Program Description, Guidelines and Application for the:
Kris Nelson Community Based Research Program & Community Assistantship Program.
2015 PROGRAM AND ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES
Kris Nelson Community Based Research Program (Nelson Program)—community and
neighborhood organizations in Minneapolis and St. Paul; Community organizations and
government agencies in Twin-Cities metro area suburbs.
Community Assistantship Program (CAP)—community organizations and government
agencies in greater Minnesota and projects that would serve the entire state.
The Mary Page Community-University Partnership Fund supports CAP students working
on community identified and requested research projects, honoring the spirit of
“community-driven” work between the land-grant University and the communities they
serve. The Regional Partnerships facilitate Community-University projects in the areas of
sustainable agriculture and local food, natural resources, tourism and resilient
communities, and clean energy. If your proposal addresses these issue areas it will be
considered for funding through the Mary Page fund. Should a decision be needed
among proposals of equal merit, special consideration will be given to projects in
Southwest Minnesota.
Both programs provide graduate or undergraduate student assistance for applied
research projects, program planning, program evaluation, and other short-term
projects. Student assistantships are generally 10–20 hours per week for three to four
months.
Kris Nelson Community Based Research Program Impact Areas:
1. People and Places - Builds the leadership and power of low income communities,
communities of color, immigrant communities, seniors, people with disabilities,
youth, renters or other historically excluded communities. Addresses a local
community issue, need or opportunity.
2. Organizations - Supports the capacity of community-based, neighborhood or other
place-based organizations to more effectively and equitably engage and involve the
diversity of their community into the leadership of their organization or activities.
3. Collaborations - Builds strong networks and relationships within and/or among
diverse cultural or geographic communities.
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4. Systems - Expands the influence of community members on systems, practices,
initiatives and policies that lead to greater racial, social and economic equity.
What makes a good research question?
Research cannot tell people what to do but it can gather information that helps people
make decisions. So focus research questions on facts and conditions not what an
organization should do. Frame as ‘what is’ or ‘what are’ questions not ‘what should’ or
‘how do we’ questions.
Instead of asking: How do we improve our communities housing stock?
Ask questions like:
 What is the neighborhood’s housing stock?
 What are comparable communities doing to improve their housing stock?
 What are the demographics of people living in the community?
 What government programs are available?
 What new housing development has occurred in the last 5 years?
Application Process
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Complete a CURA Community-Based Research Programs Application Form
for each research project you would like assistance with. Use the attached
application form.
Submit applications via e-mail to: curacbr@umn.edu
Your application will be reviewed and you will be notified as soon as
possible of the committee’s decision regarding your application.
If approved, a job description is developed by CURA, approved by the
community organization, and posted online for students to see.
Students apply on the U of M’s online job application website and the
community organization reviews those applications.
The community organization chooses interview candidates from among
those students who apply for the position. The organization is responsible for
scheduling and conducting interviews, and selecting the candidate of its
choice.
The CURA Community-Based Research Program staff can help you with your application.
You are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate program director to discuss
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potential projects prior to submitting your application:
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Jeff Corn, 612-625-0744, jcorn@umn.edu (Nelson or CAP)
Neeraj Mehta, 612-624-8988, nmehta@umn.edu (Nelson)
Application Deadlines
The CURA Community-Based Research Programs consider applications for applied
research assistance three times a year. Proposals are due by the following dates for
assistance during the time periods indicated:
Submission Date
October 30
Notification Date
November 30
March 15
April 15
June 30
July 30
Project Dates
Spring Semester: January –
May
Summer Semester: JuneAugust
Fall Semester: September December
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CURA Community-Based Research Programs
Application Form
NOTE: This form serves the Nelson Program and the Community Assistantship Program
(CAP)
Type answers to the following questions on this form. We prefer applications to be no
more than five pages long (not including cover) and to be submitted as an e-mail
attachment.
Organization Name:
Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Main Phone:
Which of the following best describes your organization:
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Neighborhood organization
Nonprofit organization
Government agency
Other (please specify) ___________________________________________
What other CURA programs is the organization connected to?
__ Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing (MCNO)
__ Community Geographic Information Systems (CGIS)
__ Neighborhood Partnership Initiative (NPI) or Artist Neighborhood Partnership
Initiative (ANPI)
__ Community Visualization
__ Resilient Communities partnership
__ Hennepin University Partnership
__ Other (please specify)
Primary Contact Person:
Phone:
E-mail:
Project Supervisor (person who will directly supervise the student):
Phone:
E-mail:
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Provide the following information in your application. Please do not exceed 5 pages,
not including the cover page.
1. Mission or purpose of your organization.
2. Title of the project.
3. In 50 words or less describe the research project.
4. Briefly describe your project, including information about:
a. What issue/challenge/opportunity the project is centered on.
b. What are the goals and outcomes of the project?
c. How will the research support your efforts?
d. How the project fits one or more of the CBR program goals listed above?
e. Any partnerships involved in this project.
5. Tell us more about the research project itself:
a. What is your specific research question(s)?
b. What data will you need to address the research question(s)?
c. Does the data already exist? If yes, where?
d. What format is the data in and do you have access to it?
e. What is the final research product you desire (written report, slides, etc.)
f. How will you use the final product to achieve your desired impact?
6. Who benefits and how from this project?
7. Duties and Responsibilities. You will have a limited amount of time to complete the
project: 195 student hours in the spring and fall semesters, and 260 hours over the
summer.
a) Task list. What 4-7 separate tasks will need to be completed to yield the final
product you want?
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b) Task Assignment. For each task, what duties and responsibilities do you expect
the student to complete? What will be completed by the supervisor?
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c) What specific skills, experience, and qualifications will be required of the student
research assistant?
8. Organizational Support
a) What material support (e.g. desk, telephone, access to a computer, access to a
copy machine, etc.) can your organization provide for the research assistant?
b) What financial support (i.e., contributions toward the cost of student wages,
funds for travel or other expenses, etc.) can your organization provide for this
project?
c) What additional support will be required for this project that your organization
cannot provide, and how might it be obtained?
Submit applications as an e-mail attachment to: curacbr@umn.edu
The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal
access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed,
religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status,
veteran status, or sexual orientation
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