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Virtual Innovation Challenge Grant Opportunity

Rationale:

Due to the realities the COVID-19, we must physically distance from one another. This physical distancing does not mean we have to be socially, intellectually or mentally disconnected. As a community, we can leverage web-based and digital tools to develop innovative ways to maintain our connections through healthy and grow producing collaborative experiences with each other. This core belief is the foundation of the creation of this valuable opportunity grant for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the larger community around the college.

Goal:

To provide financial compensation to students who are working in collaboration with faculty and staff on projects that support, promote and encourage virtual community building.

Key Considerations:

Project centers a virtual mode of delivery
Student driven projects
Centering the student experience
Student as “expert”
Sustainability
Accessibility
Equity

Potential projects (not limited to these):

  • Creating a digital body of knowledge to share with community about some academic area
  • Developing and maintaining digital or web-based mechanisms to encourage students to connect with each other
  • Engaging in a virtual project to provide a community service or fulfill a community need
  • Establishing ongoing activities to help with social isolation – virtual social activities
  • Generating strategies to enhance methods of digital communication between community members
  • Enhancing existing structures to “fit” the virtual experience
  • Assessing the student needs within the virtual experience to be used to enhance students experiences
  • Establishing virtual networking opportunities

Financial Resources:

The college earmarked $20,000 to accommodate these projects. The resources to support the selected projects are intended to be funded through existing student workforce funds. The resources will help offer additional financial support to our students and strategically create a student-centered virtual KSC experience conceptualized by students. The projects will be funded based on the anticipated duration of each engagement.

Grant Allocation:

The grants will be awarded based on anticipated timeline for completion of each project. Projects requiring longer time commitments will receive larger grant allocations. Students will be paid an hourly rate of $10/hr. Total grant support will range from $500 up to $1,500 depending on the time required to meet approved deliverables.

Example of possible allocations:
2 projects x 50 hours x 2 students = $2,000
5 projects x 100 hours x 2 students = $10,000
2 projects x 200 hours x 2 students = $8,000

Submission Criteria:

  • All projects must be broad reaching and increase the capacity for virtual connection across campus and/or the community-at-large.
  • Projects must have a long-term, sustainable impact.
  • Projects must be student initiated. These are opportunities for students only.
  • Students may submit projects individually or form teams. Individuals receive an hourly wage for their work.
  • All projects require a sponsor. Sponsors will be a KSC staff, faculty or department within the college. Each sponsor is required to monitor and approve student hours as required for work-study students.
  • Students may engage staff, faculty or departments to develop concepts for grant submissions.
  • All submissions must include target audience, projected timeframes and deliverables.
  • All projects must be completed and implemented by August 14, 2020 to accommodate the start of the new academic year.

Selection Committee:

A project selection committee will review each application and prioritize projects with greatest impact for our students’ virtual KSC experience. The committee is comprised of members from the Virtual KSC Task Force. The selection committee will present projects to the Cabinet for final approval. The selection committee will make recommendations on projects as appropriate to identify opportunities to broaden scope or relevance of project to support creating a virtual campus experience for our students.

Deadline for Submission: Rolling application process. Applications can be submitted each Thursday by 5:00 pm in order to be reviewed, approved and responded to within two weeks of submission. Applications will be awarded as funds remain available. No additional projects will be approved once all funds have been allocated.

Deadline for Project Completion: August 14, 2020

Questions? Contact:

Dottie Morris, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion ß

Veronica Rosa, Vice President of Advancement