University Park, Pa. -- In an effort to develop community-based partnerships and support the overall economic well-being of Pennsylvania, the Penn State Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), a unit of Outreach, is now offering two faculty grant opportunities.
The Engaged Scholarship program and the Convene and Consult program, both part of the OEWD Thematic Initiative Fund (TIF), are geared toward connecting university resources with community partners to improve economic factors and conditions within Pennsylvania.
The Engaged Scholarship program was designed to connect the capabilities of university faculty members with community partners to address specific, mutually defined needs through specific research, education and engagement projects that further the economic well-being of the community. Specific objectives of the Engaged Scholarship include: making a difference to relevant stakeholder communities, developing and/or demonstrating new models of engagement scholarship, improving and enhancing the talent base in Pennsylvania, improving the infrastructure to support a vibrant economy, building capacity for sustainable economic development, recruiting and retaining diverse human capital in Pennsylvania, and supporting transformative economic and community development. Funds to support Engaged Scholarship projects are available up to $25,000. Applications may be submitted from Penn State faculty and researchers, tenure-track and fixed-term faculty, and faculty and researchers from any Penn State location. The deadline for submitting a proposal is Feb. 23. An information session will be held at 502 Keller Building on the University Park campus on Jan. 22.
The Convene and Consult program was conceived to support special projects that bring community groups around shared agendas. Specific objectives of the program include: engaging Penn State personnel with local or state partners to discuss and plan for efforts that will lead to transformative economic and community development; encouraging efforts to engage and inspire stronger partnerships between Penn State, community, industry, economic/workforce development players and governmental leadership; and setting the stage to generate new local, state and federal funding for Penn State EWD in regions and with industry sectors.
Funds for consultative activity are available up to $1,500 and up to $500 to convene community partners. Proposals by Penn State faculty members will be accepted on a rolling basis.
For more information on the Engaged Scholar program, please contact Eileen Trauth, (814) 865-0077, etrauth@ist.psu.edu or Nancy Franklin, (814) 863-3445, nancyf@psu.edu.
For more information on the Convene and Consult program, please contact Timothy Franklin, (814) 863-2561, tvf2@psu.edu or William Curley, (814) 865-9888, wgc2@psu.edu.
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development serves as a leader, catalyst, facilitator and partner in using the resources, expertise and intellectual assets of Penn State to advance economic prosperity in Pennsylvania through sustainable economic and workforce development. For more information, visit http://oewd.psu.edu/ online. The OEWD is part of Penn State Outreach, the largest unified outreach organization in American higher education. Penn State Outreach serves more than 5 million people each year, delivering more than 2,000 programs to people in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, all 50 states and 80 countries worldwide.