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Northeast SARE

Northeast SARE. Outcome Funding and Grant Writing Workshop Tom Morris & Janet McAllister Delaware State University May 25, 2011. nesare.org. MILESTONES.

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Northeast SARE

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  1. Northeast SARE Outcome Funding and Grant Writing Workshop Tom Morris & Janet McAllister Delaware State University May 25, 2011 nesare.org

  2. MILESTONES The critical steps in learning and skill development that beneficiaries must achieve as they prepare to make the specific change (or take the action) described in the performance target. Not what YOU do -- what THEY do

  3. Milestones • Beneficiary milestones include steps such as: • Learning necessary content • Building essential skills to make change in performance target • Agreeing the problem is a legitimate problem • Believing in the credibility of the proposed solutions • Acquiring the intentions and motivation to overcome barriers and make the desired change.

  4. THE OUTCOMEFRAMEWORK MILESTONE 1 200 complete online survey MILESTONE 1 MILESTONE 2 150 attend workshops; learn A, B, C MILESTONE 2 MILESTONE 3 125 attend field demo; learn and practice A, B, C MILESTONE 3 MILESTONE 4 100 consult with PIs about implementing A, B, C MILESTONE 4 TARGET80 do A, B, C PERFORMANCE TARGET

  5. Milestones • Should reflect the educational topics and research goals described in the projectapproach subsection in the narrative • Link the learning and skill development to the project activities and educational delivery methods described in the project approach • Chart a timeline for when and where the learning occurs • Establish participation goals for the project.

  6. Writing Milestones in Proposals Milestones include 4 components: 1. The number of beneficiaries (farmers or ag service providers) who will participate; 2. The educational experiences the beneficiaries participate in to learn; 3. The key, specific content that beneficiaries will learn, build skills for, and develop attitudes and intentions about; 4. The schedule or timeline for the learning* *timeline not required for preproposals

  7. 1. 1000 vegetable farmers learn about cover crop education program and receive online survey about their current practices. (Nov ’12) 2. 200 vegetable farmers return survey; 180 agree to participate in education program; 20 agree to host on-farm demonstrations (Feb ’13)

  8. 3. 160 of these farmers attend two 3-hour workshops in each state that explain: Performance Target and known benefits of cover crops (Jan ’13 - March ’13)

  9. 4. 150 of the farmers attend field day at university about new/existing cover crops; 20 farmers plant on-farm demonstration trials (Sept ‘13)

  10. 5. 100 farmers submit cover crop plans for their farms to project team for review (Nov – March ’13) 6. 60 of the 100 farmers attend on-farm demonstration events at farm sites and consult with project team by phone, e-mail, blog and with other farmers on blog about planting cover crops (May - Sept ‘14)

  11. Performance Target: 90 vegetable farmers adopt legume and non-legume cover crops and/or improved cover crop management practices on a total of 900 acres reducing historical N applications by 50 lb/acre/year without reducing yields.

  12. Milestones Written as a List 1. 1000 vegetable farmers learn about cover crop education program and receive online survey about their current practices. (Nov ‘12) 2. 200 vegetable farmers return survey; 180 agree to participate in education program; 20 agree to host on-farm demonstrations (Feb ‘13) 3. 160 of these farmers attend two 3-hour workshops in each state that explain: Performance Target and known benefits of cover crops (Jan ’13 - March ‘13) 4. 150 of the farmers attend field day at university and learn about new/existing cover crops; 20 farmers plant on-farm demonstration trials (Sept ‘13) Milestones R&E

  13. 5. 100 farmers submit cover crop plans for their farms to project team for review (Nov – March ‘13) 6. 60 of the 100 farmers attend on-farm demonstration events at farm sites and consult with project team by phone, e-mail, blog and with other farmers on blog about planting cover crops (May - Sept ‘14) Performance Target: 90 vegetable farmers adopt legume and non-legume cover crops and/or improved cover crop management practices on a total of 900 acres reducing historical N applications by 50 lb/acre/year without reducing yields. Milestones (cont)

