help front‐line extension staff do their important work.
themselves and for the household. microenterprises to chicken rearing can be
Most of the process skills or tools in this handbook are grounded in communication, education,
their children. feed their families. introduced for women.
rural sociology and applied development science. These tools are valuable for the trainers of field
Men workers.
extension regularly This
Lack handbook
of sustainable Farming
was created is not
to help meet a the
Make
need for a agricultural
simple but
migrate to cities income sustainable production profitable by
comprehensive guide for extension workers that focuses on process skills and competencies. Our
in search of work. opportunities in the occupation because using
goal was to create a concise yet complete, easy to read, user‐friendly explanation of some of the improved
skills that extension workers need to help farmers improve agricultural productivity and to help
area. of crop losses, poor technology, crop
create a sustainable and inclusive agriculture system through demand‐driven and participatory
marketing linkages, diversification and
approaches that have gained prominence in the past two decades.
water scarcity, etc. improved access to
Please note that neither the length of each tool’s description nor market.
its numeric order in this
handbook is meant to convey the tool’s importance, complexity or usefulness. Not all tools are
equally useful in particular circumstances. Furthermore, some complex and powerful tools are
easier to describe than others. We present a brief overview at the end of this handbook of some
of the ways for extension personnel to evaluate the potential usefulness and appropriateness of
the tools. However, in the end, educated and well‐trained extension staff members will be
expected to use their best judgment on how best to proceed. We hope this handbook helps them
do so.
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Planning an Extension Program Tool 11: Develop a Grant Proposal
Core Competency Handbook for Extension Staff
Budget
State the proposed project costs in a table.
Preface
Carefully document every item in detail. Divide them into stock and flow items. Stocks are
This handbook is designed as a reference manual for front‐line extension staff to use in their day‐
one‐time expenses; flow items are repeated and varying expenses.
to‐day work. It offers a set of tools for effective communication, program planning and
Request as much money as you need to complete the project adequately (asking for too
evaluation. It is meant to support and educate agricultural extension workers worldwide. The
little money can be as bad as asking for too much).
intended audiences of this handbook include: governmental agriculture, fisheries, natural
resources and community development ministry officials; governmental and non‐governmental
Once you have developed the grant proposal, ask your peers to review and provide feedback.
extension district/regional managers; extension‐related faculty and their students—preservice
Incorporate the comments and feedback and finalize the grant proposal.
extension workers; and field‐level agents, whether governmental, non‐governmental or for‐
Now you may want to prepare a cover page for your grant proposal. The cover page will need to
profit. We hope that this handbook will help advance efforts to empower and continue educating
extension personnel through in‐service training opportunities, continuing education
have the proposal title and applicant information. The proposal may need to be submitted along
programming and “train‐the‐trainer” programs. Such efforts may include targeting specific tools
with a short cover letter.
of interest to audiences and inviting scholars/practitioners to teach participants about them.
Title page
Agricultural extension and advisory services are transitioning from a focus on technology transfer
Include project title, name of applicant(s), name of agency submitted to, signature, typed
to a focus on facilitating a range of interventions in complex contexts. No longer is extension first
name(s) and title(s) of authorized person(s) approving submission and date of approval.
and foremost a conduit of innovations coming from research and passing them on to farmers.
Today’s agricultural extension and advisory services are being challenged to serve as the
A project title ought to be crisp and catchy!
connecting actor in complex agricultural innovation systems. The role of extension in agricultural
Cover letter
development is continuously evolving, and effective front‐line staff members need skill sets that
may differ from those they learned in school. Extension professionals must have an
On organization letterhead, the cover letter should briefly:
understanding of the communities they work in and have compassion for the people they serve.
They should be well‐versed in
State the need. adult education principles. Besides sound technical knowledge,
they must possess adequate knowledge and skill in participatory tools and techniques for
Provide a brief overview of the proposed project.
planning, implementation and evaluation of extension programs. Good communication skills are
List the organization's credibility and qualifications, particularly if a similar project has
critical in all aspects of their work. This handbook attempts to provide some tools and approaches
been done before.
that can help front‐line extension staff do their important work.
Include a persuasion statement ‐‐ a statement describing your project in a way to
Most of the process skills or tools in this handbook are grounded in communication, education,
convince the readers of its importance.
rural sociology and applied development science. These tools are valuable for the trainers of field
extension
workers. This handbook was created to help meet the need for a simple but
comprehensive guide for extension workers that focuses on process skills and competencies. Our
Reference
goal was to create a concise yet complete, easy to read, user‐friendly explanation of some of the
skills that extension workers need to help farmers improve agricultural productivity and to help
Rinehart, E., and B. Bouie‐Scott. (2003). Proposal writing: The basic steps in planning and writing
create a sustainable and inclusive agriculture system through demand‐driven and participatory
a successful grant application. Chicago, Illinois, USA” Department of Commerce and
approaches that have gained prominence in the past two decades.
Economic Opportunity. Accessed at:
Please www.illinois.gov/dceo/smallbizassistance/beginhere/documents/proposalwriting2003.p
note that neither the length of each tool’s description nor its numeric order in this
handbook is meant to convey the tool’s importance, complexity or usefulness. Not all tools are
df
equally useful in particular circumstances. Furthermore, some complex and powerful tools are
Livuza, H.L. (2015). Agricultural extension: The how‐to‐guide to essential core competencies and
easier to describe than others. We present a brief overview at the end of this handbook of some
skills for an effective extension worker (Master thesis, Plan B). East Lansing, Michigan,
of the ways for extension personnel to evaluate the potential usefulness and appropriateness of
USA: Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University.
the tools. However, in the end, educated and well‐trained extension staff members will be
expected to use their best judgment on how best to proceed. We hope this handbook helps them
do so.
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