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opportunities for Faculty & Staff     /    Engaged Opportunity Grants
Engaged Opportunity Grants
Providing seed support for a wide range of community-engaged learning activities
Providing seed support for a wide range of community-engaged learning activities
This Opportunity At a Glance
Available To

Faculty and staff from schools and colleges not yet participating in the Engaged College Initiative; select community partners

Funding

$5,000 (maximum)

The fall 2023 application is due

October 25, 2023 (see below for other deadlines this academic year)

APPLY NOW

What’s new in this year’s RFP?

  • Engaged Opportunity Grants are $5,000 (formerly $3,000).
  • Grantees have the option to fund (1) a Project Engaged Opportunity Grant or (2) a Network Engaged Opportunity Grant to create/expand a partner network collaborating around an issue of public concern.
  • Projects that have already received an Engaged Opportunity Grant may apply for a Network Engaged Opportunity Grant.
Purpose
Purpose

Engaged Opportunity Grants support campus-community partnerships that create community-engaged learning activities for undergraduate students. Grants can fund a project or a network–building effort addressing an issue of public concern.

Project Engaged Opportunity Grants fund teams to collaboratively produce a program or product on a specific timeline. Project Grants can, among other things:

  • Produce and disseminate “public products” in support of and/or celebrating community-engaged learning
  • Present and document community-engaged events
  • Evaluate a community-engaged learning project

Network Engaged Opportunity Grants connect undergraduates with networks of people and programs collaborating around an issue of public concern. Students, faculty, staff, community partners and alumni are dedicated to addressing public issues and creating social change, and many could be working on the same issues and not even know it. We stand to learn more and generate more impact together, in conversation and collaboration with different groups. Successful teams will design a process for healthy collaboration to coordinate and expand resources, deepen impacts and create more effective agents of change. Network Engaged Opportunity Grants can, among other things:

  • Raise awareness and visibility about a public issue and the university-community work being done to address it;
  • Deepen and broaden university-community partnerships to better approach community issues in an interdisciplinary way;
  • Increase positive impact on communities around the issue being addressed.

Engaged Opportunity Grants are not intended for projects that serve one individual undergraduate. 

Do you have an idea not listed here? Contact the Einhorn Center Grants and Awards Coordinator Whitney Tassie to discuss your project.

Purpose

Engaged Opportunity Grants support campus-community partnerships that create community-engaged learning activities for undergraduate students. Grants can fund a project or a network–building effort addressing an issue of public concern.

Project Engaged Opportunity Grants fund teams to collaboratively produce a program or product on a specific timeline. Project Grants can, among other things:

  • Produce and disseminate “public products” in support of and/or celebrating community-engaged learning
  • Present and document community-engaged events
  • Evaluate a community-engaged learning project

Network Engaged Opportunity Grants connect undergraduates with networks of people and programs collaborating around an issue of public concern. Students, faculty, staff, community partners and alumni are dedicated to addressing public issues and creating social change, and many could be working on the same issues and not even know it. We stand to learn more and generate more impact together, in conversation and collaboration with different groups. Successful teams will design a process for healthy collaboration to coordinate and expand resources, deepen impacts and create more effective agents of change. Network Engaged Opportunity Grants can, among other things:

  • Raise awareness and visibility about a public issue and the university-community work being done to address it;
  • Deepen and broaden university-community partnerships to better approach community issues in an interdisciplinary way;
  • Increase positive impact on communities around the issue being addressed.

Engaged Opportunity Grants are not intended for projects that serve one individual undergraduate. 

Do you have an idea not listed here? Contact the Einhorn Center Grants and Awards Coordinator Whitney Tassie to discuss your project.

Eligibility
Eligibility

This grant is available to faculty and staff from schools, colleges and other central units (SCL, HR, Facilities, etc.), along with select community partners.

Due to the funding already provided via the Engaged College Initiative, single applicants from the College of Architecture, Art and Planning; College of Human Ecology; Cornell SC Johnson College of Business; and School of Industrial and Labor Relations are not eligible for this grant and should apply for community-engaged learning funding directly through their college. However, applicants from existing Engaged Colleges may apply when in collaboration with individuals from another college (e.g. ILR/CAS, CALS/JCB, etc. joint proposals). 