  14. 50 agricultural service providers that work with dairy farms in PA and NY receive background information and references to prepare for their participation in this professional development training on cover cropping systems for corn silage production (Nov ‘12) 20 ag service providers attend two 3-hour workshops in each state that explain: Performance Target, known benefits of cover crops, ongoing cover crop research, cover crop planning and decision tools; all join the cover crop education team (Jan ’13 - March ’13). 15 of these ag service providers attend field demonstrations and learn how to evaluate overwintered cover crops and techniques for killing cover crops(April – May ’13) 15 of the ag service providers attend field demonstrations about fall cover crop planting techniques. (Sept ’13) Milestones PDP

  15. 5. 14 of the ag service providers attend a workshop to learn how to establish on-farm demonstrations to teach farmers about cover crops on dairy farms; All receive PowerPoint shows, short videos, updated decision tool, and fact sheets (Dec ‘13) • 12 of the ag service providers consult with cover crop team by e-mail, phone and blog as they develop and teach farmers about cover crops (Jan – March ’14) • Performance target: 12 agricultural service providers develop and conduct an education program where 250 dairy farmers who cultivate 18,000 acres of corn for silage learn about techniques, benefits, and challenges of planting cover crops in fields harvested for corn silage. Milestones PDP

  16. Preparing to Write Milestones • Before you can write Milestones for your project, you must have clear answers to these questions: • What do farmers need to know (knowledge) to accomplish the performance target? • What must farmers be able to do (skills) to accomplish the performance target? • What must farmers believe about the problem and solution (attitudes) to accomplish the performance target? • You must define these answers if you are to prepare beneficiaries to make the change you INTEND

  17. Practice Time – Define Learning & Skill Needs Using the Performance Target you wrote in the earlier practice session, write lists that complete the phrases below: • To make the change described in the performance target, farmers must KNOW: • To make the change described in the performance target, farmers must be ABLE TO DO:

  18. Verification Milestones and performance targets must be verified to show the progress and benefits of SARE-funded projects Verification of milestones documents: • How well beneficiaries are progressing in their knowledge and preparation to make the change described in the performance target • Whether adjustments are needed to keep project on track

  19. Verification Verification of the Performance Target means asking questions and collecting data after all Milestones are complete to measure: • The changes made by beneficiaries • The degree or extent of these changes • The benefits that resulted.

  20. Verification • Planned from the beginning • Discussed with beneficiaries at start of project • Requires tracking beneficiaries – who they are; so need to collect contact information at start • Done throughout project for milestones • Completed after project activities (allow time for behavior change to occur) for Performance Target

  21. Success With Verification • Tell the beneficiaries about the target and verification process -- at start of project • Create a relationship with beneficiaries • Collect any information needed as you go • Develop effective verification tools • Be persistent in engaging beneficiaries

  22. Example Verification Question for Milestone Listed below are topics presented at today’s event. On the left, please circle your level of knowledge/skill of each topic before today’s educational event. On the right, circle your level of knowledge now, after today’s event.

  23. Example Verification Question for Performance Target Listed below are Cover Crop species demonstrated and recommended through this project. Please complete the best response for each recommendation.

  24. Practice Time – Write Questions to Verify Milestones and Performance Targets Using the Performance Target you wrote in the earlier practice session, and the lists of necessary Knowledge and Skills for Milestones: • Write one questions that could be used to verify beneficiaries’ knowledge and skill milestones after a project event • Write one question that could be used, at the completion of the project, to verify whether farmers made the change described in the performance target.

  25. Verification Resources Example milestones, performance targets and example questions to verify them at http://nesare.org/resources/verification-tools.html Webinars, tipsheets, examples and more at http://extension.psu.edu/evaluation/

  26. Key Individuals • The ‘leadership team’ • Contribute a key component to the project • Provide letters of commitment

  27. Questions? www.nesare.org

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