Our Programs
Community Partners Program
Funding Guidelines
The Community Partners Program (CPP) is a small grant initiative intended to stimulate collaborations between members of the University community and residents of the neighborhoods surrounding the College Park campus. CPP aims to catalyze long-term university-community engagement by supporting research, teaching and action firmly rooted in community-identified needs. By actively promoting collaborative solutions to community needs, CPP aspires to cultivate a shared sense of place, belonging, safety, trust, cooperation, understanding, and hope between community residents and the University.
CPP's purpose is to focus a range of University resources on partnerships that improve the quality of life in Prince George's County while enriching the caliber of learning on campus by promoting hands-on problem solving and innovation.
CPP is administered by the staff of the Engaged University, a unit of Maryland Cooperative Extension at the University of Maryland, College Park. The program is a creation of the Provost, the Vice President for University Relations and key University trustees and embodies an institutional commitment to Prince George's County.
Eligibility
CPP funds provide seed money to faculty, students, staff and university units who would like to incorporate various kinds of community engagement into their instructional, research, outreach or service programs. The funds are also intended to encourage local non-profits and other community groups, agencies and organizations to partner with university units to meet community-identified needs.
Maryland Cooperative Extension faculty, directors of University Centers, tenured or tenure-track faculty, full-time instructors and advisors of student organizations are particularly encouraged to apply. Local non-profits and other community groups, agencies and organizations are encouraged to apply with their university partners.
Temporary, visiting, adjunct, part-time faculty, postdoctoral research or teaching assistants and students cannot serve as the principle investigator (PI), but are encouraged to partner with community organizations or permanent staff to apply. No individual may serve as a co-PI on more than one project, but the same individual may collaborate on more than one proposal.
CPP grants address critical needs in the communities surrounding the University of Maryland, College Park campus, with a special focus on low-income neighborhoods within Adelphi, Avondale, Bladensburg, Brentwood, Colmar Manor, College Park, Cottage City, Edmonston, Langley Park, Lewisdale, Hyattsville, Mt. Rainier, North Brentwood, and Riverdale, among others.
Examples of activities of interest include (but are not limited to):
- Instructional programs that incorporate community-based learning;
- New multidisciplinary, engaged curricula courses across colleges;
- Community-based participatory research aimed at solving important community problems;
- Applied policy analysis/advocacy leading to concrete benefits for the local community;
- Community asset identification and mapping;
- Community-based arts and community building projects;
- Local media and communication vehicles;
- Community based technology;
- Strategic planning, and resource development;
- Technical assistance on key community concerns, such as education, public health, and environment;
- Local leadership training and development;
- Training programs that anchor assets and wealth in local communities;
- Professional development projects for faculty & staff aimed at strengthening engagement skills.
Application Process & Review Criteria
CPP funding is intended to serve as seed money for new or nascent university-community partnerships. CPP funding aims to catalyze and sustain partnerships in their "start-up" phase, with the expectation that successful projects will expand and seek external funding from various sources.
The program is not intended to be a source of support for existing, ongoing engagement activities, nor is it an alternative source of funds for programs already developed to a level which normally would justify support from external sources.
While preference will be given to sustainable projects that have potential long-term impact (i.e. 5-10 years), proposed projects should also be able to show tangible results in the short-term (i.e. 1-2 years). These grants are not intended to provide support for previously funded projects or established areas of teaching, research or outreach.
Community partners are not required to have 501(c)(3) status to qualify for funding. However, community partners without 501(c)(3) status should have a fiscal agent with 501(c)(3) status authorized to receive funds on their behalf.
To apply for funding from the Community Partners Program, prospective grantees should submit a brief (no more than 2-page) double-spaced Letter of Inquiry (LOI). The deadline for LOI is TBA.
The LOI and the full proposal will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Clarity of project objectives and activities;
- Capacity to implement proposed project;
- Identification of a project team comprised of both University and local community members;
- Inclusiveness of the project/proposal development process;
- Demonstrated experience and success with collaborative projects;
- Clear and effective evaluation plan;
- If involving students, expected contribution to students' learning objectives and experience; if not involving students, anticipated contribution to the University of Maryland campus;
- Positive and measurable impact on the quality of life of populations in the target community;
- Potential for long-term sustainability of the project;
- Impact on the civic life of the campus and surrounding communities;
- Creativity and innovation.
