Unfortunately the Innovation Fund Summer 2020 and Spring 2021 application cycles have been cancelled. We are working with our current Innovation Fund awardees to adjust their projects where necessary due to COVID-19 restrictions. We look forward to reporting on their impacts and hope we can reopen the Innovation Fund as soon as possible. Please check our website for updates or email gbv@email.arizona.edu with inquiries.
Purpose:
The UA Consortium on Gender-Based Violence seeks proposals for projects that promise to have a transformative social impact on the UA campus by addressing critical gaps in knowledge, improving current practices and policies, advancing technologies, increasing vulnerable populations' access to resources, or shifting the conversation about rape culture. Priority will be given to innovations that aim to fundamentally improve support for victims and survivors and also challenge social and cultural attitudes that recreate cycles of violence. Innovations can take any form, be from any discipline, and can be at any stage of development. We want big, radical, "outside the box" ideas, things we haven't seen before.
Selection Criteria:
Projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Need—Evidence of critical need and inadequate knowledge or interventions related to the issue
- Innovation—How is this project breaking new ground?
- Impact—How do you know that this project will have strong impact? What evidence do you have that it will lead to change and how will you measure its success?
- Evaluation—All projects must incorporate an evaluation component. If you do not have the capacity to execute evaluation, we can provide this service at no additional cost.
- Translatability—All projects must be directly applicable to the UA campus and must benefit the UA student body.
Eligibility Criteria:
Only University of Arizona faculty, staff, students, or recognized student organizations are eligible to apply. Proposals for research projects that involve human subjects do not need to provide evidence of IRB approval at the time of application, but release of funds will be contingent upon IRB approval. Graduate students—check with your department business manager about your eligibility to receive supplemental compensation.
Timeline:
There are two award cycles per fiscal year for the Innovation Fund: July 1- Dec. 30 and Jan. 1-June 30. Awards will fund projects with durations of up to 12 months. All grantees must submit a bio, picture, and summary of project by month one, monthly status reports during the duration of project via email and a final report by the end of the award cycle.
July 1, 2020 - December 30, 2020 Cycle: Applications for the third cycle open March 9th and close May 18th, 2020. Award decisions will be announced June 1.
Award Restrictions and Distribution:
The range for allowable budget requests is as follows:
- maximum of $25,000 for UA faculty and staff
- maximum of $9,500 for recognized UA student organizations
- maximum of $2,500 for UA students
If your project is selected for funding, there is no guarantee that the full requested amount will be awarded. The award does not cover course buyouts, tuition remission, or scholarships; salary and ERE are allowable expenses but need to be justified in the budget narrative. Other expenses the award does not cover are travel costs (including conference travel) and the purchasing of vehicles, capital equipment, or pharmaceuticals. Expenses related to the purchasing of computer or technological equipment as well as events are allowable but must represent one component of a larger project. Keep in mind that all expenses must be integral to the project’s potential for long-term impact and must directly benefit and be applicable to the UA campus.
Awards will be distributed on the first day of the award cycle. They will be transferred directly to your department and managed by your department’s business manager.