STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES

GRANT INFORMATION

The Indiana Campus Compact Strengthening Communities grant supports a wide range of community engagement experiences from episodic place-based projects to regional Indiana-based plunge experiences. Experiences may be short-term co-curricular community engagement activities or training and advocacy initiatives addressing systemic community issues. Projects are to be designed in such a way that participants develop a deeper understanding of civic learning and democratic engagement, and develop into future civic leaders and civic-minded professionals. A focus on the development of high-quality community-campus partnerships where all partners are able to transcend self-interest as a means of seeking mutual benefit and a “larger definition of community.” (Enos & Morton, 2003, p. 25).

This grant offers a unique opportunity for creativity to meet compassion and action. Undergraduates, grad students, faculty, and staff all have a chance to make an improvement in their communities.

The types of projects previously funded include:

  • Episodic place-based projects such as MLK Day of Service or Cesar Chaves Day of Service projects
  • Indiana-based plunge experiences such as Fall or Spring Break trips or other such experiences focused on a societal topic such as examining the systemic causes of poverty or addressing food insecurity in a region
  • Short-term, on-going co-curricular activities such as mentoring programs, neighborhood literacy programs, and voter education activities
  • Training workshops designed to build the knowledge, skills and abilities of participants on essential community engagement topics such as critical reflection and creating reciprocal partnerships
  • Training and advocacy initiatives focused on addressing localized systemic community concerns

LEARN MORE BY DOWNLOADING THE STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Funding Award: Up to $2,500

Required Institutional Match: $625, or 25% of the requested amount

Who Should Apply

  • Campus Professional Staff (e.g., community engagement professionals, student affairs professionals, and institutional research professionals) and Senior Administrators looking to implement community engagement projects that benefit the community and its members or community- or campus-wide training related to community or civic engagement, including deliberative dialogue events.
  • Undergraduate Students* of any discipline leading community or civic engagement work at their campus or in their community. *Undergraduate student applicants require a faculty, campus professional staff, or graduate student to serve as a co-primary investigator in an administrative support role.
  • Graduate Students of any discipline working to support community and civic engagement across their institution or incorporate community engagement practices into their growth and development.
  • Faculty of any rank or discipline looking to support community and civic engagement practices across their institution.

Application Deadlines & Project Timelines

  • Proposals are accepted on the second Monday of each month. Applicants are notified of the funding decisions six weeks from the proposal due date.
  • Projects must start at least seven weeks after the application due date, as indicated below. All projects must be completed no later than Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

Applicants who do not adhere to this timeline will be required to adjust their project timeline before being considered for funding.

Proposal Due Date Funding Notification Earliest Project Start Date Latest Project End Date
December 14, 2020 January 25, 2021 February 1, 2021 December 31, 2021
January 11, 2021 February 22, 2021 March 1, 2021 January 31, 2022
February 8, 2021 March 22, 2021 March 29, 2021 February 28, 2022
March 8, 2021 April 19, 2021 April 26, 2021 March 31, 2022
April 12, 2021 May 24, 2021 May 31, 2021 May 31, 2022
May 10, 2021 June 21, 2021 June 28, 2021 May 31, 2022
June 14, 2021 July 26, 2021 August 2, 2021 May 31, 2022
July 12, 2021 August 23, 2021 August 30, 2021 May 31, 2022
August 9, 2021 September 20, 2021 September 27, 2021 May 31, 2022
September 13, 2021 October 25, 2021 November 1, 2021 May 31, 2022
October 11, 2021 November 29, 2021 December 6, 2021 May 31, 2022
November 8, 2021 December 20, 2021 December 27, 2021 May 31, 2022
December 13, 2021 January 24, 2022 January 31, 2022 May 31, 2022
January 10, 2022 February 21, 2022 February 28, 2022 May 31, 2022
February 7, 2022 March 21, 2022 March 28, 2022 May 31, 2022
March 14, 2022 April 25, 2022 May 2, 2022 May 31, 2022

Submission Process

Applicants are responsible for proper routing and approval by their institution prior to submission. Detailed instructions on the submission process can be found in the Request for Proposal and on the main Indiana Campus Compact Funding Opportunities page.