Special consideration will be given to proposals that demonstrate faculty collaboration across colleges, disciplines, and units and partnerships among academic units, student groups and Maryland Cooperative Extension.
The LOI will be read and reviewed by the Engaged University staff and must include the following:
- Overview of the University and community partners collaborating on the project, including identification of the University host unit and the primary community organization;1
- Names and qualifications of proposed PI and other key project personnel: the PI must be based at either the University host unit or the primary community organization;
- Description of community need the project will address, including an explanation of the process used to identify the need;
- Description of the project's method and activities, including target population(s);
- Project timeline;
- Project budget;
- Amount of funding requested from CPP;
- Brief outline of project evaluation plan.
Applicants most closely meeting CPP's funding guidelines will be contacted and will invited to submit a full proposal of no more than 6 (double spaced/12 pt font) pages, plus appendices.
Full proposals should include the following elements:
- Cover letter/Executive Summary
- Overview of collaborating organizations, purpose and objectives of project, statement of need, and proposed activities, total project cost, and amount of funding request;
- Statement of Need
- Definition and scope of issue, including populations most affected;
- Detailed explanation of the process by which the community identified the need to be addressed;
- Project Partners
- Overview of University unit(s) and community organization(s) collaborating on project, including mission statements, constituents/communities served, other program activities, and previous accomplishments. [Note: additional information on project partners should be included in the Appendices.]
- Project Objectives and Methods
- Outline of project objectives;
- Description of program activities;
- Project management plan;
- Evaluation Plan
- Anticipated short- and long-term outcomes;
- Proposed evaluation methods;
- Assessment indicators to be measured;
- Budget [Note: The budget should reflect how CPP funding will be split amongproject partners. CPP funding should be shared proportionally touniversity and community collaborators' respective projectresponsibilities and/or needs.]
- Detailed project budget, indicating sources of income and anticipated expenditures
- Match (in-kind and monetary), if applicable
Appendices:
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt letter; or tax exempt letter of fiscal agent, if applicable;
- Brief Vitae for PI and other key project personnel
- MOU's from secondary University units and community organizations collaborating on project
- Timeline, including sequence of activities, staffing, training, evaluation and other benchmarks.
Proposal Review and Award Notification
Letters of Inquiry will be reviewed by Engaged University staff, who will invite selected projects to submit a full proposal. Full proposals will be read and evaluated by the CPP Review Committee, comprised of three (3) University representatives and three (3) community representatives. A non-voting member of the Engaged University staff will facilitate the CPP Review Committee.
The CPP Review Committee will make recommendations to the Community Engagement Board of Advisors, which will make the final funding decisions.
Funding Limits and Use of Funds
CPP funds will be awarded in amounts ranging from $3,000-10,000. Approximately 5 awards will be made in the first funding cycle. Demonstration of other resources is encouraged but not required. CPP monies are intended to support the development of new engagement activities or to build engagement into current activities.
CPP funds can be used as matching funds, where required as part of an external proposal. These funds are considered to be state funds and are subject to all state guidelines, and are to be expended within the timeframe of the proposed work. Projects receiving CPP funding are expected to share these monies proportionally to University and community collaborators' respective project responsibilities and/or needs. At the end of the grant cycle, any unused funds will revert back to the Provost's Office.
CPP grant funds may be used for:
- Support of undergraduate and graduate student involvement in the project;
- Transportation expenditures required by the project;
- General expenditures required by the project, e.g. supplies, equipment, materials, services, and consultants.
CPP grant funds may not be used for:
- Travel and fees to attend professional meetings or conferences;
- Facilities or administrative costs;
- Staff salaries.
Submissions and Deadline
Applicants should submit 2 hard copies of the Letter of Inquiry on official letterhead.
Community Partners Program
c/o The Engaged University
Center for Educational Partnership
6200 Sheridan Street
Riverdale, MD 20737
Questions should be directed to:
Genevieve Villamora, Assistant Director
The Engaged University
Phone: 301-405-2285
Email: euinfo@umd.edu