Eligible community partners include Cornell affiliate organizations (e.g., Cornell Cooperative Extension, Center for Transformative Action) and community-based coalitions in active partnership with Cornell with proposals impacting New York state. Community partners should consult Einhorn Center Grants and Awards Coordinator Whitney Tassie to determine eligibility.

Temporary staff, students and alumni are encouraged to be team members but cannot serve as team leads, who play the primary role in leading the grant team, communicating with the Einhorn Center and receiving grant funds. 

Projects that have already received an Engaged Opportunity Grant may only apply for a Network Engaged Opportunity Grant.

Eligibility

This grant is available to faculty and staff from schools, colleges and other central units (SCL, HR, Facilities, etc.), along with select community partners.

Due to the funding already provided via the Engaged College Initiative, single applicants from the College of Architecture, Art and Planning; College of Human Ecology; Cornell SC Johnson College of Business; and School of Industrial and Labor Relations are not eligible for this grant and should apply for community-engaged learning funding directly through their college. However, applicants from existing Engaged Colleges may apply when in collaboration with individuals from another college (e.g. ILR/CAS, CALS/JCB, etc. joint proposals). 

Eligible community partners include Cornell affiliate organizations (e.g., Cornell Cooperative Extension, Center for Transformative Action) and community-based coalitions in active partnership with Cornell with proposals impacting New York state. Community partners should consult Einhorn Center Grants and Awards Coordinator Whitney Tassie to determine eligibility.

Temporary staff, students and alumni are encouraged to be team members but cannot serve as team leads, who play the primary role in leading the grant team, communicating with the Einhorn Center and receiving grant funds. 

Projects that have already received an Engaged Opportunity Grant may only apply for a Network Engaged Opportunity Grant.

Funding
Funding

Funding for grants will not exceed $5,000, and grantees might not receive their full budget request. 

Project Engaged Opportunity Grants have a 1-year term. Network Engaged Opportunity Grants may request a no-cost extension.

Engaged Opportunity Grants are not renewable. At the end of the approved grant period, grantholders will return remaining funds to the Einhorn Center.

Engaged Opportunity Grants are not retroactive and can only support programs or networking that take place after posted notification dates.

Funding

Funding for grants will not exceed $5,000, and grantees might not receive their full budget request. 

Project Engaged Opportunity Grants have a 1-year term. Network Engaged Opportunity Grants may request a no-cost extension.

Engaged Opportunity Grants are not renewable. At the end of the approved grant period, grantholders will return remaining funds to the Einhorn Center.

Engaged Opportunity Grants are not retroactive and can only support programs or networking that take place after posted notification dates.

Budget
Budget

All budget lines must be justified. Applicants should make their case for the use of funds most appropriate to their need.

Please note that funding for conference travel will be limited to $500 per traveler.

The following are examples of allowable expenses; however, Network Grants should not direct funds toward project activities.

  • Faculty and/or staff support:
    • Travel, meals and lodging associated community-engaged learning conducted off campus
    • Project planning, development, assessment and dissemination
    • Reservation of space
    • Materials that support the project
  • Student support:
    • Travel, meals and lodging associated with community-engaged learning conducted off campus
    • Direct costs incurred by students involved in the project (e.g., conference registration)
    • Costs of publication
    • Systems that support the student work experience (graphics, software, enrollment in online training, etc.)
    • Wages for students (work study, other).
      • Information about Cornell student employment and federal work-study is available at studentemployment.cornell.edu/policies
  • Partner support:
    • Funds that support the participation of the off-campus community in the experience and/or documentation, including expenses necessary to build capacity for partner participation
    • Honoraria for outside speakers and/or consultants to complement project planning and student learning
    • Speaker travel costs

The following expenses cannot be supported by Einhorn Center grant funds:

  • Overhead and indirect costs (IDC)
  • Tuition
  • Capital projects
  • Faculty or staff salaries
  • Post-graduation wages or travel costs for students.
Budget

All budget lines must be justified. Applicants should make their case for the use of funds most appropriate to their need.

