Policy for Emergency Funding Requests to Support Community-Engaged Projects

Purpose and Overview  

The Division of Community Engagement (DCE) is committed to supporting high-impact, community-engaged scholarship and practice that aligns with institutional priorities, including engagement with designated priority partner communities.  

From time to time, faculty may experience unexpected funding gaps or require additional support to carry out meaningful community-engaged projects. To ensure a fair and transparent process, DCE has established this policy to guide the distribution of limited, one-time emergency funds to support such initiatives.  

Faculty are encouraged to review the DCE website to ensure alignment with stated priorities and partnership focus areas. Preference will be given to proposals that are clearly structured, outcomes-oriented, and aligned with community-engaged best practices.

Eligibility and Use of Funds  

• Full-time faculty at VCU engaged in community-based scholarship, research, or practice  
• Projects that align with DCE priorities, including work in priority partner communities  
• Proposals that reflect a clear and demonstrated need for one-time, emergency funding  
• Funds may not be used for ongoing operational support or multi-year commitments  
• You are not eligible to apply for this emergency funding if you currently hold an active grant from the DCE.

Criteria for Consideration  

Proposals must demonstrate the following:  

• A clear project scope with defined outcomes and deliverables  
• Evidence of co-design and input from community partners 
• Applicants should explain how the emergency funding will meaningfully advance their project, partnership, or research.
• A strategy for data dissemination or public sharing of results  
• Documentation of the community partnership in the Collaboratory database  
• A willingness to serve as a future grant reviewer for at least one DCE grant cycle  
• The requested funds must be used within one year of the award. While the overall project may extend beyond that timeline, the portion supported by this funding should be completed within the one-year period, as renewal funding is not available.

Application Requirements  

To be considered for funding, applicants must submit:  

1. A brief proposal (2-3 pages) outlining the project, the purpose of the emergency request, and the expected outcomes  

Please explain how the emergency funding will supplement an existing project. This funding is not intended to serve as the sole source of support. For standalone project funding, we encourage you to explore other DCE grant opportunities. This emergency fund is designed specifically to provide additional support or fill a gap within a larger, ongoing initiative.

2. A detailed budget and justification  
3. A letter of support from the applicant’s department chair  
4. A letter of support from the community partner involved in the project  

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. You can expect a response within three weeks of submission. Please note that follow-up questions may be sent for further consideration during the review process.

To apply, submit your pages by email to dcegrantsinfo@vcu.edu.

Review and Reporting  

• Proposals will be reviewed by a small review committee convened by DCE  
• Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. You can expect a response within three weeks of submission. Please note that follow-up questions may be sent for further consideration during the review process.
• Funded recipients will be required to submit a brief final report at the conclusion of the project, including project outcomes and a summary of how funds were used  
• You may be asked to join a follow-up meeting after the project to share what you learned and help others benefit from your experience.

Additional Notes  

• Emergency funding is limited and competitive; submission does not guarantee funding  
• All funded activities must comply with university guidelines and community engagement ethics  
• To support multiple faculty projects, each proposal may request a maximum of $2,000. We plan to allocate up to four project requests per academic year (September-August). Please note that funding cannot be used for travel expenses.

Examples of Eligible Emergency Funding Uses 

Emergency funding is intended to provide short-term support for unanticipated needs within an active community-based project. These needs must be time-sensitive and essential to continuing or strengthening the project. Below are examples of how the funding may be used:

Community Collaboration and Partnership Development 

• Developing community-designed materials (flyers, toolkits, visuals, outreach tools) that support the goals of a larger project but were not anticipated in the original budget 
• Responding to emergent or unanticipated developments that require urgent stakeholder meetings (e.g., community feedback sessions or planning meetings) to adjust the project’s direction or ensure its relevance 
• Convening a rapid planning session to adapt an intervention, data collection process, or engagement strategy based on evolving community needs 

Student Engagement in Priority Partner Communities 

• Supporting students' involvement in addressing a community-identified issue that emerges unexpectedly as part of a course or an ongoing project 
• Providing resources for students to co-develop or pilot a community-based learning module in collaboration with a partner in a priority community 
• Funding materials, space, or facilitation to quickly adapt course activities or assignments to engage with a new community need that aligns with the course but was not originally planned 
• Hosting a pop-up learning event or service activity in response to an unexpected opportunity for community-university engagement 

Research Adaptation and Capacity Building 

• Modifying or augmenting a research activity to include new community input or expand inclusion due to changing conditions or feedback 
• Supporting capacity building for partners, such as last-minute workshops or training sessions needed to support their deeper involvement in the project 
• Covering costs for accessible formats or translation when a new audience or partner group is brought in and was not originally accounted for 

These funds are not intended for routine operations, travel, or planned activities that could have been budgeted for in advance. Requests must clearly demonstrate how the emergency funding will address a time-sensitive gap or emerging challenge that directly affects the progress or impact of a broader, community-engaged project.

For questions or additional guidance, please email dcegrantsinfo@vcu.edu, or Lorielle Bouldin bouldinln@vcu.edu .