The President's Public Purpose Grant Program supports efforts of UNLV faculty, staff, and students who wish to establish and/or to enhance mutually beneficial and reciprocal partnerships that align with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s definition of academic community engagement and the university’s Top Tier 2.0 Community Partnership objectives.
UNLV subscribes to the definition of community engagement provided by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching:
Community engagement describes the collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good.
In addition to this definition, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching provides guidance for higher education institutions regarding “resources that demonstrate an institution’s commitment to institutionalizing and sustaining community engagement. Resources include funding dedicated to community engagement—not for any activity external to the campus, (community-based) but for community engagement activity as defined by the Carnegie Foundation.”
The President’s Public Purpose Grant Program is a reflection of UNLV’s commitment to institutionalizing and sustaining academic community engagement and partnerships university-wide. The grant program offers 36 funding opportunities, across 10 grant categories, totaling $140,000 annually.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a President's Public Purpose Grant, the applicant must be:
- A UNLV faculty, staff, or student
- Engaged in or planning to engage in a community partnership or activity that aligns with the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching’s definition of academic community engagement
Additionally, the community partnership or activity must reflect each of the following partnership attributes:
- Mutual Benefit - the assurance that all parties involved achieve outputs and/or outcomes that serve their interests
- Reciprocity - all partners, especially community partners and students, are involved as thought-partners and collaborators who help decide and inform the direction, activity, assessment, and dissemination of the partnerships’ efforts
- Asset Based – recognition and value of the knowledge, capacities, resources, and resilience of all partners, especially community and student partners
Applications
Applications for a grant must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the primary community partner who is/will be involved in the partnership.
Applications must be submitted by an individual; group applications will not be considered. Applicants can apply for only one grant in only one category each year. There is no requirement for the grant to be given in every category every year.
Applications must be received by April 30. Grant funding cycles align with UNLV's fiscal year, (July to June).
To learn more or to apply, please review the award categories and criteria below.
President’s Choice Partnership Grant
- New Partnership Grant - $25,000 (one opportunity)
- Existing Partnership Grant - $15,000 (one opportunity)
Rian Satterwhite Civic Engagement Partnership Grant
- New Partnership Grant - $15,000 (one opportunity)
- Existing Partnership Grant - $7,500 (one opportunity)
Faculty Service-Learning Class Partnership Grant
- New Class Development Grant - $5,000 (two opportunities)
- Existing Class Enhancement Grant - $1,500 (two opportunities)
Faculty Community-Based Research Partnership Grant
- New Partnership Grant - $5,000 (two opportunities)
- Existing Partnership Grant - $2,500 (two opportunities)
Faculty/Staff Community Needs Event Partnership Grant
- New Event Grant - $5,000 (two opportunities)
Staff Outreach Partnership Grant
- New Partnership Grant - $3,000 (two opportunities)
- Existing Partnership Grant - $1,000 (two opportunities)
Community Engagement Professional Development CUMU Conference Grant
- Faculty Grant – $2,500 (one opportunity)
- Staff Grant - $ 2,000 (one opportunity)
Publication or Policy Report Partnership Grant
- New Partnership - $1,250 (two opportunities)
Student Outreach Partnership Grant
- Graduate Student New Partnership Grant - $2,500 (two opportunities)
- Graduate Student Existing Partnership Grant – $1,000 (two opportunities)
- Undergraduate Student New Partnership Grant - $1,500 (two opportunities)
- Undergraduate Student Existing Partnership Grant – $750 (two opportunities)
Funding Gap/Emergent Need Support for Existing Partnership
- Faculty, Staff, or Student Partnership Grant - $500 (six opportunities)