Please note that funding for conference travel will be limited to $500 per traveler.

The following are examples of allowable expenses; however, Network Grants should not direct funds toward project activities.

  • Faculty and/or staff support:
    • Travel, meals and lodging associated community-engaged learning conducted off campus
    • Project planning, development, assessment and dissemination
    • Reservation of space
    • Materials that support the project
  • Student support:
    • Travel, meals and lodging associated with community-engaged learning conducted off campus
    • Direct costs incurred by students involved in the project (e.g., conference registration)
    • Costs of publication
    • Systems that support the student work experience (graphics, software, enrollment in online training, etc.)
    • Wages for students (work study, other).
      • Information about Cornell student employment and federal work-study is available at studentemployment.cornell.edu/policies
  • Partner support:
    • Funds that support the participation of the off-campus community in the experience and/or documentation, including expenses necessary to build capacity for partner participation
    • Honoraria for outside speakers and/or consultants to complement project planning and student learning
    • Speaker travel costs

The following expenses cannot be supported by Einhorn Center grant funds:

  • Overhead and indirect costs (IDC)
  • Tuition
  • Capital projects
  • Faculty or staff salaries
  • Post-graduation wages or travel costs for students.
Applying
Applying

There are three application cycles per year. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult the Einhorn Center at any time during the application process.

Winter 2023 Spring 2024 Summer 2024
Applications open
Sep. 2023 Dec. 2023 Mar. 2024
Application deadline Oct. 25, 2023 Feb. 1, 2024 Apr. 4, 2024
Notification of awards End of Nov. 2023 Early Mar. 2024 Early May 2024
Start date Mid Dec. 2023 Mid Mar. 2024 Mid May 2024
Final report due Jan. 2025 April 2025 June 2025

 

Proposals must be submitted using the online application form, and include the following information, within the space limits described on the form. Forms will differ slightly from the text below, depending on the nature of the funding request.

  • Project title
  • Team leadership contact information
  • Signed endorsements from the supervisors of team leads
  • Letter(s) of community partner collaboration
  • Letters of support from collaborators (optional)
  • Succinct summary, to be shared publicly, describing the context, purpose and activities of the team
  • Short narratives describing:
    • For Project grants: How the project will address a community-identified need.
    • For Network grants: How the team will work together to address a clearly-defined public issue. 
    • Goals and intended outcomes
    • Clearly identified community partner(s), their role and the benefit of the work to the partner(s)
    • Role of undergraduate students, anticipated student learning outcomes and how they will be assessed
    • Estimated timeline for important milestones during grant period
    • How the proposed work will meet the four criteria for community-engaged learning
    • How the work advances a discipline, promotes positive civic/social impact and/or contributes to the field of community-engaged learning
    • Methods the team will use to assess impact and evaluate progress, growth and effectiveness
    • Potential to sustain impact beyond the grant period
  • Additional project information (e.g., course prerequisites, project completion date, conference abstract), as appropriate
  • Estimated number of Cornell undergraduate students targeted by the proposal
  • Budget and budget justification
Applying

There are three application cycles per year. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult the Einhorn Center at any time during the application process.

Winter 2023 Spring 2024 Summer 2024
Applications open
Sep. 2023 Dec. 2023 Mar. 2024
Application deadline Oct. 25, 2023 Feb. 1, 2024 Apr. 4, 2024
Notification of awards End of Nov. 2023 Early Mar. 2024 Early May 2024
Start date Mid Dec. 2023 Mid Mar. 2024 Mid May 2024
Final report due Jan. 2025 April 2025 June 2025

 

Proposals must be submitted using the online application form, and include the following information, within the space limits described on the form. Forms will differ slightly from the text below, depending on the nature of the funding request.

