Technology Description (3/24)

1. Technology Description (3/24) • Describes technologies, processes, or products you are researching. • Compares and contrasts them and presents findings. • Defines issues confronting researchers. • Compares cost-effectiveness of various solutions, based on your research. • You don’t need detailed costs yet, just estimates or an overview of variations among the technologies studied. • If you win the grant, you could do more detailed investigation of cost vs. benefits as part of your Implementation Plan.

2. If you have already chosen the technology … • Compare chosen technology with conventional ones. Everyone: • Use your criteria to evaluate. • Cite sources of information. • Include a list of at least 6 references (most of which you cite in this section). • Use graphics plentifully.

3. Implementation Plan (4/7) • Breaks down the scope of your work (should you get the grant) into tasks. • Connects the results of your research thus far with planned tasks. • Shows sequence of tasks. • Describes value to community of accepting your proposal and awarding you the grant.

4. Implementation Plan (IP) answers these questions: • What specific tasks will you accomplish if your proposal is funded? Why those tasks? • In what order will you undertake these tasks, and which ones will overlap? • How much will implementing your plan cost? • How will your plan help to solve the specific sustainability need? • How long will the implementation last?

5. The IP section breaks down the scope of your work (should you get the grant) into tasks. • Justify your tasks by giving updated details about your methods of evaluating and choosing solutions. • Include specific sources of information. • Don’t just list tasks, explain need for each one. • Clarify who will do what.

6. Include a graphical display of your schedule. • Show sequence of tasks. • Show how tasks overlap in time. • Show length of time needed for each. Gantt chart is good choice for this graphic.

7. Provide a budget and justify it. • How much will your implementation plan cost, item by item? • Include costs for your and any other researchers/participants’ time. • Remember that you are requesting the amount of money you need to implement your plan – any amount up to the maximum grant of $50,000 or $100,000.

8. End this section by going back to the big picture. • How will this plan help to solve the specific sustainability need? • Remember, this is the section of your proposal. last

9. Include a List of References • This list includes all sources of information you consulted while doing the research and developing your plan. • List should contain at least eight sources.

10. All proposals need to be persuasive. • What is your goal for this proposal. What do you want it to achieve? • What will convince proposal readers that you can do the tasks required in your Implementation Plan? • Do you understand the problem or need from the SME’s point of view? • Is your scope of investigation clear? • Does quality of writing affect reader’s view of your professional ability? • Avoid words such as maybe, feel, probably.