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Chancellor’s Impact Seed Grants

Overview

Central to the vision of the Rutgers University – Newark (RU-N) strategic plan, Where Opportunity Meets Excellence, is the notion of RU-N being a place where people with tremendous talent, intellectual capacity, and imagination can fully leverage these assets to have an impact on our students, our university, and the many communities with which we interact. The Chancellor’s Office has dedicated funds for the 2022 Chancellor’s Impact Seed Grant Program to support the development and implementation of projects proposed by members of the RU-N community. The seed grants are intended to not only provide critical early support to catalyze innovative programs and ideas, but also to build momentum and visibility to enable support from other funders. This support is a continuation of the Chancellor seed grants awarded in prior years, which have led to transformative success through centers focused on social justice, research on wastewater phosphates, improved awareness of student debt, public-history projects on Newark, and many other initiatives. We encourage projects that promote social justice and advance anchor institution collaborative work (including in collaboration with community partners), publicly-engaged scholarship, student success and equity, and the other strategic priorities of RU-N (see http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/strategic-planning). As just a few examples, proposals may relate, but are not limited to, science and the urban environment, safe and healthy neighborhoods, expanding equity in student access and success; educational pathways from K-20, racial justice, equitable economic growth, socially-engaged art, and public history.

The RFP can be downloaded here: Impact Grants RFP 21-22

Funding

Applicants may apply for up to a total of $25,000, to be spent over two years (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024). To facilitate tracking of funded projects, successful applicants will need to work through Rutgers RAPSS (Research Administration and Proposal Submission System). It is expected that the project outcome will be shared with the RU-N community through a report/symposium at the end of the funding period.

Due Date for proposals: February 15, 2022

Award Announcement:  April 15, 2022

Eligibility

The Chancellor’s Impact Seed Grants Program is open to all RU-N faculty and professional staff, though teams could also include RU-N students as well as community partners. Applicants may serve as a Principal Investigator (PI) on one proposal only; however, an applicant may serve as a collaborator or co-PI on multiple proposals. Projects that are already being funded by prior awards from the Chancellor’s Office can also apply for these grants with a strong rationale for the need for additional funds (please see guidance for Continuing Projects). However, priority will be given to new projects and PIs/Co-PIs.

Submission Process

I. All new proposals must include:

  1. Abstract: A summary of 500 words (or less) of the proposed project that includes an outline of the project’s goals and its impact. Please use language that is accessible to those with varying levels of expertise.
  2. Project Description (maximum 3 pages)
      • Project overview, methods and goals for the grant period.
      • Anticipated impact, including a statement outlining the project’s advancement of one or more of RU-N’s strategic priorities (see http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/strategic-planning).
      • Description of multi-disciplinary partnerships, including the names and affiliations of the individuals collaborating on the proposal, with brief (one-paragraph) statements of support from participants (these statements will be outside the 3-page limit for the project description).
      • Plan for sustaining the project beyond the initial funding cycle, if applicable.
  1. Signature of approval from the dean, department head, director and/or supervisor of the PI’s home unit.
  2. A budget narrative that provides an overview of projected expenses. Note that the grant cannot be used for faculty compensation (e.g., summer salary or stipends), but funding for graduate and/or undergraduate workers is allowable.

II. All continuing project proposals must include:

  1. Abstract: A summary of 500 words (or less) of the project that is already being funded by prior awards from the Chancellor’s Office, and how the additional funds may elevate the impact. Please use language that is accessible to those with varying levels of expertise.
  2. Project Description (maximum 3 pages)
      • Description of activities conducted through the original funds from the Chancellor and the impact that the project has had to date in the advancement of one or more of RU-N’s strategic priorities (see http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/strategic-planning).
      • Anticipated impact from the additional funding in this cycle.
      • Description of multi-disciplinary partnerships, including the names and affiliations of the individuals collaborating on the proposal, with brief (one-paragraph) statements of support from participants (these statements will be outside the 3-page limit for the project description).
      • Plan for sustaining the project.
  3. A budget narrative that provides an overview of projected expenses. Note that the grant cannot be used for faculty compensation (e.g., summer salary or stipends), but funding for graduate and/or undergraduate workers is allowable.

All new and continuing project proposals must be uploaded in pdf format via the electronic submission form:

go.rutgers.edu/impactRUN

Review Criteria

Each new proposal will be reviewed by a team set up by the Chancellor according to the following criteria:

  1. Originality: Proposals should reflect projects/curricula/programs that contribute to a spirit of innovation on our campus.
  2. Impact: Proposals must include a statement of the project’s expected impacts as a direct result of the funds. In particular, projects should advance one or more of the priorities articulated in the strategic plan: http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/strategic-planning.
  3. Interdisciplinarity: Proposals should demonstrate partnerships across two or more RU-N units and where appropriate, with other disciplinary partners, agencies and organizations.
  4. Sustainability: Each proposal should address whether the project is intended to be time limited or sustained over time. If the project is not time limited, the applicants should describe how the project will be sustained over time.

 Each continuing project proposal will be reviewed by a team set up by the Chancellor according to the following criteria:

  1. Past impact. Evidence of project impact that positively affected the lives of our students, our university community, and/or another identifiable community.
  2. Anticipated future (continuing) impact. Proposals must include a statement of the project’s expected impacts as a direct result of the additional funds from this cycle. In particular, projects should advance one or more of the priorities articulated in the strategic plan: http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/strategic-planning.
  3. Interdisciplinarity: Proposals should demonstrate how additional funds may promote interdisciplinarity, such as by cementing existing partnerships, or building new ones, across academic RU-N units and where appropriate, with other academic partners, agencies and organizations.
  4. Sustainability: Each proposal should address how the project will be sustained over time, after the additional grant funds are exhausted.

Please direct all questions to: ChancellorImpact@Newark.Rutgers.edu