Honors Program
Swords Scholar Grant Proposal
“He [or she] who has hit upon a subject suited to his [her] powers will never fail.” -- Quintus Horatius Flaccus, 8 B.C.
The following grant proposal must be submitted to compete for grant funding for the Honors Independent Research. Grant funds may be used for expenses such as:
- Project supplies, i.e., specialized software purchases, laboratory equipment, or transcription equipment
- Travel expenses for field observations and experiences
- Seminar or conference fees
- Professional stipends in extraordinary circumstances
Funds are not limited to the above, but rather may also be assigned to additional worthy expenses, at the discretion of the Honors Program Director and Honors Program Committee. Monetary grants are awarded on a competitive basis.
Grant Proposal Components
(Grant proposal must be submitted electronically in MSWord(.doc/docx) format to Dr. Mary Kay Mulvaney, Director, Honors Program at marym@elmhurst.edu)
I. Cover Letter of Introduction
- Introduce yourself
- Explain your academic achievements
- Indicate your rationale for proposing this project
II. Project Description
- Create a succinct, abstract (approximately 150 words) identifying the project, its major objectives, and anticipated results. (HINT: Write this last—after you've worked out the details below.)
- Describe the project, including objectives, methodology, anticipated resources, anticipated results, etc. (Note: This is the most extensive part of the proposal - probably 2+ pages—and it's where you'll make your case for deserving these grant funds.)
- Create a timeline indicating specific anticipated dates for completion of the various stages of the project: gathering data, transcribing notes, analyzing research, preparing the written document, presenting results, and so forth, as appropriate.
- List all participants involved in the project, including faculty mentor.
III. Budget
- Itemize all anticipated expenses for completion of the project (HINT: Put this information in a table format).
- Indicate grant money other than the Swords Grant you have received.
Applicants: Keep in mind that a proposal is a persuasive document. Convince your readers that this is a signficant research endeavor, worthy of grant funds and Swords Scholar Grant Recipient designation. Good Luck!