University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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Broadening Inclusion Grant

"Diversity is getting invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance." Verna Myers.

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is committed to supporting sustainable efforts and co-curricular practices that foster respect and inclusion. OVCDEI invites students, staff and faculty to apply for the Broadening Inclusion Grant. This grant is designed to encourage members of our campus community to think broadly about innovative ways to engage across disciplines and perspectives to create a more inclusive and just society.

Requests up to $5,000 per proposal will be considered.

Purpose of the Broadening Inclusion Grant

  1. To build collaborative, interdisciplinary, and inclusive experiences across diverse groups and across disciplines.
  2. To develop programs and initiatives that broaden and strengthen Illinois’ community and diversity of experiences.
  3. To foster a climate of inclusion that creates transformative change across campus.

Proposals that seek to bring together members of our community from different cultural (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, religious, nationality, socioeconomic status, generational, etc.) backgrounds and perspectives will be given a priority.

Eligibility

Funding will be provided for proposals that clearly articulate how the project will enhance inclusion to benefit cross-cultural interaction, instruction, research productivity, student outcomes, and/or faculty development. Recognizing that there are a variety of needs that require specific and targeted efforts, funding can be utilized in a myriad of ways. For example, proposals might include the development of workshops, conversation series, research projects, developing materials, initiation of faculty/graduate student writing groups, educational forums, or cultural/educational programs.

The Broadening Inclusion Grant is not intended to fund dissertation research, incentives for research participation, research trials, or personnel for existing research.

Successful proposals will represent collaborations between any combination of student groups/RSOs, academic and administrative units, campus-serving organizations, or University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty or staff.

Funding Cycle

Broadening Inclusion Grant proposals are reviewed each spring semester and will fund projects that will be implemented in the following fiscal year (July 1-June 30).

Award Details

Requests up to $5,000 per proposal will be considered. Proposals must be a collaboration between students, an academic or administrative units, or faculty/staff. Priority consideration will be given to proposals that are new initiatives. Funds must be spent in accordance with university policy and procedure.

Grant recipients will be asked to provide an end-of-semester final report to OVCDEI outlining the delivery of the program, assessing goals and outcomes, as well as reflecting on successes and challenges. The report should also include planned next steps to develop or sustain the program. A report format will be provided to successful applicants.

Application Requirements

Please apply through the online WebTools form.

In the form, you will be asked to include:

  • Project Title
  • Project Organizers
  • Collaborators (Names, Affiliations and Email Addresses)
  • Project Description (500 word maximum)
  • Anticipated Community Building Outcomes
  • Target Audience
  • Anticipated Participation
  • Plans for Sustainability
  • Amount Requested, including from other sources
  • Budget and Justification

If you encounter accessibility issues with this form please email diversity@illinois.edu.

Budget

Please provide a budget for this program and describe how the amount requested will allow you to meet the grant’s goal of building collaborative and inclusive experiences among diverse groups and across disciplines. If you are seeking funding from multiple sources, please articulate if and how you will proceed with your project if other funding efforts are unsuccessful.

Funding

Funds will be provided upon request in the fiscal year expenses are incurred and cannot exceed actual expenses for the project. Award funds must be used consistent with the budget proposal. Re-allocation of award funds for purposes not delineated in the budget proposal must receive prior approval. Any funds that are not spent by July 1, 2023 must be returned to OVCDEI. Support will be provided in the form to State and ICR funds only. Documentation of expenses must be provided upon request from the OVCDEI.

Funds awarded in Spring 2022 must be used by June 30, 2023.

Information Sessions

Faculty, staff, and students who are interested in submitting a Broadening Inclusion Grant proposal are invited to attend one or both informational sessions. The informational sessions will provide an overview of the grant, share examples of successful proposals, and answer questions about the criteria, the budget, eligibility, and any other questions attendees may have.

Questions?

For additional questions and further guidance, please contact diversity@illinois.edu.