  • Project title
  • Team leadership contact information
  • Signed endorsements from the supervisors of team leads
  • Letter(s) of community partner collaboration
  • Letters of support from collaborators (optional)
  • Succinct summary, to be shared publicly, describing the context, purpose and activities of the team
  • Short narratives describing:
    • For Project grants: How the project will address a community-identified need.
    • For Network grants: How the team will work together to address a clearly-defined public issue. 
    • Goals and intended outcomes
    • Clearly identified community partner(s), their role and the benefit of the work to the partner(s)
    • Role of undergraduate students, anticipated student learning outcomes and how they will be assessed
    • Estimated timeline for important milestones during grant period
    • How the proposed work will meet the four criteria for community-engaged learning
    • How the work advances a discipline, promotes positive civic/social impact and/or contributes to the field of community-engaged learning
    • Methods the team will use to assess impact and evaluate progress, growth and effectiveness
    • Potential to sustain impact beyond the grant period
  • Additional project information (e.g., course prerequisites, project completion date, conference abstract), as appropriate
  • Estimated number of Cornell undergraduate students targeted by the proposal
  • Budget and budget justification
Expectations and Deliverables
Expectations and Deliverables

Grantees are required to submit a final report using a template provided. Via the annual report, grantees will provide:

  • Summary of activities
  • Evaluations of impact
  • Description of use of funds
  • Future plans for sustained impact 
  • Documentation of student participation
  • Evaluation of student learning outcomes. Grantees may use an assessment tool of their own devising or one of those provided by the Einhorn Center.
  • Documentation of partner participation
  • Evaluation of the partnership, including community partner voice and feedback. Grantees may use a Partnership Assessment Tool of their own devising or one of those provided by the Einhorn Center. 

Additional follow-up may be requested depending on the nature of the funding request.

Expectations and Deliverables

Grantees are required to submit a final report using a template provided. Via the annual report, grantees will provide:

  • Summary of activities
  • Evaluations of impact
  • Description of use of funds
  • Future plans for sustained impact 
  • Documentation of student participation
  • Evaluation of student learning outcomes. Grantees may use an assessment tool of their own devising or one of those provided by the Einhorn Center.
  • Documentation of partner participation
  • Evaluation of the partnership, including community partner voice and feedback. Grantees may use a Partnership Assessment Tool of their own devising or one of those provided by the Einhorn Center. 

Additional follow-up may be requested depending on the nature of the funding request.

Selection Criteria
Selection Criteria

Einhorn Center staff and leadership will review proposals, with selections being made by applying the following criteria, as appropriate:

  • Potential to increase opportunities for Cornell undergraduates to participate in high-quality community-engaged learning opportunities
  • For Project grants: Evidence of community-identified need. Letters of support from community partners and collaborators are especially valuable.
  • For Network grants: Clear articulation of the public issue that the network will address
  • For Network grants: Potential of network to involve multiple stakeholder groups, including faculty, staff, students, community partners and alumni. Letters of support from community partners and collaborators are especially valuable.
  • Feasibility
  • Potential for sustaining the work beyond the life of the grant

Given the competitive funding environment, the Einhorn Center prioritizes projects that amplify people and projects on the margins, cultivating partnerships where gaps exist, such as with historically marginalized communities and projects that connect urban and rural communities.

Selection Criteria

Einhorn Center staff and leadership will review proposals, with selections being made by applying the following criteria, as appropriate:

  • Potential to increase opportunities for Cornell undergraduates to participate in high-quality community-engaged learning opportunities
  • For Project grants: Evidence of community-identified need. Letters of support from community partners and collaborators are especially valuable.
  • For Network grants: Clear articulation of the public issue that the network will address
  • For Network grants: Potential of network to involve multiple stakeholder groups, including faculty, staff, students, community partners and alumni. Letters of support from community partners and collaborators are especially valuable.
  • Feasibility
  • Potential for sustaining the work beyond the life of the grant

Given the competitive funding environment, the Einhorn Center prioritizes projects that amplify people and projects on the margins, cultivating partnerships where gaps exist, such as with historically marginalized communities and projects that connect urban and rural communities.

