This page summarizes the CIRA award description, available collaborations, award criteria, award eligibility, and deliverables for faculty and student CIRA researchers. Faculty will be notified of the application deadline each spring and awardees will be reminded of their deliverables multiple times during their award period.
Award Description
The Community Impact Research Award (CIRA) recognizes and supports the importance of university engagement with the community and our critical role in mentoring students in acquiring the skills that will prepare them to be future leaders. Participatory Action Research or Community-Based Participatory Research brings community stakeholders and researchers together to collaborate on finding solutions to problematic social issues and concerns, and to make positive changes through targeted interventions. This call for proposals welcomes applications for collaborative projects that 1) are in partnership with a community stakeholder, 2) address specific community needs, and 3) provide mentoring for student researchers. Proposals for projects at all stages of development are Welcome. New community partnerships are encouraged. Successful applicants will receive a $2,000 stipend to conduct a year-long project (Fall 2022-Spring 2023) with a community partner and two student researchers, who will each receive a $1,000 stipend.
Available Collaborations
The School of Social Sciences welcomes project proposals with a community partner chosen by the applicant.
Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on responses to the questions in the application.
Eligibility
Full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible to apply. Faculty who are on leave in either the Fall or Spring semester are not eligible.
Deliverables
For faculty researchers
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Submit a progress report by the end of the spring semester that includes 1) a summary of the problem that was being considered, 2) the nature of the collaboration with the community partner, 3) the research methods employed, 4) the findings to date, 5) the skills acquired by the student researchers, and 6) next steps. (Approximately 3 single-spaced pages)
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Participate in a School panel on participatory action research with other award recipients held during the Social Action Student Symposium (SASSy) in the Spring semester (date TBD) of your award year.
For student researchers
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Submit a personal reflection of what you gained from the experience by mid-May 2023, including both research and leadership skills acquired and your role in the project. (2 single-spaced pages)
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Participate in a School panel on participatory action research with other student researchers held during the Social Action Student Symposium (SASSy) in the Spring semester (date TBD) of your award year.