Innovations in University-Community Collaborations

Introduction
Next spring up to $332,000 in grants will be awarded to MSU faculty as part of the annual Innovations in University-Community Research Collaborations competitive grant program, sponsored by the Families And Communities Together ( FACT ) Coalition and University Outreach and Engagement, and MSU Extension.

The Innovations program is designed to increase MSU's competitive stance for federal research funding that addresses issues related to the health and well-being of children, youth, families, and communities. The program supports multidisciplinary and collaborative research that links MSU with Michigan communities.

Tenure-stream MSU faculty, nontenure-stream faculty who have research assignments, and MSU Extension staff who are in the continuing employment system are eligible to apply for Innovations funding. All projects must be collaborative efforts and must include:

• MSU faculty from more than one department or unit and more than one discipline.
• Off-campus MSU Extension staff or representatives of community organizations (community partners).
  

FACT Topic Areas for 2008-09 Grants

• Six, 12-24 month, grants of up to $50,000 each will be awarded. Proposals must focus on one of the topics five following areas:
  • Families and Aging
  • Families and the Economy
  • Family and Community Diversity and Disparities
  • Family and Community Health
  • Families, Technology and Human Development

University Outreach and Engagement - MSU Extension Grant

UOE-MSU Extension grants are awarded for one year. For 2008-2009, one $32,000 award will be made for research on positive youth development. The project must focus on positive outcomes for children, youth, and families and be located with the Detroit Youthville program.

Information Forums

MSU faculty, Extension staff and community partners who are interested in learning how to apply for a research grant addressing a variety of issues related to families and communities are invited to attend information forums in October.

• Monday, September 29, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Michigamme, Kellogg Center
• Tuesday, October 21, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Willy Room, Kellogg Center

Please contact the FACT office at fact@msu.edu to reserve space at the forum you prefer to attend.

If you would like to receive an e-mail reminder before the forum, send a request to fact@msu.edu.

These annual forums bring together potential project partners from on and off campus, provide details about the request for proposals, and address questions about the application process. Each forum contains the same information, are free and open to all.

Following the September 29th forum, a seminar titled "Building a Strong Proposal" will be conducted from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. (Michigamme Room) for potential applicants. Lunch will be provided from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in Room Red Cedar A. Please contact FACT office at fact@msu.edu to reserve space at this event.

Click here for maps and driving directions to Michigan State University and Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.

Review Process
A panel of children, youth, family, and community scholars from MSU will review FACT proposals. The panel will be chaired by William Davidson, university distinguished professor, Department of Psychology. Notification of all awards will take place after March 23, 2009. Written evaluations of the proposals will be distributed to principal investigators by April 16, 2009.

To Find Out More
Click on the links that follow for the complete Innovations in University-Community Research Collaborations request for proposals, supporting documents for the Innovations application, information on previous FACT grant projects, and a searchable database of potential research partners.

• Innovations Request for Proposals Announcement (PDF)
• Proposal Cover Form
• Budget Form
• Biographical Sketch Form
• Proposal Checklist
• Frequently Asked Questions
• FACT/UOE Forum Information Session PowerPoint
• "Building a Strong Proposal" PowerPoint
• MSUE FACT Planning Grant
• Previous FACT Grant Project Descriptions

• Contacts
  Visit the FACT web site at http://www.fact.msu.edu/ or contact:

  Janet Bokemeier, Co-Director, FACT Coalition
  Chair and Professor, MSU Department of Sociology
  Phone: 517-355-6632
  E-mail: bokemeie@msu.edu
  

  Cheryl Booth, Co-Director, FACT Coalition
  Assistant Director, Children, Youth, Families and Communities- MSUE
  Phone: 517-355-0265
  E-mail: boothc@msu.edu
  

  Patricia Farrell, Associate Director, FACT Coalition
  Senior Director, University-Community Partnerships, University Outreach & Engagement
  Phone: 517-355-4572
  E-mail: farrellp@msu.edu