BEMIDJI, Minn. (September 14, 2009) — The Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation is offering a variety of online courses in organizational management and grant writing in September and early October.

• “Effective Succession Planning”
Succession planning is a process of developing talent within the organization to meet needs now and into the future. As the workforce is facing retirement of baby boomers, it is important to establish and implement a succession plan now. Beginning Sept. 28, the center will offer a four-week course intended to help students develop the knowledge, tools and direction to create and implement a functional succession plan for an organization. Students will learn via a variety of online sources and participate via online discussion activities as they facilitate the process in an organization while participating in the course.
Web site: http://www.cri-bsu.org/Effective_Succession_Planning_Online.cfm
Date: begins Sept. 28; four weeks through Oct. 25, 2009.
Instructor: Brian Matthews
Cost: $300

• “Human Resource Management: Performance Appraisals, Coaching and Termination”
The center’s on-line course in human resource management will include coverage of a broad variety of topics including reward systems, performance management and retention from a strategic perspective. The course will teach managers how to retain good employees and coach for improved performance through the use of a performance management system. This course will discuss the importance of improving and correcting employee performance and cover what to know when discipline or termination becomes necessary.
Web site: http://www.cri-bsu.org/calendar/cri-general/20091005
Date: begins Oct. 5; runs through Oct. 18, 2009.
Instructor: Lyndi Odegaard
Cost: $200

• “Online Grant Writing”
This course will bring you through each step of writing a winning grant proposal, from the letter of intent to letters of support. Participants will learn how to write concise goals and needs statements, describe and organization and its project or program, develop a budget, create an evaluation and project timeline, and collect supporting documents critical to the grant process. Students will go through the Common Grant Application accepted by most foundations and giving organizations and will give an overview of Federal grant formats. At the end of the course, students will have a five to seven page grant written that can be used a model to use for future grants.
Date: Oct. 5, runs through Nov. 16, 2009.
Instructor: Nate Dorr
Cost: $350

Individuals who wish to be added to the center’s mailing list or have questions regarding the courses should contact the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at (218) 755-4900; toll free, (888) 738-3224; or via e-mail, cri@bemidjistate.edu.

ON THE WEB
• Center for Research and Innovation: http://www.cri-bsu.org
• FAQ for the Center for Research and Innovation’s online course offerings: http://www.cri-bsu.org/online_courses.cfm