Strengthening Communities

Awarded to support the development and implementation of collaborate and innovative community projects that address economic development, education, health, housing, transportation, or safety issues.

Engaged Scholarship

Engaged scholarship involves faculty members and students in academic projects in a sustained manner with community groups; connects university outreach with community organizational goals; and furthers productive relationships between the university and the community.

Grant Opportunities

Small Grant•$2,500 award•Awarded to nonprofits for a one-time community development project

Capacity Building Grants•$18,500 •Awarded to teams consisting of nonprofits, community-based organizations, and/or grassroots groups, the University of Memphis faculty, and students for projects that are framed by Engaged Scholarship.

Eligibility • Applicants are required to attend at least one interest meeting• Project sites and community organizations must be located in

west Tennessee; eastern Arkansas; or north Mississippi. • Applications will not be considered if the organization or faculty

partner did not submit the requisite reports for a previous SCI Grant.

• Nonprofit organizations must be a registered 501(c) 3– If the nonprofit community organization is not a 501(c) 3 organization, then a

501(c) 3 organization must serve as the fiscal agent for purposes of the grant– Cannot have two Strengthening Communities grants active at the same time

• Faculty members – Must be full-time faculty at the University of Memphis at the time of

application.– Endorsement Form signed Department Chair or Director.– Cannot receive more than one Engaged Research Grant within a three-year

period. For example: if a faculty member was awarded an SCI grant in 2013, 2014, or 2015, he/she is not eligible for a 2016 grant.

Grant Budget

• Small Grant ($2,500) may be funded for expenses related to:

– Equipment– Supplies– Additional staffing needed to fulfill the project – Other expenses

• Capacity Building Nonprofits ($12,000)• Capacity Building Faculty ($6,500)

Grant Budget

• Small Grant Nonprofit ($2,500)• Capacity Building

Nonprofits ($12,000) may be funded for implementation expenses including:

– Equipment– Supplies– Additional staffing needed to fulfill the project

• Capacity Building Faculty ($6,500)

Grant Budget

• Small Grant Nonprofits ($2,500)• Capacity Building Nonprofits ($12,000) • Capacity Building

Faculty ($6,500) may be funded for expenses related to:

– Travel– Summer salary (up to $4,500)– Stipends for student assistants– Equipment– Supplies– Other expenses

Applications due January 29, 2016

• Deadline: Noon• Access application on the Strengthening Communities

website www.memphis.edu/suapp/strenthening-communities/

• Once you begin your application, “Save and Continue” will work as long as you return to the survey on the same Internet browser and computer you started the survey on

• Word version of application is available on the website

Three Key Goals of Capacity Building Grants

1. Organizational Capacity Building: SCI supports projects that strengthen and enable the community partner organization to build its structures, systems, people, and skills so that it can achieve greater performance and impact.

2. Geographically-based Projects

3. Engaged Scholarship & Student Involvement

Three Key Goals of Capacity Building Grants

1. Organizational Capacity Building

2. Geographically-based Projects: SCI supports projects that clearly identify and impact a defined geographic community. Projects that represent a significantly underserved population will also be considered.

3. Engaged Scholarship & Student Involvement

Three Key Goals of Capacity Building Grants

1. Organizational Capacity Building:

2. Geographically-based Projects

3. Engaged Scholarship & Student Involvement: SCI supports projects that demonstrate evidence of engaged scholarship and student involvement as a significant component of their project.

Checklist List of the officers, directors, and staff members of your organization A copy of your (or your fiscal agent’s) 501(c)(3) letter of tax

exemption Web link to your (or your fiscal agent’s) IRS Form 990 A letter of support from your fiscal agent [only necessary if your

organization is not a 501(c) 3] Endorsement Form for the UM Faculty Partner, which can be found

on the SCI website under “Forms” Letters of Support (no more than three) from community

partners with whom you are collaborating to execute this project Budget Spreadsheet (using the budget template found on the SCI

website under “Forms” Other Attachments (Optional) – other documents or images (no more

than three) related to your proposal

Proposal Expectations

• What is the proposed project?• What is the defined community being served?• What need is being addressed by this proposal?• How does the project relate to one (or more) of the

focus areas?• How will UofM students be involved and how will it

enhance their mastery of the course content? (Capacity)

• How does the research fit in with the faculty member’s research agenda? (Capacity)

Questions?