Previous Recipients
Art, Ecology and the People of the Mohawk River
2022-23
A Community-Engaged Healing Garden in Moshi, Tanzania
2022-23
Excavating Ancient Pompeii
2022-23
“Forever Chemical” Contaminants in Cayuga Lake
2022-23
Pro Bono Reentry Legal Assistance
2022-23
Building Hospitality Skills
2020-21
Disability Policy and Practice in Barbados
2020-21
Emergency and Disaster in Tompkins County
2020-21
Ithaca Housing Hotline
2020-21
MIRTH/Phoenix Players Cayuga Coming Home Project
2020-21
Parole Preparation and Compassionate Release During the COVID-19 Crisis
2020-21
Pro Se: Empowering Systems-Involved Youth through Speech and Debate
2020-21
Real Time Reentry Realities
2020-21
Remote Engaged Research for Robert H. Treman State Park
2020-21
STORIES of TIDES
2020-21
Unemployment Benefits Matter
2020-21
Archaeology and Tourism in Robert H. Treman State Park
2019-20
Cornell Future Food Summit
2019-20
Demystifying Artifacts
2019-20
Food is Building/Building is Food
2019-20
Implementing REDD+ in Peru
2019-20
Learning by Leading
2019-20
Roosevelt Island Community Roundtable
2019-20
Sunrise Acres Senior Housing at Akwesasne
2019-20
Toxic Inequality: Understanding Environmental Justice in America
2019-20
Building Awareness Around Adverse Childhood Experiences
2018-19
A Changing Island
2018-19
Community-Engaged Learning Theory in Local and Global Health
2018-19
Community College and School of Education Vietnam Video
2018-19
Community Veterinary Wellness Clinics
2018-19
Cornell Wind Symphony Community-Engaged Tour
2018-19
Employment and a Cornell Anchor Mission
2018-19
Feminist Directions: Performance, Power and Leadership
2018-19
Food Waste 101
2018-19
A Garden-based Case Study
2018-19
Harvest of Struggle
2018-19
A Home for Homeless Youth
2018-19
Improving Cooperative Business Education
2018-19
Language Access to Justice
2018-19
Prison Theatre and the Possibilities of Transformation Films
2018-19
Town of Dryden Wage and Compensation Study
2018-19
Vision Zero in Ithaca
2018-19
2Gen Summer Scholars Program
2017-18
Anti-Poverty Policy Assessment
2017-18
Bridging the Policy-Academia Divide
2017-18
Community Development and Empowerment Through Evaluation
2017-18
Community Driven Research and Social Impact Collaborative in Rural Uganda
2017-18
Course of Trade
2017-18
Equity Preservation: Sharing and Deepening Connections
2017-18
Evaluating the Parents Apart Program at the Tompkins County Jail
2017-18
Experiential Learning with Co-ops
2017-18
FOR Nepal: Building a Community Center Together
2017-18
A Hidden History
2017-18
Indigenous Community Planning and Landscape Design
2017-18
Local Government Fiscal Stress in New York State, Engaged Opportunity Grant
2017-18
Promoting Community Resilience through School Programs in Rural Chile
2017-18
Responding to Animals in Disasters Workshop
2017-18
Rethinking Interdisciplinary Studies
2017-18
Rust to Green Binghamton Presentation
2017-18
Selling the Past in Modern-Day Greece
2017-18
Social-Ecological Resilience in Design Studios
2017-18
Strengthening Higher Education Program Approvals
2017-18
Balcón Criollo Ithaca
2016-17
Common Ground: Cornell and Ithaca Students Writing Together
2016-17
Cornell Sustainable Landscape Trail
2016-17
Creating Age-Friendly Roman Neighborhoods, Engaged Opportunity Grant
2016-17
CU Alumni of the Cornell Prison Education Program
2016-17
Evaluating Local Impacts of Regional Food Systems Initiatives Workshop
2016-17
Exploring the Impact of National Housing, Work and Immigration Policies
2016-17
ILR Worker Institute Annual Labor Roundtable
2016-17
Our Farms, Our Stories: The Results
2016-17
Participatory Program Evaluation Plan for the Cornell Farmworker Program
2016-17
People Managing Pests
2016-17
