Innovation Fund

2012-13 Innovation Fund Application Deadlines:

Expedited: Monday, February 18 (no longer accepted)
Regular: Monday, April 1 (no longer accepted)

Innovation Fund Process

Further information about the Innovation Fund Process for 2012-13 is available.

Eligibility to Apply

Faculty, staff, and students may submit an application. Note that the applicant must also be the project lead for a project, if funding is awarded. Therefore, for pilot projects, there is a strong preference for tenured or tenure-track faculty applicants and non-term staff applicants to ensure continuity of a project. More than one proposal may be submitted per individual, provided that each proposal is distinct.

To promote creative thinking, no project is off limits; however, the project must have the potential for significant impact on teaching or learning and:

(1) Provide a superior way to fulfill one or more parts of the College's mission: "The College aims to graduate women and men who can think clearly, who can speak and write persuasively and even eloquently, who can evaluate critically both their own and others' ideas, who can acquire new knowledge, and who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good."

(2) Directly contribute to the success of one or more of the College's six strategic goals: Teaching and Learning; Learning Spaces; Enrollment; Post-Graduation Success; Alumni Engagement; and Financial and Human Resource Management.

While no departmental or office sign-off is needed to submit a proposal, applicants are encouraged to consult with colleagues for appropriate advice. If your proposal is accepted for further consideration, the funding committee will explore what implications your proposal may have on your department or office.

Application Length

The abstract is limited to three sentences maximum. There is no limit for the budget estimate portion of the proposal. Responses to the other items may be of any length, provided that the total length of your responses does not exceed two single-spaced pages. We suggest typing your responses in a Word document so that you can easily determine when you have met the two-page limit, and to save your responses for editing and future reference. 

We would like one project lead that the funding committee may contact for further information. We encourage collaboration; therefore, others who are key to an application or who are "co-proposers," please select "yes" and list them in the appropriate section below.

Please list any "co-proposers" or others who are key to your application above.

“Pilot project” is a project that implements and puts into practice an innovative idea, which will be evaluated for success based on goals and measurements as determined by the project lead. Pilot projects can apply for up to three years of funding, with the exception of expedited pilot projects which can only be one year in duration.

“Planning project” is an action that investigates or researches whether a certain innovative idea is feasible before actual implementation. Planning projects are limited to a one-year duration.

"Mellon-Humanities for Life" grants will give members of the Grinnell community an opportunity to illustrate how the practice of humanistic inquiry takes place within and well beyond the walls of the academy. These grants are limited to faculty proposing a project related to the theme of “Humanities for Life.”

While realizing the list above is broad and may overlap, indicate the one area that is most appropriate for your proposed project. Please note that all project areas must relate to teaching and learning.

In a few words, what is the title of your project?

In two or three sentences, provide a summary statement of your project, an estimate of the total amount of funding you are seeking, and the project timeline (one, two, or three years). Expedited projects and planning projects are limited to one year.

What is the project? The significance and potential impact of the project; how the project relates to the College's strategic goals (particularly teaching and learning); and the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources needed for your project to succeed.

Identify your project's learning objectives and measurable outcomes.

What makes the project innovative? What are the risks and challenges, and how may they be addressed in the project?

Why the individual who is submitting the project is suitable to implement the project. If applicable, succession plans if, for example, the project lead is proposing a two-year project but will be graduating at the end of one year.

Why is the proposal uniquely suited to the stated goal of the Innovation Fund rather than other funding sources? Note that the Innovation Fund is not the place to seek alternative funding for projects or ideas, such as an expansion of an existing program, that should instead go through the normal budgeting process in your department or office.

How much are you requesting in total funds? Note that planning projects are one time grants. Pilot projects may be 1-, 2-, or 3-years. For a pilot project, note how much you are requesting for each year you are seeking funding, e.g., 1st year = ~$25K; 2nd year = ~$20K; 3rd year = ~$5K.

Please provide a list of budget items and their estimated costs, if known. Example: course release-unknown cost; supplies-$1K; student wages-$2K; travel-$500. You can also just email your itemized budget to chanmel@grinnell.edu in a Word document or Excel worksheet.

Expedited applications are no longer accepted. You may submit an application for the regular process; award annoucements for regular applications will be made by May 24, 2013.

Application

Contact person: 
Melisa Chan
Contact information: 
chanmel@grinnell.edu