The Process

The process begins each fall with required interest meetings (applicants must attend at least one). Proposals are due Thursday, January, 31, 2013. Interest meetings for the 2013 grant cycle were held October 24, 2012, November 13, 2012 and December 12, 2012. There are no more interest meetings scheduled for the 2013 grant cycle. If you have an established partnership and have begun the development of your application but did not make one of the interest meetings, please contact Courtney Leon at cgleon@memphis.edu. Both partners must have attended an interest meeting to qualify for funding.

Types of Grants

The Strengthening Communities Initiative offers two types of grants: Small Grants and Capacity Building grants.

Small grants of up to $2500 will be awarded to nonprofits for a one-time community development project, preferably to support initial work that will lead to a future capacity-building grant. Click here for the 2013 Small Grant RFP. Click here for the Word version of the 2013 Small Grant application and here for the application budget form.

Capacity-building grants can be requested for up to $18,000 for an 18-month period. Community-based nonprofits must partner with a tenure-track faculty member in order to apply for these grants. Click here for the 2013 Capacity Building RFP. Click here for a Word version of the 2013 Capacity Building application and here for the application budget form.

Finding a Partner

Each Strengthening Communities capacity building grant involves a partnership between a community nonprofit organization and a University of Memphis faculty member.

We welcome the attendance of nonprofit and faculty member teams that are already in place at our interest meetings, but we also encourage interested non-profit organization representatives and interested faculty members to attend so they may have a chance to meet other interested applicants.

The School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy and the Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership will try to assist interested non-profit organizations and faculty members with finding potential teammates for their projects.

CLICK HERE FOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

REGARDING FINDING A PARTNER

Application Timeline

The application process begins with interest meetings, which will take place each fall. Each applicant must attend at least one of these meetings, where they will receive detailed application information, have a chance to ask questions, and meet other interested applicants.

All applications will be reviewed by the Strengthening Communities Grant Review Committee and awards will be announced late spring, 2013.