Whether you're starting out on your first grant proposal or have already secured funding from the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, outreach and dissemination activities are pivotal to the success of your project or center. Our blog post explores the significance of outreach and dissemination in the ATE program and introduces a valuable resource – the re-vamped Outreach Kit and accompanying Template – designed to guide you and your project/center through the process of developing a strategic outreach plan.

Understanding the Importance of Outreach and Dissemination:
NSF mandates that grantees demonstrate the broader impacts of their work, aligning with the mission to advance science, national health, prosperity, and welfare. Outreach and dissemination play a crucial role in meeting these broader impact requirements while achieving the specific goals outlined in your ATE grant.

In the ATE program, outreach and dissemination encompass activities like knowledge sharing, community building, recruitment, and knowledge transfer. These activities should be thoughtfully designed to serve the goals and objectives of your project or center.

Introducing the Outreach Kit and Template:
To assist ATE projects and centers in their outreach endeavors, ATE Central developed an Outreach Kit and accompanying Templates. Our resources aim to guide you through a comprehensive process, considering core ideas, primary audiences, stakeholders, partners, resources, and issues like branding and messaging.

Sections of the Outreach Kit:
1. Overview: Provides a summary of the Outreach Kit.
2. Outreach Inventory: Gathers information on overarching goals, audiences, outreach pathways, partners, and resources.
3. Branding & Messaging: Assists in clarifying the visual identity and communication strategy.
4. Outreach Planning: Focuses on setting objectives and activities aligned with larger goals.
5. Final Thoughts & Further Reading: Offers additional resources for continued learning.

How to Utilize the Kit:
Users can work through the kit and templates in any order that suits them. The sections are designed to align, allowing users to record specific information on the template while exploring deeper insights in the online kit. The kit covers everything from outlining goals to planning and executing outreach activities.

Creating a Dynamic Outreach Plan:
An outreach plan is a dynamic document that should be regularly updated and modified in response to changes in your field, the educational landscape, and feedback from stakeholders. Regular collaboration with your team ensures that the plan remains effective in meeting evolving objectives.

The Outreach Kit and Template provide ATE projects and centers with a valuable resource to develop and refine their outreach plans. By leveraging this our guide, you can effectively meet the goals of your grant, share outcomes, and promote the work of your project or center to diverse stakeholders.

Remember, outreach is an ongoing process, and continual improvement is key to success. We encourage your feedback and are here to support your outreach journey. Any questions or thoughts can be sent to info@atecentral.net.