Start a Site
The NWP network of local sites now spans all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, providing intellectual challenges and professional opportunities for teachers, kindergarten through university. The NWP’s goal is to expand the network to put a writing project within reach of every teacher in the nation.
The Application Process
Funding for establishing new writing project sites is open to colleges and universities in the United States and its territories and freely associated states. Selection is competitive and funding is tied by legislation to the NWP model. New site applications are accepted annually in September for applicants who filed a formal intent to apply by April 30. (See application schedule.)
New writing project site applications are approved with the expectation that the applicant is opening a sustainable developing site. We recommend that individuals interested in establishing a new writing project site explore the following feasibility questions with local colleagues prior to submitting a formal intent to apply.
Feasibility Questions
- Are we eligible to open a writing project site?
- How would our writing project site relate to sites in the existing network of NWP sites and their service areas?
- Where would our writing project site be housed?
- Who would direct our writing project site?
- What would be our service area?
- Who should participate in the proposal development process?
- How are new site proposals reviewed?
If after exploring these preliminary questions you want to begin the process of developing a proposal for a writing project site, please send a formal intent to apply to the NWP executive director. In response, the NWP will mail you a full Potential Sites Packet and Application, which has information about the NWP model and site funding requirements, and instructions for applying. Only those applications that demonstrate a clear, in-depth understanding of the model will be considered.
Are we eligible to open a writing project site?
Only colleges and universities in the United States and its territories and freely associated states are eligible to receive funding for writing project sites.
Interested schools and school districts should locate their nearest writing project site to explore professional development opportunities through their local site. Interested schools and districts located outside the service area of a local writing project site should contact their local college or university responsible for ongoing teacher professional development or graduate education to explore interest in opening a writing project site. The National Writing Project works with local schools through its network of local writing project sites.
Individuals outside the United States are invited to read about our Associated International Sites.
How would our writing project site relate to sites in the existing network of NWP sites and their service areas?
Each local writing project site works with teachers, schools, and districts in an established service area. In some cases, a proposed new site is in an identifiable area that needs writing project services. In other cases, there may be existing writing project sites in proximity to the proposed site, but the density of the service area warrants additional service. The National Writing Project is interested in supporting sites with the potential for long-term sustainability in relationship to a viable service area.
Interested applicants should look at the existing network of writing project sites to determine how the proposed new site’s service area relates to that of existing sites. We encourage applicants to contact area writing project sites to discuss the potential for a new site. For more information about how a proposed site might relate to the existing network of sites, contact potentialsites@nwp.org.
Where would our writing project site be housed?
Writing project sites are typically housed in departments, colleges, or units within a college or university with a focus on writing and literacy education and/or with programs in continuing and graduate education for teachers. Most writing project sites are housed in either colleges of education or departments of English or composition and rhetoric. Some sites may be lodged in campuswide or cross-disciplinary centers or writing centers. Writing project sites have been successful in all of these settings.
In considering a location for your potential writing project site, consider:
- Where does our campus locate its programs in writing, the teaching of writing, and professional development for teachers?
- Where do area teachers pursue their graduate education?
- Where would a writing project site serve as an effective match for the teaching and scholarship of faculty?
- Where would an active, entrepreneurial effort like a writing project site be best situated?
- Where are the most viable expressions of interest by faculty and administration?
Who would direct our writing project site?
Applications must identify a site director and a principal investigator. The site director is typically a faculty member from the host institution with expertise and interest in writing and the teaching of writing. This faculty member may also serve as the host institution’s principal investigator (PI) or another person may serve in that role at the institution’s discretion.
Sites are directed by teams, not just the faculty director. The director works closely with a co-director, who is a well-respected, accomplished teacher from a school in the area. These two roles, director and co-director, form the base leadership team for local sites. Proposed sites may choose to identify a potential co-director in the application or identify the co-director later.
As writing project sites mature they may develop extensive and elaborated leadership structures to include additional faculty and teachers associated with the project. They may also develop teacher-consultant councils or groups of stakeholders who support the project.
Potential sites may want to consider the potential expanded leadership as the site matures and include varied perspectives in their proposal.
What would be our service area?
Applications for new sites are required to identify a service area: the particular region or set of school districts that the site would position itself to serve. This service area will constitute the site’s recruiting area for teacher participants and, ultimately, the service area for school-based inservice and continuity programs.
Service areas should be defined with respect to the eventual capacity of the writing project site rather than its initial capacity.
In determining a service area, potential sites should consider:
- Is there a natural service area that emerges in our region, perhaps by virtue of geography or regional ways of working?
- Is there a working relationship between the host institution and a specific region or set of school districts?
- Is there a state plan that designates particular regions for particular institutions?
- Are there other local writing project sites in our region, and if so, what are their service areas?
Who should participate in the proposal development process?
The potential director should put together a small team to develop the proposal. The team can include one or more faculty members interested in developing a plan for the writing project professional community within the institution. In some cases the proposal development team includes faculty from more than one department or college, i.e., the college of education and the department of English, so the application is developed collaboratively. The team can also include, if identified, one or more key area teachers who will be involved in leading the work of the site. The department head and others at the college or university should be consulted early in the proposal development process since the success of the application depends on the willingness of the college or university to partner with the National Writing Project on establishing a site.
How are new site proposals reviewed?
New site proposals are reviewed annually. Among the features NWP looks for in potential site applications are:
- Understanding of and agreement with the NWP teacher-centered model of professional development
- Support for the proposed site from the university, including the identification of a suitable university home for the project
- Support for the proposal from local teachers and school communities, including their involvement in development of the proposal
- Appropriate leadership for the new site
- Identification and understanding of an appropriate service area for the site
- Capacity to sustain and grow the site over time
- Commitment to the NWP's major goals: To improve student writing and learning in kindergarten through university classrooms; to extend the uses of writing in all disciplines; to provide schools, colleges, and universities with an effective professional development model; to identify, celebrate, and enhance the professional role of successful classroom teachers.