Addressing Bias and Building Community

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Call for Grant Proposals - Addressing Bias and Building Community at UC Irvine (ABC at UCI)

Overview and Goals

The University of California has provided each campus with one-time funding to address and combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bias, bigotry, and discrimination at the university. Funds from this resource will support the Addressing Bias and Building Community at UC Irvine (ABC at UCI) grant program. The Office of Inclusive Excellence is now accepting proposals for up to $3,000 from UCI faculty, staff, and students. 

The ABC at UCI grant program aims to create and maintain a safe campus environment that values diversity, fosters inclusion, and is free from expressions of hate. Specific objectives include:

  • Addressing immediate mental health and trauma support needs of students, staff, and faculty;
  • Advancing understanding of the histories and current dynamics of conflict, bias, bigotry, and discrimination, including but not limited to antisemitism and Islamophobia;
  • Increasing the capacity for learning about free speech, hate speech, harassment, academic freedom, and UCI’s principles of community; 
  • Expanding the capacity for restorative practice, community building, and dialogue across differences.

Eligibility

UCI faculty, staff, undergraduate, and graduate students may apply. Funding must be disbursed through an existing campus unit, department, or student group. Students should apply through an RCO (Registered Campus Organization), ASUCI or AGS UCI, or a campus department. Faculty and staff should apply through a campus department, office, or other unit.

Funding and Allowable Costs

OIE invites proposals for up to $3,000. We encourage collaborative projects and cost-sharing with other UCI offices or departments to support additional financial needs.

Funding provided through this program can support a range of activities such as mental health and trauma support; voluntary, extracurricular educational programs and initiatives; training and professional development for students, faculty, and staff; cultural programming; and/or other areas that directly address bias and bigotry.

Proposed activities must comply with university policies on the use of state funds and with university policy on relations with state and federal officials, lobbying, and advocacy activities. Participation in activities supported with this funding cannot be restricted according to participants’ race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, gender, etc. Events may be restricted by university affiliation. For example, events may be restricted to students or faculty or staff, or some combination of the three.

These one-time funds must be used by June 30, 2025. A Use Report must be completed within 60 days following the completion of project activities or the end of the funding period, whichever comes first.

Apply

Complete proposals will include a completed online application form and a pdf proposal of no more than two typed pages with the following components:  

  • Project title and lead personnel;
  • Abstract or project summary (up to 150 words);
  • Project activities, including a timeline and constituencies of UCI affiliates engaged; 
  • Anticipated outcomes and significance of the project in relation to the goals of addressing bias and bigotry and building community;
  • Evaluation or assessment plan;
  • A budget and budget narrative detailing expenses for the entire period of operations (does not count as part of the 2 typed pages).

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until November 15, 2024. The first round of review will prioritize projects with a Fall 2024 start date and will begin on May 31, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence by emailing inclusion@uci.edu.

Review Process and Criteria

Proposal review will begin on May 31, 2024. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until November 15, 2024. 

Proposals will be assessed by a committee convened through the Office of Inclusive Excellence based on the following criteria:

  • Extent to which the proposed project advances the goals of the initiative as outlined above;
  • Alignment with the campus’s principles of community;
  • Anticipated measurable impacts;
  • A balance of proposals in terms of the target audience (undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, staff, etc.) and range of programs/services offered.

Please note that preference will be given to:

  • Collaborative efforts across departments/administrative units/campus organizations and other entities;
  • Efforts that can potentially serve multiple audiences;
  • Efforts that can be expanded or institutionalized in future years.

Awardees