Review Process and Criteria

The proposals will be evaluated through a peer-review process that is unbiased, fair, equitable, and timely. The criteria to be used to measure the merit of the proposal follows.

Innovation
The proposal should state specifically how the project applies better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs.

Questions to consider: To what extent will the project shift current paradigms by utilizing novel concepts, approaches, or processes? To what extent will the project refine, improve, or define a new application of existing concepts, approaches, or processes?

Relevance and Alignment with IGP Funding Priorities
The proposal should state how the project best exemplifies the grant cycle’s funding priorities, ASAE Research Foundation research topics, and other specific trends, research, and best practices for association professionals.

Questions to consider: To what extent does the proposal align with the grant cycle’s funding priority? To what extent does the project address issues of relevance, needs, and interest to the field of association management? To what extent does the project align with the ASAE Research Foundation research agenda? Does it expand on current ASAE research? Does it fill a gap in ASAE research?

Practicality and Viability
The proposal should state how the proposal’s outcomes and objectives address cost savings, increased efficiency or internal processes, improved employee morale, enhanced customer satisfaction, clearer communication throughout the organization, or another target area for your organization.

Questions to consider: To what extent are the overall strategy, processes, and evaluation measurements well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific goals of the project? To what extent are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? To what extent is the proposal soundly grounded in innovation techniques? Does it apply those techniques to association management in a novel and potentially impactful way?

Applicability and Transferability
The proposal should state how the project's anticipated outcome(s) and result(s) may be applied within and across the association sector, and what other association professionals can expect to take away. An essential element for this program is finding projects that can serve as inspiration for other organizations and industries facing similar challenges, problems, or opportunities. IGP intends to grow innovation in the association community but also seeks to share models for innovative efforts. Therefore, we examine each proposal with regard to broader application, adaptation, and transferability.   

Questions to consider: To what extent does the project address an important problem in the field of nonprofit and association management? Specifically, how will the proposed project influence the concepts, processes, techniques, practices, and services that drive the field of association management? To what extent does the proposed project have the potential for far-reaching impact and/or appeal to the association community? Will the proposed work generate interest, conversation, and action in the association community?

Organizational Culture
The proposal should state how you anticipate the project will contribute to your organization's ability to develop and/or sustain a culture of innovation.

Questions to consider: To what extent may the project have long-term effects for your association and your constituents. To what extent may the project shake up your association and/or your industry by implementing new ideas, creating new models of engagement, and transforming organizational culture. To what extent may the project’s potential for far-reaching impact and/or appeal to multiple stakeholders within and across organizations?

Organizational Commitment
The proposal should state the resources, both human and financial, committed by your organization to support and sustain this proposal.

Questions to consider: To what extent is there institutional support and access to other resources to ensure the successful completion of the proposed project? Will the project benefit from unique features of the institution’s resources or collaborative partnerships?

Proposals will also be considered in terms of the extent to which they are thorough, well-written, and present a cohesive description of the project’s objectives, the applicant’s potential and commitment to innovation, the clarity of the application, and the project management plan and budget. Proposals should be devoid of grammatical, typographical, and punctuation errors. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Contact Andrea Wieters at awieters@asaecenter.org for details on applying.