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November 2005

February 2006

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October 2006

January 2007

Applications Due: February 5, 2007

Faculty Mini-Grant Proposals Requested for Civic/Public Engagement

Fall/Spring 2007/08

UMD’s Office of Civic Engagement announces a request for proposals to UMD’s faculty. The purpose of the grants is to integrate civic/public engagement into an existing course or create a new course with a civic/public engagement component.

Procedures and Criteria for Allocating Mini-Grant Funds

Size and Nature of Awards: The Office of Civic Engagement is anticipating applications for mini-grants supporting faculty in integrating civic/public engagement into courses. An individual UMD faculty member may apply for up to $2,000.

Criteria for Ranking of Award: Applications are open to all UMD faculty. The Office of Civic Engagement Steering Committee will review and rank proposals. Awards will be made by the Office of Vice Chancellor of Academic Administration. Criteria for selection will include one or more of the following:

• Innovation
• Emphasis on increase civic awareness in students
• Multi/inter-disciplinary approach
• Structured reflection: thoughtfully constructed process that challenges and guides students
• Partnership with community groups or organizations
• Curriculum integration
• Clarity 

Application Procedures: Please visit the Office of Civic Engagement website at www.d.umn.edu/outreach/civic/grants.html to view an electronic version of this document containing links to important application documents.

Applicants must provide: (a) cover page, (b) a description of the civic/public engagement component (see course description below), and c) a budget for the requested funds. Please do not exceed three pages. Send electronic copies of the application material to the Office of Civic Engagement via email to: clacore@d.umn.edu Applications must be received by Monday, February 5th, 2007.

Describe Your Course and Explain How It Is Designed To Answer the Following Questions:

• What are the specific goals, activities, and expected outcomes of the course?
• What impact do you expect this course to have on your students?
• What are the innovative features and long term impact of the project in strengthening civic/public engagement?
• Who else will be involved as participants in the project (e.g. other faculty, community partners, etc…)?
• How will the success of the completed project be evaluated?

Budget: Include a brief budget. Only include narrative if clarification is needed.


In addition to an e-mailed mini-grant proposal, please send via campus mail or fax within one week of the February 5th deadline, one paper copy of your proposal with signatures from your department chair, dean and/or director, plus a cover page to:

Office of Civic Engagement
120 Bohannon Hall
Fax: 218-726-8694

Questions: Contact Casey LaCore clacore@d.umn.edu or 218-726-7125

Book Highlighted from The Office of Civic Engagement Library

Creating a New Kind of University: Institutionalizing Community-University Engagement. Stephen L. Percy, Nancy L. Zimpher, Mary Jane Brukardt (eds.) (Mass: Anker Publishing, 2006).

The authors’ previous book, A Time for Boldness, described the processes and results of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s multiyear effort to involve faculty, staff, students, and community members in an institution-wide commitment to engagement. Creating a New Kind of University builds on this work to explore institutional transformation through university-community collaboration. This book examines engagement from historical and comparative perspectives and provides a spectrum of practical ideas for and solutions to the real-world challenges of "doing" engagement. It concludes with a challenge to higher education from a group of national leaders who believe it is time for colleges and universities to take action.

Check out Campus Compact Service-Learning Syllabi www.compact.org/syllabi

At this website, you will find over 300 exemplary service-learning syllabi across a wide variety of disciplines.

Discipline's include; Anthropology, Art, Biology, Business/ Management, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, English, Environmental Studies, Ethics, Foreign Language, Geology, Health, History, Human Development, Journalism, Linguistics, Math, Music, Pharmacy, Philosophy, ,Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Theater, Women's Studies and many others.

New Times Demand New Scholarship: Research Universities and Civic Engagement
www.compact.org/initiatives/research_universities