Distinguished - Accurately identifies a specific need/problem in the community to address in a grant proposal.

Proficient - Identifies a specific need/problem in the community to address in a grant proposal. Minor details inaccurate, or unclear.

Basic - Identifies a specific need/problem in the community to address in a grant proposal. Relevant details are inaccurate, and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Identifies a specific need/problem in the community to address in a grant proposal; however, significant details are inaccurate and unclear.

Non-Performance - The identification of a need/problem and the development of the proposal are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Comprehensively researches the problem and narrows down the topic to target a specific need. Includes fully valid and relevant data to support the existence and prevalence of the problem and possible solutions.

Proficient - Researches the problem and narrows down the topic to target a specific need. Includes valid and relevant data to support the existence and prevalence of the problem and possible solutions. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Minimally researches the problem and narrows down the topic to target a specific need. Includes somewhat valid and relevant data to support the existence and prevalence of the problem and possible solutions. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to research the problem and narrow down the topic to target a specific need; however, does not include valid and relevant data to support the existence and prevalence of the problem and possible solutions, and significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The research of the problem and data are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Develops a comprehensive proposal idea that focuses on how the need will be met by providing feasible solutions and thoroughly explains how the community would look with an improved community situation.

Proficient - Develops a proposal idea that focuses on how the need will be met by providing feasible solutions and explains how the community would look with an improved community situation. The proposal is slightly underdeveloped or the explanation is missing minor details.

Basic - Develops a limited proposal idea that focuses on how the need will be met by providing feasible solutions and partially explains how the community would look with an improved community situation. The proposal is underdeveloped and/or the explanation is missing relevant details.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop a proposal idea that focuses on how the need will be met by providing feasible solutions; however, does not explain how the focus on how the need will be met by providing feasible solutions and the explanation is missing significant details.

Non-Performance - The proposal idea and explanation are either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.

Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.

Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.

Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.

Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors. 

Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements. 

Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages. 

Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.   

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Proficient - Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.

Below Expectations - Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.

Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.