Ripple Effect Mapping
2016-17
Root Maps: A Collaborative International Theatre Project
2016-17
Spreading Science Literacy with Science Cafés
2016-17
Supporting Global and Public Health Student Leadership
2016-17
The Rebirth of Living Latin
2016-17
Previous Recipients
2022-23
Art, Ecology and the People of the Mohawk River
A Community-Engaged Healing Garden in Moshi, Tanzania
Excavating Ancient Pompeii
“Forever Chemical” Contaminants in Cayuga Lake
Pro Bono Reentry Legal Assistance
2020-21
Building Hospitality Skills
Disability Policy and Practice in Barbados
Emergency and Disaster in Tompkins County
Ithaca Housing Hotline
MIRTH/Phoenix Players Cayuga Coming Home Project
Parole Preparation and Compassionate Release During the COVID-19 Crisis
Pro Se: Empowering Systems-Involved Youth through Speech and Debate
Real Time Reentry Realities
Remote Engaged Research for Robert H. Treman State Park
STORIES of TIDES
Unemployment Benefits Matter
2019-20
Archaeology and Tourism in Robert H. Treman State Park
Cornell Future Food Summit
Demystifying Artifacts
Food is Building/Building is Food
Implementing REDD+ in Peru
Learning by Leading
Roosevelt Island Community Roundtable
Sunrise Acres Senior Housing at Akwesasne
Toxic Inequality: Understanding Environmental Justice in America
2018-19
Building Awareness Around Adverse Childhood Experiences
A Changing Island
Community-Engaged Learning Theory in Local and Global Health
Community College and School of Education Vietnam Video
Community Veterinary Wellness Clinics
Cornell Wind Symphony Community-Engaged Tour
Employment and a Cornell Anchor Mission
Feminist Directions: Performance, Power and Leadership
Food Waste 101
A Garden-based Case Study
Harvest of Struggle
A Home for Homeless Youth
Improving Cooperative Business Education
Language Access to Justice
Prison Theatre and the Possibilities of Transformation Films
Town of Dryden Wage and Compensation Study
Vision Zero in Ithaca
2017-18
2Gen Summer Scholars Program
Anti-Poverty Policy Assessment
Bridging the Policy-Academia Divide
Community Development and Empowerment Through Evaluation
Community Driven Research and Social Impact Collaborative in Rural Uganda
Course of Trade
Equity Preservation: Sharing and Deepening Connections
Evaluating the Parents Apart Program at the Tompkins County Jail
Experiential Learning with Co-ops
FOR Nepal: Building a Community Center Together
A Hidden History
Indigenous Community Planning and Landscape Design
Local Government Fiscal Stress in New York State, Engaged Opportunity Grant
Promoting Community Resilience through School Programs in Rural Chile
Responding to Animals in Disasters Workshop
Rethinking Interdisciplinary Studies
Rust to Green Binghamton Presentation
Selling the Past in Modern-Day Greece
Social-Ecological Resilience in Design Studios
Strengthening Higher Education Program Approvals
2016-17
Balcón Criollo Ithaca
Common Ground: Cornell and Ithaca Students Writing Together
Cornell Sustainable Landscape Trail
Creating Age-Friendly Roman Neighborhoods, Engaged Opportunity Grant
CU Alumni of the Cornell Prison Education Program
Evaluating Local Impacts of Regional Food Systems Initiatives Workshop
Exploring the Impact of National Housing, Work and Immigration Policies
ILR Worker Institute Annual Labor Roundtable
Our Farms, Our Stories: The Results
Participatory Program Evaluation Plan for the Cornell Farmworker Program
People Managing Pests
Ripple Effect Mapping
Root Maps: A Collaborative International Theatre Project
Spreading Science Literacy with Science Cafés
Supporting Global and Public Health Student Leadership
The Rebirth of Living Latin
Einhorn Center for Community Engagement
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