Graduate Student Community Grant Program

Program Description

NOTE:  The summer/fall round for 2020 is not being offered, due to Covid-19 concerns 

The purpose of the Graduate Student Community Grant program is to foster creative initiatives that will enhance the collaborative spirit among graduate students in the College of Engineering.  Promoting a sense of community can be achieved through crossing disciplines, building connections, and establishing bonds of kinship.  Graduate students, faculty, and staff are invited to submit proposals for ideas that will further these goals.  Initiatives that are open to all College of Engineering graduate students will be given preference.  This program will provide funding and advice for planning logistics.

Samples of Potential Activities

  • Presentation with an outside speaker, food
  • Sport viewing party
  • Ski trip to Mt. Brighton
  • Bus to a community venue (Greenfield Village, Cedar Point, etc.)
  • Art exhibit
  • Alumni/student mixer with appetizers
  • Student presentation practice session with lunch
  • Cultural exchange with dinner or entertainment
  • Family-focused activity (Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, etc.)
  • Team-building outing at the UM Adventure Leadership program
  • Faculty/student coffee hour
  • Movie night with snacks
  • Game night with snacks
  • Happy Hour at a local restaurant (food, soft drinks)
  • Meet-up BBQ at a park

Funding

Funding given will range from $0-$500.  All proposals must have the ability to be paid with a funds transfer to a shortcode.  Individuals who would like to submit a proposal must have collaboration with either their department or a society, in order for funds to be transferred into an account.  Funding will not be provided for alcohol, equipment (cameras, computers, furniture), research, travel to conferences, charities, wages, or infrastructure.  Left-over funds must be returned within 30 days after the activity.  Receipts should be retained in case of budget audit.

Who Can Apply

College of Engineering graduate students, faculty, or staff may submit proposals.  Collaborations may take place with non-CoE units, if the other unit is willing to match contributions.  

Proposal Application Process

Proposals should identify a graduate student community need, explain the goal for meeting that need, describe the planning time frame, provide details on how this program’s impact will be determined, express who will be responsible for the planning, and explain what the budget will entail.      

  1. Complete a proposal template (see proposal template)
  2. Attach a project timeline
  3. Attach a preliminary budget (see budget template)
  4. Submit to ajrose@umich.edu

a.  Round 1 Proposals will be accepted May 1-31.  Funding decisions will be made by July 31.  The activities that are funded during this round should take place between August 1 and December 31.  NOTE:  This round for 2020 is not being offered, due to Covid-19 concerns! 

b.  Round 2 Proposals will be accepted November 1-30.  Funding decisions will be made by January 31.  The activities that are funded during this round should take place between February 1 and June 30. 

Selection & Notification

  • Submissions will be reviewed by the CoE Office of Student Affairs
  • All applicants will receive decision notification
  • Winning applicants must sign an agreement before funds are transferred

Follow-Through

  1. Winning applicants are expected to take ownership of the active planning and implementation of their program
  2. An appointment may be set with Andria Rose, ajrose@umich.edu, to cover logistics before starting the coordination process, if guidance is needed
  3. All advertising for the event should include a line that says “sponsored by the CoE Office of Student Affairs”
  4. Progress should be reported on a regular basis (see progress report template)
  5. Within 30 days of the completion of the event, leftover funds exceeding $25 should be returned, and a final report, final budget, and a survey summary should be submitted (see final report template).  Please also submit pictures from event, if possible.  Note: for events that will take place in June or December, the final report and extra funds should be returned by the end of the month.