Grants Review Panelists

The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) is seeking applications from individuals who are interested in serving on panels that review grant proposals.

TCDD’s mission is to create change so that all people with disabilities are fully included in their communities and exercise control over their own lives. To achieve this mission, TCDD provides grant funding for projects throughout the state of Texas. Projects that receive TCDD funding are designed to build community capacity, promote self-advocacy, pilot innovative ideas, or demonstrate a promising practice that can be replicated at a broader scale. At any given time, TCDD funds approximately 35 projects throughout the state. And, while projects can be local, regional, or statewide, they all support TCDD’s mission and aim to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Texas.

When TCDD makes grant funds available, we issue a Request for Applications (RFA). Qualified proposals are reviewed by an independent grant review panel. Members of the review panel evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of proposals, participate in a group review panel meeting, and ultimately develop group recommendations to the Council about funding.

Grant review panels generally consist of three to five people. This may include individuals who have disabilities or have family members with disabilities; professionals in the disability field; and others who have expertise around a certain topic. Individuals who have experience in reviewing documents are a plus. TCDD strives to assemble grant review panels that are as diverse as possible so that multiple points of view are considered in the discussion.

Grant review panels usually review between five and 15 proposals. Grant review panel members independently review and make notes about the strengths and weaknesses of grant proposals using a review guide. Then, panel members meet via teleconference to discuss proposals and develop recommendations for the Council. Grant review panel members receive compensation for reviewing proposals, participating in meetings, and travel and per diem, if necessary.

For more information about this opportunity, please see the next section to review the job description. If you are interested in sharing your expertise and serving on a grant review panel, please visit Review Panel Application to submit your application. If you are selected, you will be added to TCDD’s database and contacted at a future date. Please note that not every person in the database will serve on a grant review panel — TCDD maintains a database of qualified individuals to ensure each panel is as diverse as possible.

Grant Review Panel Member

Job Description

The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) maintains a database of individuals who are interested in reviewing and evaluating grant proposals for the Council. Inclusion in the database does not ensure that you will be asked to serve on a panel, but panel members are typically selected only from those individuals in the database. To have your name added to the database, you must submit a Review Panel Application. Visit Review Panel Application to submit your application.

Responsibilities of Review Panel Members

• Independent review and make notes about the strengths and weaknesses of grant proposals.
• Score proposals using a provided review guide.
• Meet with other review panel members to discuss proposals and develop recommendations.
• Abide by TCDD’s non-disclosure and conflict of interest regulations.

Employment Status

Contractor, on an as-needed basis

Compensation

• $40 for each proposal reviewed independently
• $75 for a half-day meeting or $150 for a full-day meeting.
• Travel and per diem if necessary to participate in the meeting.

Skills, Experience, and Education

Each review panel consists of three to five individuals who, as a group, have the skills and experience needed to evaluate proposals received in response to a specific RFA. This may include individuals who have disabilities or have family members with disabilities; professionals in the disability field; and others who have expertise around a certain topic but may not have as much familiarity with disability issues. TCDD strives to develop, review panels that are as diverse as possible so that multiple points of view are considered in the discussion.TCDD requires that all review panel members must be their own guardians and, with reasonable accommodations, be able to:

• understand and accept TCDD’s mission to create change so that all people with disabilities are fully included in their communities and exercise control over their own lives;
• review and understand the proposals and the RFAs;
• identify and communicate the strengths and weaknesses of proposals; and
• work cooperatively in a group to reach a consensus.

If an individual is related to a board member or management staff (to the first degree of consanguinity) of an organization, they may not review proposals submitted by the organization.

Residence Location

Texas

Education

No minimum

Members of the grant review panel independently evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the proposals before participating in a group meeting via teleconference. Ultimately, the panel develops funding recommendations for the Council to consider.

Grant review panels generally consist of three to five people. Review panel members may include:

• self-advocates;
• family members of people with disabilities;
• professionals in the disability field; and
• others who have expertise around a certain topic.

TCDD strives to assemble grant review panels that are as diverse as possible so that multiple points of view are represented in the discussion. Individuals who have experience in reviewing grant proposals or other types of applications are a plus.

Grant review panel members receive compensation for reviewing proposals, participating in meetings, and travel and per diem, if necessary.

Qualified individuals must be over the age of 18. They must have personal or professional experience with disability issues or specific knowledge of the best practices in Council grant activities, or they must be able to represent groups of people who are underrepresented in Council activities.

TCDD requests RFAs to initiate new grant projects and uses independent review panels in the selection process. The Council seeks individuals with a wide range of expertise so that panels can be developed as needed for each RFP. Reviewers review and evaluate proposals, participate in a group review panel meeting, and develop group recommendations to the Council for funding.

If you are interested in applying to be a reviewer, please complete the Review Panel Application form.