Grants Evaluation Rubric

Below is the Grant Evaluation Rubric for the 2026-2027 cycle of grants review.

Evaluation Component	Total Points	Rating Key
Contextualization of Need(s) Write a brief contextualization of the need(s). What led you to apply for this grant? (About 250 words)	5	5: The need was contextualized sufficiently 0: The need was not contextualized with enough detail for reviewers to understand.
Addressing the Need(s) Write a BRIEF summary of how you are looking to address this need? What measurable goals will be included in this project? (About 250 words)	10	10: Clear description of the goals that address the need(s) linked to educator and student learning and project actions, and goals are measurable 5: Strong goals to address the need(s) with clear measurable outcomes but not linked to student and educator outcomes 0: Project goals are missing and/or is not clearly stated
Timeline Describe the project activities/events and a timeline of when they will occur (including evaluations). Create a monthly bulleted timeline (note: some months may have limited or repetitive activities). Activities should take place between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. (No word limit for this section for any type of grant)	10	10: Activities articulated and reasonable, timeline clear and feasible, participants and their roles clear. 5: Some (but not all) activities of the project are included in the timeline, or the timeline does not appear feasible from the project description 0: Timeline is missing or written generically without any timing indicated.
Educator Impact What is the expected impact on educator learning as a result of this project? Be as specific as possible. What kind of training or learning will the educator get as a result of this project? Who specifically will get that training/learning? How does that training or learning help the educator reach the previously stated goals of the project? How does the training/learning of the educator connect to one or more of the below priorities: (a) classrooms supportive of all learners, (b) improving the quality of education, (c) involving the community in the educational process, (d) topics related to the BU Wheelock Consortium Professional Development topic, (e) collaboration with a BU Wheelock faculty (About 250 words)	20	20: Very clear explanation of educator learning and well connected to listed priority/priorities. 15: Somewhat clear explanation of educator learning and connection to listed priority/priorities 10: Unclear explanation of educator learning and connection to listed priority/priorities 5: Limited explanation of educator learning and and connection to listed priority/priorities 0: No explanation of educator learning (e.g., only the activity)
Student Impact What is the expected impact on student learning as a result of this project? Be as specific as possible What kind of training or learning will the student(s) get as a result of this project? Who specifically will get that training/learning? How does that training or learning help the student(s) reach the previously stated goals of the project? How does the training/learning of the student connect to one or more of the below priorities: (a) classrooms supportive of all learners, (b) improving the quality of education, (c) involving the community in the educational process, (d) topics related to the BU Wheelock Consortium Professional Development topic, (e) collaboration with a BU Wheelock faculty. (About 250 words)	20	20: Very clear explanation of student learning and well connected to listed priority/priorities. 15: Somewhat clear explanation of student learning and connection to listed priority/priorities 10: Unclear explanation of student learning and connection to listed priority/priorities 5: Limited explanation of student learning and and connection to listed priority/priorities 0: No explanation of student learning (e.g., only the activity)
Inclusive Practices How does this project promote equity, diversity, and/or inclusion? (About 100 words)	10	10: Clear description of how the project promotes equity, diversity, and/or inclusion 5: Not clear or not persuasive description of how the project promotes equity, diversity, and/or inclusion 0: Limited or not description of how the project promotes equity, diversity, and/or inclusion
Evaluation How will you evaluate whether you have met your project goal(s)? What measures will you use? (About 100 words)	10	10: Evaluation methods are clearly described and linked to project goals and timeline 5: Evaluation methods are not clearly described or not clearly linked to project goals and timeline 0: Evaluation methods are not described at all
Budget Complete information. All expenses are allowable and necessary for the work (Note: If your grant application budget contains over 50% of one-time use expenses, please add a section to describe how the one-time use expenses in 2026-2027 will lead to sustainable results after the grant ends in 2027.) (No word limit for this section)	15	15: Budget is detailed with all expenditures delineated from identified sources; expenses align with timeline 10: Budget is mostly complete, but missing minor details 5: Budget has some details listed but some items/specifics missing; or includes items/services from unidentified sources 0: No description of budget
Total	100

Evaluation Component

Total Points

Rating Key

Contextualization of Need(s)

Write a brief contextualization of the need(s). What led you to apply for this grant?

