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
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•
•
•
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?