Grant-Seeker Academy

Grant-Seeker Academy

The PTI Grant-Seeker Academy offers professional development and technical assistance for potential grantees pursuing ATE funding. College teams will not only be mentored on developing competitive proposals but encouraged to incorporate BILT’s essential elements into their approach. BILT model adoption will ensure new ATE projects benefit from strategic employer engagement from the outset.

Interested in applying for the next Grant-Seeker Academy Cohort?

Fill out this brief form and we’ll notify you when the application period opens.

Eligibility and Funding

  • Any community or technical college planning to include strategic employer engagement as an essential component of their proposed project may apply. 
  • All types of ATE proposals are supported by the Grant-Seeker Academy with the exception of national center grants. 
  • Any community or technical college may apply for participation, regardless of submission or award history with the NSF-ATE program. 

Applicant colleges must commit to: 

Develop and submit an initial grant concept that is innovative and in-demand by employers in the college’s region. The concept must align with the NSF ATE Program.

Identify a Grant Team that includes: 

  • College faculty member or administrator as the primary point of contact/team lead. This person commits to actively participating in all portions of the PTI Grant-Seeker Academy and agrees to commit the necessary time for proposal completion and submission. 
  • A second college team member who is also invested in the proposal concept and who commits to actively participate as part of the Academy team. At least one team member must be faculty in the discipline(s) related to the proposal concept. 
  • A grants office team member to support the Academy team throughout the proposal development process.  If such an office does not exist at your college, please indicate this in your application. 

All team members must agree to:  

  • Participate in weekly 1-hour mentoring sessions with an experienced PTI mentor. 
  • Participate in a 3-day workshop.
  • Participate in six, one-hour virtual training sessions focused on different sections of the ATE proposal. 
  • Participate in weekly mentoring calls. 
  • Complete proposal sections in sequence, as outlined during virtual workshop. 
  • Complete and submit the college proposal at least a day before the due date. 
  • Provide a copy of your submitted proposal to the PTI Leadership Team. 
  • College must submit a copy of the full proposal submission to their mentor within a week after final submission to NSF ATE.
  • College also agrees to share reviewer feedback with their mentor so that the mentor can help them to answer questions or advise them on resubmission.

Stipends of $500 each for two team participants will be paid upon your mentor’s receipt of a copy of the submitted proposal.

PTI Grant-Seeker Academy teams will benefit from: 

  • All training and mentoring described above.
  • A detailed critical review by a member of the PTI leadership team of proposal drafts that are at least 80% complete by the due date. All PTI leadership team members are experienced in developing and reviewing competitive ATE proposals. This review and feedback will allow teams to address concerns prior to submission. 

Submissions: 

Cohort applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.  PTI leadership will contact applicants if additional information is needed.  Colleges selected for participation will be notified.   

To ask questions about the Academy program or application, please contact: Liz Ahlers, PTI Grant-Seeker Academy Coordinator, Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD).