Collaboration and Endorsement Guidelines

Types of Collaboration

Informal advising

• NCSS may assist not-for profit and for-profit organizations in understanding and incorporating NCSS perspectives or to refer such organizations to appropriate specialists. Staff works with a person or group from initial contact and provides input and engages in exploratory discussions that may precede more formal arrangements. Organizations will not used the NCSS name at this level of involvement prior to formal approval proceedings.

• No costs or fees are assessed by NCSS for advisement of one hour or less. Informal advisement beyond one hour shall be reimbursed by the inquiring organization to NCSS at the rate of $50/hr.

Formal Advising

• NCSS may formally assist government agencies, college and university organizations, and not-for-profit and for-profit corporations in developing policy, position statements, projects and programs. NCSS is interested in securing an official role with an NCSS representative on an advisory board or similar group, or appointing an individual advisor using NCSS affiliation. Requires review by the Endorsements and Special Projects Committee and approval by the Board of Directors. NCSS shall be recognized as participating in the process with no other rights or endorsements granted without additional review.

• All cost incurred by NCSS shall be reimbursed by the requesting entity.

• In cases where requests have been made for NCSS' participation in local, state or regional policy or program development, NCSS shall act, when appropriate, as a referring entity entrusting NCSS affiliate councils with the responsibility to review and to act upon if deemed appropriate.

Planning

• NCSS may assist not-for profit and for-profit organizations in understanding and incorporating NCSS perspectives in the conceptualization and/or planning of a product, project, service or grant proposal that leads to future and ongoing involvement by NCSS. Planning should allow adequate time for NCSS to fully participate in the planning process. The planning process shall lead to a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that identifies NCSS's and the collaborating organization's responsibilities; including demands on human resources, indirect cost sharing, a budget allocation to NCSS covering all costs, fee for services, consultation, products or deliverables.

• Planning particiation requires review by the Endorsements and Special Projects Committee and approval by the Board of Directors. Examples: working as an NCSS representative to conceptualize and/or plan a product, project, or service; providing assistance in developing a grant proposal.

• NCSS can incurr some initial planning costs which will to be calculated into the MOU if funded.

Project development and implementation

• NCSS may collaborate with not-for profit and profit organizations in producing special projects such as audio-visual or print materials and teacher's guides that reflect the interests and the perspectives of NCSS. Project development must have completed the planning process identified above under Planning. This collaboration equires review by the Endorsements and Special Projects Committee and approval of the Board of Directors who will also identify NCSS representatives to the project.

• All costs and fee for services shall be initially identified in a MOU and formalized in a contract.
• NCSS shall be recognized as participating in the process with no other rights or endorsements granted without additional review by NCSS.

Information/Materials Dissemination

• NCSS ocassionally provides pertinent information to NCSS members about free or low cost professional opportunities or materials produced by an organization other than NCSS as a membership benefit. NCSS may publish short announcements in line with the purpose listed below in the "Teacher Resource" or "Teacher Opportunity" sections of the NCSS member newsletter and web site. NCSS mailing lists may be requested from Member Services for a nominal fee, for a one time use only.

• Examples; distributing a publication produced by an organization other than NCSS as a membership benefit; using the NCSS mailing list to solicit membership participation in a research project; running an announcement in The Social Studies Professional about a study/travel program.

• Staff time, distribution or inclusion in TSSP shall be calculated at the actual cost incurred by NCSS.

Research Projects or product development

• NCSS may assist universities, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations in identifying NCSS members to participate as field testers or for inclusion in research of a survey project. NCSS participation requires review by the Endorsements and Special Projects Committee and approval by the Board of Directors. Examples: identifying teachers for materials development; participating in the development of teacher guides; providing feedback to field testers and developers; conducting survey research among social studies educators.

Endorsement

• NCSS ocassionally formally recognizes a project, position statement, program, product, policy or service with endorsement and with wich NCSS will be publicly identified. Endorsemt equires approval by the board of directors. Examples: Committing NCSS support for national education standards, a position statement, program, project, product or service, with which NCSS will be publicly identified. All programs, position statements, projects, products, and services endorsed by NCSS will include the official NCSS logo, the worldwide web address of NCSS, and the words "endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies." Any costs and fees are identified in a MOU.

Endorsement of projects, position statements, programs, products, policies, and services are limited to those that have completed the formal advisement, planning or project development processes listed above. Endorsements shall be for the length of three years as long as products have not been revised or altered from the original product.

Co-sponsorship

• NCSS ocassionally supports programs, projects, or conferences through active staff involvement and or financial commitment. Co-sponsorship requires approval by the board of directors Co-Sponsored events shall include the words Co-Sponsored by the National Council for the Social Studies.

• All costs, fees and potential rate of returns must be identified prior to board approval.

Requesting Partnerships, Participation or Assistance

For collaborations, please send a collaboration proposal letter and materials that clearly address the following:

• Goals of proposed collaboration;
• Type of collaboration requested;
  
• Expected working relationship with NCSS (work plan);
• If applicable, compensation that will be provided to participants in the project (NCSS members, leaders, etc.);
• Benefits to the social studies community (students, schools, teachers, NCSS)
• non-profit organizations should include a copy of the Internal Revenue Service determination letter regarding its tax exempt status.

• Explanation of how NCSS has had input into the project, program, materials, etc. for which endorsement is being requested (formal advising, planning, development, etc.);
• Description of the program, project, or product for which endorsement is being requested;
• Description of how your organization plans to use the NCSS endorsement logo (on what materials, letters, product packaging, film credits, etc.)
• Material/product distribution plan (specific communities, states, nationwide?).
• Information on whether program, project, or product be provided free of charge, at a reduced price, or through a special offer.
• Perceived benefits for the social studies community (students, schools, teachers, NCSS)
• A plan for the inclusion of the NCSS logo and "Endorsed by NCSS" text on your program, project, or product/product packaging and a sample of where the logo and text would be included.
• non-profit organizations should include a copy of the Internal Revenue Service determination letter regarding its tax exempt status.

NCSS reviews requests three-times per year. Requests received after the submission date will be considered at the next scheduled meeting.

Download a PDF of the registration form

Submission Date	Review Date
February 1	May
September 1	November
November 1	February