(About 250 words)

5: The need was contextualized sufficiently

0: The need was not contextualized with enough detail for reviewers to understand.

Addressing the Need(s)

Write a BRIEF summary of how you are looking to address this need? What measurable goals will be included in this project?

(About 250 words)

10: Clear description of the goals that address the need(s) linked to educator and student learning and project actions, and goals are measurable

5: Strong goals to address the need(s) with clear measurable outcomes but not linked to student and educator outcomes

0: Project goals are missing and/or is not clearly stated

Timeline

Describe the project activities/events and a timeline of when they will occur (including evaluations). Create a monthly bulleted timeline (note: some months may have limited or repetitive activities). Activities should take place between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027.

(No word limit for this section for any type of grant)

10: Activities articulated and reasonable, timeline clear and feasible, participants and their roles clear.

5: Some (but not all) activities of the project are included in the timeline, or the timeline does not appear feasible from the project description

0: Timeline is missing or written generically without any timing indicated.

Educator Impact

What is the expected impact on educator learning as a result of this project? Be as specific as possible.

What kind of training or learning will the educator get as a result of this project? Who specifically will get that training/learning?

How does that training or learning help the educator reach the previously stated goals of the project?

How does the training/learning of the educator connect to one or more of the below priorities: (a) classrooms supportive of all learners, (b) improving the quality of education, (c) involving the community in the educational process, (d) topics related to the BU Wheelock Consortium Professional Development topic, (e) collaboration with a BU Wheelock faculty

(About 250 words)

20: Very clear explanation of educator learning and well connected to listed priority/priorities.

15: Somewhat clear explanation of educator learning and connection to listed priority/priorities

10: Unclear explanation of educator learning and connection to listed priority/priorities

5: Limited explanation of educator learning and and connection to listed priority/priorities

0: No explanation of educator learning (e.g., only the activity)

Student Impact

What is the expected impact on student learning as a result of this project? Be as specific as possible

What kind of training or learning will the student(s) get as a result of this project? Who specifically will get that training/learning?

How does that training or learning help the student(s) reach the previously stated goals of the project?

How does the training/learning of the student connect to one or more of the below priorities: (a) classrooms supportive of all learners, (b) improving the quality of education, (c) involving the community in the educational process, (d) topics related to the BU Wheelock Consortium Professional Development topic, (e) collaboration with a BU Wheelock faculty.

(About 250 words)

20: Very clear explanation of student learning and well connected to listed priority/priorities.

15: Somewhat clear explanation of student learning and connection to listed priority/priorities

10: Unclear explanation of student learning and connection to listed priority/priorities

5: Limited explanation of student learning and and connection to listed priority/priorities

0: No explanation of student learning (e.g., only the activity)

Inclusive Practices

How does this project promote equity, diversity, and/or inclusion?

(About 100 words)

10: Clear description of how the project promotes equity, diversity, and/or inclusion

5: Not clear or not persuasive description of how the project promotes equity, diversity, and/or inclusion

0: Limited or not description of how the project promotes equity, diversity, and/or inclusion

Evaluation

How will you evaluate whether you have met your project goal(s)? What measures will you use?

(About 100 words)

10: Evaluation methods are clearly described and linked to project goals and timeline

5: Evaluation methods are not clearly described or not clearly linked to project goals and timeline

0: Evaluation methods are not described at all

Budget

Complete information. All expenses are allowable and necessary for the work

(Note: If your grant application budget contains over 50% of one-time use expenses, please add a section to describe how the one-time use expenses in 2026-2027 will lead to sustainable results after the grant ends in 2027.)

(No word limit for this section)

15: Budget is detailed with all expenditures delineated from identified sources; expenses align with timeline

10: Budget is mostly complete, but missing minor details

5: Budget has some details listed but some items/specifics missing; or includes items/services from unidentified sources

0: No description of budget

Total

100