REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Purpose:
The purpose of this mini-grant program is to enhance the effectiveness in the teaching, scholarship and practice of market economics for business and economics faculty (and select others) at CCCU member institutions. Approved grants will allow for significant collaboration between faculty from different CCCU campuses, will allow future leaders to emerge, strengthen and expand the existing network of scholars, and bring new and fresh ideas to the significant conversations taking place within the field. This program will enhance the “scholarship of pedagogy” among scholars working in the field of business and economics.
The CCCU invites proposals from faculty in one or more of the following broad categories:
Course development —specifically adding new courses or strengthening existing courses in the curriculum which address the nature, function, purpose and practice of free-market economics. This may include courses that deal with the history of economic thought, courses in political economy, micro and macroeconomic courses, or other related subject areas.
Faculty scholarship —identifying scholarly projects which show promise for advancing the understanding of markets, particularly in light of globalization. These projects ought to demonstrate how they relate to the broader academy and “marketplace of ideas”, as well as to lay audiences who might benefit from such scholarship.
Business incubator project — drawing upon existing programs such as the SIFE incubator program, collaborative teams of faculty and students will design small business projects that could be implemented with seed capital from the mini-grant program. Special emphasis should be placed on the synergy between free market practices and non-profit partnerships within a faith-based setting.
Click links on side bar to view grant recipients from previous years.
Terms and Conditions:
- Grant requests may range from $2500 to maximum $10,000. All requested materials must be received by March 23, 2012.
- Please email applications only to Nita Stemmler at nstemmler@cccu.org. Only emailed applications will be accepted. Awards will be announced no later than April 30, 2012.
- Grant payments will be dispersed as follows: 75% after completion of a grant agreement form, 25% after receipt of a satisfactory final project report.
Additional Terms:
Applications can be made by an individual or a team as long as the Project Director for the team is a faculty member from a CCCU member institution. In the case where a grant is awarded to a team, the funds will be sent to the Business Office of the home institution of the Project Director, and that institution shall serve as the fiscal agent during life of the grant (with responsibilities indicated in a grant agreement). The CCCU does not pay overhead to administering institutions for any grants it awards. There is a clear expectation that the entire grant will be used by the faculty member/team for the purposes outlined in the grant proposal.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Each application shall consist of an overview, a narrative, and an appendix. The application overview shall be three pages long and shall include the following:
Page 1: Cover page specifying project title; name(s), position(s), institutional affiliation(s) and contact information (from all applicants). In the case of a team, all grant-related correspondence from the CCCU will be directed to the Project Director.
Page 2: A proposal abstract (maximum of 400 words, single spaced) summarizing the focus, significance and approach of the project.
Page 3: Two lists, with the first containing the description, timeframe and costs of each grant-supported activity; the second outlining an enumeration of specific outcomes to which the proposed is directed (e.g., a new course, small business project).
The application narrative shall be a maximum of nine double-spaced pages and shall include the following:
- A statement on the proposed theme for the project, including an indication of how the project or research will be informed by Christian perspectives.
- A preliminary plan for future individual or collaborative research or activity by team members on topics related to the theme.
- A summary of previous research related to proposed topics for future research.
- A preliminary plan for dissemination to the scholarly community.
- A proposal for activities to be funded by the grant, with a cost breakdown for each activity and a rationale for the proposed distribution of funds.
- A bibliography of works cited in the narrative, if applicable.
The application appendix shall include the following:
- A curriculum vitae for each applicant, and in the case of a team submission, for each member of the proposed team, with a maximum length of five pages per CV (include activities and publications most pertinent to the proposed project).
- Letters of reference from two scholars with recognized expertise relative to the proposed project or theme, attesting to the value of the project and the competency of the applicant/team. Letters should be emailed directly to the Program Administrator, Nita Stemmler at nstemmler@cccu.org no later than March 23, 2012.
- If the home institution(s) of team members is providing collateral support (e.g., faculty release time, student research assistant, etc.), letters of support from appropriate academic officers at the home institution must be emailed directly to nstemmler@cccu.org no later than March 23, 2012.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Successful grant proposals will:
- Have clearly defined the topic, problem, opportunity or challenge which the project intends to address, and why this is of value to the teaching, scholarship and practice of free-market economics.
- Have clearly defined objectives for the project, including measurable outcomes which can be demonstrated upon the completion of the project.
- Have a well defined project budget which is directly related to the proposed activities of the project.
- Demonstrate that the individual and/or team members have related experience, technical knowledge, scholarly and/or business community networks, and other appropriate resources (intellectual, social, financial) that will contribute to the success of the proposed project.
- Demonstrate the potential to improve student understanding of free market principles
- Demonstrate that the results will be disseminated in high-quality venues in the larger academy.
RESOURCES
Students in Free Enterprise
SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses. These teams are led by faculty advisors and they are challenged to develop community outreach projects that reach SIFE's five educational topics:
Market Economics
Success Skills
Entrepreneurship
Financial Literacy
Business Ethics
SIFE team members leverage their personal educational experiences, the expertise of their faculty advisors, the support of their local business advisory boards, and the resources of their institutions to implement programs that create real economic opportunities for members of their communities.
Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty
The Acton Institute organizes seminars aimed at educating religious leaders of all denominations, business executives, entrepreneurs, university professors, and academic researchers in economics principles, and in the connection that can exist between virtue and economic thinking.
The Academic Research Center of the Acton Institute has many valuable resources available for faculty and students.
Questions about this program may be directed electronically to Jesse Rine, Director of Research & Grants Initiatives, at jrine@cccu.org.