The National Council for Black Studies (NCBS) is pleased to announce that proposals are now being accepted under the new NCBS Community Education and Civic Engagement Grants Program. This program has been made possible as a result of the generous contributions of federal employees through the National Black United Fund/Federation of Charities (NBUFC).
Under this program grants will be awarded to support projects in which Africana Studies knowledge and skills are made available to local communities. Projects must involve active engagement of faculty and students with community organizations or residents. Special preference will be given to projects providing opportunities for students to obtain practical experience in assisting communities in problem solving by applying knowledge gained in Black/Africana Studies courses. Faculty affiliated with Black/Africana Studies units that are current NCBS Institutional members are eligible to apply for grants up to $5,000.
**We now have funding for individual members for up to $2,500.**
The inaugural grant under this program was awarded to the faculty of Africana Studies at San Diego State University for a project entitled "African American Cultural Exposure" which involves eight weeks of lectures, films and discussion about the history, literature and culture of African American people in the United States.
Faculty members interested in applying for a grant should submit the following:
Ø A proposal no longer than five (5) single-spaced typewritten pages.
Ø A narrative (content indicated below).
Ø A detailed budget not to exceed $2500 of grant funds (projects with larger community impact can potentially be awarded up to $5000). University funding, external and in-kind support should be listed separately.
Ø An abbreviated vita or resume of the principal investigator(s).
Proposals will be reviewed and funded on a rolling basis and can be submitted electronically to Dr. Akinyele Umoja, Chair of the Grants Committee at grant@ncbsonline.org
Examples of Outreach Categories (not limited to those listed)
Ø Youth and K-12 Mentorship
Ø Historic Preservation
Ø Cultural and educational Enrichment
Ø Community Capacity Building
Ø Leadership Development
Funding Guidelines
Ø Traditional Academic Conferences will not be funded
Ø Projects where the major focus is to fund a speaker will not be funded
Ø Traditional individual faculty research projects will not be funded
Ø Requests for equipment purchase will be assigned low priority and must specify clearly disposition of equipment after completion of the project
Ø Requests to pay honoraria to speakers/presenters will be assigned low priority
Ø Previously funded projects will not be eligible for additional funding
Ø Funds will not be provided to subsidize classroom instruction or other activities normally funded by an academic institution
Required Proposal Content
1. Description of the project you are proposing. If the project includes conducting classes, workshops, etc. include #of participants to be served, times and dates of program , starting and ending dates, # of sessions and location(s). Specify the Africana Studies resource materials and personnel that will be used in the project.
2. Description of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to apply knowledge and skills acquired in Africana Studies to issues of consequence for the target community.
3. Delineation of the specific goals or results expected from this project? Describe the criteria that will be used to determine if the project has been successful.
4. Justification explaining why this project is important to your local community (i.e. how will it strengthen the community? How will the target community be different as a result of this project? Discuss the extent to which the results will be sustainable following the conclusion of the project.
Expectation of Funded Projects
Ø All publicity must identify NCBS/NBUFC as project sponsor
Ø Final Report (contents described below)
Ø Participation on grants panel at NCBS annual conference
Final Report
All projects must be completed within one academic year. The final report must be submitted within 60 days of project completion or a refund will be required.
The final report must include the following:
Ø Summary of the outcome
Ø Explanation of how the program was implemented
Ø Details on how the funds were used
Ø Listing of any matching or in-kind funding provided by the university or other partners
Ø Identification of long or short term benefits of the program.
Ø Description of steps undertaken to continue activities
