Given the challenges that the COVID pandemic is posing for colleges and universities, we are seeking proposals for developing and implementing online initiatives, including instruction, advising, recruiting, mentoring, tutoring, community building, or other online techniques to support diversity in your computing program (undergraduate- and/or graduate-level). This year we are excited to be able to increase the award amount to $20,000, and we welcome applications from all types of institutions, including community colleges, minority-serving institutions, undergraduate-only institutions, and research institutions.
The NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance Seed Fund program provides up to $20,000 in funds to Higher Ed Alliance member organizations to develop and implement initiatives to broaden participation in their computing programs. After 17 rounds of Seed Fund awards, we are changing the call this round to have a specific focus, so be sure to read all the details. The NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance Seed Fund awards non-profit, U.S. (including U.S. territories) college or university AA members with funds (up to $20,000 per recipient) for projects that support inclusivity in an online environment within their postsecondary computing and information technology programs.
We are seeking proposals that focus on providing inclusive student experiences in online environments, including, but not limited to, recruiting, instruction, advising, mentoring, tutoring, building student community, and belonging in the program. Proposals should utilize existing evidence-based practices or new practices that are grounded in theory or research. Proposals for programs aimed at pre-high school-age students will not be considered.
All Applications
Apply online here: www.ncwit.org/Seed_Fund_Application. Be prepared to provide the following information:
Please provide us with a summary of your proposal. Examples can be found here.
Clearly explain the specifics of and rationale for the project, including relevant details about your institution, department, and the populations you serve. The project should implement either existing evidence-based practices or new practices that are grounded in theory or research. Please refer to peer-reviewed literature and/or NCWIT resources (e.g., research reports, Promising Practices, Top 10’s, etc. found at www.ncwit.org/higheredresources), or rigorously collected evaluation data.
Outline the steps necessary to put your solutions into practice. It is a step-by-step list of tasks with assigned owners and due dates.
At minimum, your evaluation plan should describe how you plan to gather evaluation data from project participants. NCWIT will provide a survey to collect data important to our funders. You may collect additional data on your program. NCWIT will ask for data approximately 12 months after funding.
Describe your plan for continuation or growth of the project if it is successful. This could include a viable plan for securing additional funding to continue the project and/or for disseminating successful practices.
The budget justification is your chance to tell reviewers how you are going to use the money you are asking for. Funding cannot be used for equipment purchases, alcohol, conferences, or to support lobbying.
Citations should point to published research (including, if relevant, NCWIT resources) and directly support your proposed intervention.
Upload a signed letter of support from the dean or department chair expressing their endorsement for the project idea, the PI’s ability to execute on it, and the way in which it fits into departmental priorities. (Note: This letter of support will be submitted on the same online form so please have it ready to upload upon beginning your proposal. The letter should be no longer than one page, be on organizational letterhead, and uploaded as a PDF.)
Applications are peer-reviewed by members of the Academic Alliance and NCWIT staff. Based on those reviews, NCWIT AA Co-chairs submit recommendations to the NCWIT CEO and the NCWIT President and CTO for final approval.
Applications are reviewed using the following criteria:
Deadline
November 2, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. MST
Submission POC
Academic Alliance Awards Manager, Kim Kalahar: [email protected]
Budget
Requests may be made for up to $20,000
Format
An online application, including the upload of a one-page letter of support in PDF format, should be submitted here: www.ncwit.org/Seed_Fund_Application
Checklist
Any non-profit, U.S. college or university (including U.S. territories) that is a member of the NCWIT Academic Alliance (AA). We strongly encourage applications from a variety of institutional settings, including community colleges, minority-serving institutions, undergraduate institutions, and research institutions. Previous seed fund recipients are eligible for this year’s call.
Projects should focus on anything within their computing department that has now moved to an online format as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Suggestions are online instruction, advising, recruiting, community building, mentoring, tutoring or building a community. We’d like to hear what you’re doing to continue to ensure that you’re being inclusive. Proposals aimed at pre-high school-age students will not be considered.
Yes. Potential synergies or overlaps between proposals, however, should be addressed and will be material to the review process.
The Seed Fund is a gift, thus NCWIT prefers that the full amount be given to the award recipient. However, if necessary a maximum of 10% can be used for university overhead/indirect costs.
Funding cannot be used for equipment purchases, alcohol, conferences, or to support lobbying.
A regional/multi-institutional project is acceptable but must remain within the stated funding limits.
Decisions will be made within four months after the submission deadline.
Applications are peer-reviewed by members of the Academic Alliance and NCWIT staff. Based on those reviews, NCWIT AA Co-chairs submit their recommendations to the NCWIT CEO, as well as the NCWIT President and CTO, for final approval.
No. Funding can only be sent to U.S. non-profit institutions (including U.S. territories).
No. Seed Fund gifts can only be sent to non-profit institutions that submit an IRS form W-9.
