You can get some idea of the scope of awards by looking at the list of award winners below. 

When applying, please respond to these seven key criteria:

1.            Description of the activity

2.            The purpose of the activity

3.            How the activity is to be implemented

4.            The need for the activity and the expected impact of the activity upon adult education practices

5.            The anticipated outcome of the activity

6.            A general description of the budget

7.            Any innovative aspects of the activity

8.            Important: A mailed copy must follow all emailed or faxed applications.

Each item of the criteria is judged on a five-point scale. The highest number of points earned in the peer review process is used to determine the winner of the grant. The award winner will present at the next conference and present a brief description of the project and presentation to the Happenings in the Valley, the Association newsletter.

One copy of the final project is to be presented to each of the association's state representatives. At the end of the project year, a check will be sent based on a reimbursement form submitted to the development committee chair. The reimbursement form is then forwarded to the treasurer for payment.

Allowable expenses include materials and resources needed to carry out the project, travel to and from the next conference, and materials to reproduce the final paper. In addition to the article for the MVAEA newsletter, the winner submits a copy of the project paper for the archives, and presents at the next Conference following selection. (E.g., the 2008 winner presents at the 2009 Conference.)

Remember only current MVAEA members are eligible for consideration. Projects that are new, innovative, practical, replicable, and/or just plain good for adult education receive preference. The activity may address professional development, program administration, classroom applications, or any other adult education concern.

Past awards include:

1988  Monographs on Adult Learning in Minnesota
1989  Incorporating Adult Literacy Skills with Movement Therapy
1990  Adult Special Needs in a Rural Setting
1991  Adult Education Video Production
1992  The Enabling Professional
1993  No Award
1994  Monograph:  Indian Adult Education 
1995  LD Information Brochure
1996  Empowering Your Staff: Leadership on the Reservation
1997  ESL Drivers Tutoring Aids
1998  Effective Teaching Inquiry
1999  Literacy & Oprah Reading in Reality Book Club
2000  Teach the fx-260 for the GED Math Test 2002
2001  Study Proposing Education on Citizenship through Internet Accessible Locations
2002  Literacy Central
2002  Caring Non-Custodial Fathers: Enhancing Father-Child Relationships
2004  Spanish Newspaper: El Heraldo
2005 Integration of New Americans in IT/Library and Student Services
2006 Testing for Computer Manual Re-Write Project
2007 Ambassadors for Butler Adult Education
2008 Social Bookmarking for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning

2008 MVAEA Award: Dr. Charlotte Knoche, Director of Library Services at Concordia University, St. Paul, MN, for "Social Bookmarking for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning"

If you have questions regarding the process, contact Rhonda Jones (information below). THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION IS BELOW.