Diversity Funding Request

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion provides funding annually for faculty, staff and students of Salisbury University to support initiatives related to the University’s strategic planning goals. Initiatives must support the goals of recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students, faculty and staff and developing mechanisms to support inclusiveness, engagement and success among our community members. These goals reflect Salisbury University’s long-standing commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion on our campus.

In fall 2016, the Office of Institutional Equity launched this grant opportunity for the disbursement of funds to support diversity and inclusion recruitment, retention and campus-climate initiatives throughout our campus. The grant program is currently being managed by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The program description, formal guidelines and procedures are presented below for your information. All campus community members are invited and encouraged to apply.

The Diversity and Inclusion Grant Program for Recruitment, Retention and Campus Climate Initiatives was established to support campus programs, education projects, scholarly research, creative activities, etc. that promote diversity and inclusion, multiculturalism, affirmative action and non-discrimination for the benefit of the campus community. A proposed project is required to:

• Be free and open/available to the campus community;
• Support the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s mission to enhance the University’s diversity climate and to foster an inclusive campus community through strategic recruitment and/or retention efforts;
• Go above and beyond activities conducted in the ordinary course of University business; and
• Be intended to provide primary benefit to the students, faculty and/or staff of the University.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion provides administrative oversight for the Diversity and Inclusion Grant Program for Recruitment, Retention and Campus Climate Initiatives, establishes the operating guidelines for the use of the funds, develops procedures for implementing the guidelines, and selects grant recipients.

Individual grants are awarded up to a maximum of $1,000 on a competitive basis.

Please note that proposals with clear alignment to University strategic goals and with potential of University-wide impact will be given special consideration, and sustainable and replicable projects are particularly encouraged.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion invites proposals in the following areas:

• Recruitment projects that seek ways to recruit diverse faculty, staff and students;
• Retention projects that seek to retain a diverse campus community, particularly underrepresented faculty, staff and students; and
• Campus climate projects that seek to measure the climate in academic departments, administrative units, classrooms or other parts of the University, and to create meaningful initiatives to improve the climate.

Check back for Application

Please ensure applications are complete with all information needed to meet eligibility requirements. 

All other sources of funding requested and the amount awarded (or the date at which a decision on those requests is expected) must be indicated in the application materials.

Applications must be received a minimum of 30 days prior to the first day of the event, to allow time for review, approval and disbursement of funds.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and proposals will be selected based on such criteria as: relevance to Salisbury University diversity and inclusion strategic goals, impact on the University community, and potential for successful continuation past the grant period.

Grants may or may not be awarded in full, dependent upon funds available.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is currently accepting applications for projects implemented before the end of the current academic year. Project award funds must be spent before the end of the fiscal year (June 30th).

Grant proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis over the course of each semester. However, priority consideration will be given to proposals in the order they are submitted to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

To apply, please complete (check back for the application). Completed applications may be submitted electronically using link above or mailed directly to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Blackwell Hall, Room 129
Salisbury University
1101 Camden Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21801

Should you need any additional information regarding the Diversity and Inclusion Grant Program, please send inquiries to odi@salisbury.edu.