1. Developing a Project Plan and Budget October 28, 2009 Laura Dorman, Resource & Policy Analyst, Institutional Research Patrick Mullen, Assistant Professor, Public Administration Deb Koua, Grants and Contracts Coordinator, Academic Affairs

2. Developing a Realistic Plan for Data Collection Laura Dorman Office of Institutional Research Establishing your data collection plan should be viewed as a fundamental step in any research project.

3. Data Collection Planning  Ask this question: “Who will collect what, when, and from where?

4. Advantages to Developing a Plan for Data Collection  Understanding of needed tasks  Identification of staff assignments  Overview of the time needed to complete tasks  Organization of resources to boost efficiency  Minimization of errors and delays

5. When Should You Develop Your Data Collection Plan?  Data collection plan and budget go hand- in-hand.  Develop the “first-draft” of your data collection plan while developing your project proposal.  Make revisions of your data collection plan as needed during the project proposal stage.  You’d rather make changes prior to funding as opposed to after a contract has been signed.

6. Data Collection Plan Once you’ve defined your research questions and identified the data needed, think through these questions: How will you gather your data? Do you need permission (internal/external)? Is there an order or natural sequence to the data collection? How long will data collection take?

7. Work Plans It is helpful to create a project work plan.  One possibility is to identify the major task, subtasks, time-frame, person(s) responsible, and the resources needed.  Another possibility is to link the task to the primary issue, also identifying activities, person(s) responsibility and time-frame.

8. Major TaskSubtask AreaTimeframeResponsibilityResources Task 1: Assessing Program Implementation Task 1.a:Initial contact with correctional facilitiesMonth 1LD, ECpersonnel, travel Task 1.b:Compile list of interview subjectsMonth 1LD, MPpersonnel Task 1.c:Conduct document reviewMonth 1MP, LDpersonnel, travel Task 1.d:Document analysisMonth 1LDpersonnel, travel Task 1.e:Finalize interview protocolMonth 1LD, ECpersonnel Task 1.f:Receive Human Subjects PermissionMonth 1LDpersonnel Task 1.g.:Conduct interviewsMonths 2 & 3EC, LDpersonnel, travel Task 1.h:Collect offender-based data from OTSMonth 3MPpersonnel, travel Work Plan Example 1

9. Work Plan Example 2 IssueActivityTimeframeResponsibilityOutcome Improving Court Performance Task 1.a: Solicit Membership in Multidisciplinary Task ForceMonth 1AH Task force members notified Task 1.b: Research existing data sourcesMonth 2AH, AR Sources of acceptable data identified by collaborative effort Task 1.c:Meet with Task ForceMonth 2AH, AR Identification of pilot sites of representative demographics Task 1.d:Assemble Survey Test GroupMonths 3 & 4AH, ARMeeting set

10. Key Points  Establishing a data collection plan should be a fundamental step in any research project.  Your data collection plan and your budget go “hand-in-hand”.  Your should develop your “first draft” data collection plan while working on your proposal.  Always slightly overestimate the period needed for data collection and analysis to allow for unforeseen delays.  Check with the “owners” of data for scheduling concerns. Talk with them early and often.  Don’t underestimate the time needed for IRB approval. Contact them early.  Don’t over-promise in your proposal.

11. Pat Mullen http://www.aabpa.org/

12. Budget Categories  Personnel Faculty and staff normally as a % of time GAs at monthly rate Students and hourly workers  Fringe Benefits Faculty and staff Students and hourly workers  Travel State travel rates and regulations apply  Equipment Threshold varies depending on sponsor

13. Budget Categories cont…  Supplies Must be specific for the project At times can include computers & software  Printing/Mailing/Duplicating  Contractual Outside entities contributing to the project  Indirect State and non-profits grants - 10% Federal grants - 44.1%

14. University Rates www.uis.edu/grants/proposals/rates. html www.uis.edu/grants/proposals/policie s.html#budget

15. General Principles  Inflate costs in multi-year budgets  Be realistic, but estimate a bit high  Indirect costs are real costs to the University and are not normally waived