Applications must be submitted via the Indiana Campus Compact Engagement Portal. We require the Primary Investigator to create their own individual account for submission. Instructions on how to create a user profile can be found here.

Looking for Assistance?

For more information or to discuss project ideas, contact Laura Weaver, Director of Professional Development and Engaged Learning, laura {at} incampuscompact(.)org or schedule a time to chat.

COVID-19 RAPID RESPONSE

Strengthening Communities Grant—COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant

Indiana Campus Compact is committed to supporting its partner campus and local communities across Indiana during this global pandemic. We seek to fund projects that leverage institutional resources which support community stakeholders in meaningful ways, while further developing Indiana college students into civic leaders. We encourage applicants to be creative in how they actualize their COVID-19 proposals, but provide the following as examples of fundable projects:

  • Using institution-owned equipment (e.g., 3D printers, sewing machines) to produce personal protection equipment (PPE).
  • Partnering with local PK-12 institutions on distance learning plans and procedures, including assisting with implementation and delivery.
  • Partnering with local assisted living facilities to provide them with unused electronic devices (e.g., laptops, mobile devices) to help residents stay connected.
  • Extending institutional wireless services to the surrounding community.
  • Partnering with local food pantries to assist with food collection and distribution.
  • Creating support systems that work to eliminate barriers to access essential services (e.g., safe and stable home environment, food security, health services, technology needs) for their internal stakeholders (e.g., students, staff, faculty).

COVID-19 Addition to Project Narrative

Applicants are to complete all parts of the Strengthening Communities Project Narrative, and include information in response to the following prompts as an additional section titled “COVID-19 Response”:

  • How is the institution leveraging its resources as an anchor institution to support stakeholders in the surrounding community?
  • What type of impact do you foresee this effort having within the community?

When reviewing COVID-19 proposals, the review committee will consider the following anticipated limitations and how the applicant will address them.

  • Limitations in being able to gather in groups to perform community engagement activities.
  • Limitations engaging university stakeholders (e.g., students, faculty, staff, senior administrators).
  • Limitations on the capacity of community organizations to fully participate/engage.

Funding Award: Up to $1,200

Required Institutional Match: $360, or 30% of the requested amount

Application and Project Timeline

Proposals are accepted in accordance with the published schedule for the Strengthening Communities grant. View the schedule here.

Submission Details

To ensure that these applications are routed correctly, all applicants applying for the Strengthening Communities COVID-19 funding must use “COVID-19” in their project title.

Looking for Assistance?

For more information or to discuss project ideas, contact Laura Weaver, Director of Professional Development and Engaged Learning, laura {at} incampuscompact(.)org or schedule a time to chat.

FUNDED PROJECTS

An undergraduate student from Indiana University Kokomo partnered with the Kokomo Humane Society to create the Youth Canine Education Program.

Aaron Carter led a group of Indiana University Kokomo students working with Humane Society staff members to create the program and a freestanding outdoor pergola on Humane Society property where the free classes will take place. The classes will be part of an ongoing program that teaches Kokomo children how to safely interact with dogs.

Carter says, “By joining forces with the Humane Society to sponsor the student-led construction of a pergola for the Humane Society’s new fenced-in enclosure, IU Kokomo will partner with [the Humane Society’s] universally appealing mission of compassion and empathy. The Youth Canine Education Program will help make Kokomo a safer place for both the community’s children and its animals by teaching young people how to interact safely and respectfully with any dogs they encounter, including dogs in their own homes.”

DOCUMENTS

Below, you will find the Strengthening Communities Request for Proposals, along with a sample proposal and the reporting guidelines below. If you have questions or would like further information, contact Laura Weaver, Director of Professional Development and Engaged Learning, laura {at} incampuscompact(.)org, or schedule a time to chat.

Download RFP [592.82 KB]


Download Sample Proposal [825.60 KB]

Following the guidance in the provided Sample Proposal does not guarantee funding.

Download Sample Reporting Guidelines [347.69 KB]

The Sample Reporting Guidelines are provided as a reference. Those that have received funding should refer to the individualized Reporting Guidelines provided with their funding notification. Contact Laura Weaver at laura {at} incampuscompact(.)org if you require another copy of your individualized Reporting Guidelines.