Penn is pleased to call for proposals for the Excellence through Diversity Fund. The Fund, announced in the Penn Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence (Almanac September 6, 2011), will provide resources for interdisciplinary projects of Penn faculty on topics relating to equity, inclusion and diversity, with the goal of  strengthening the Penn curriculum in these areas and recognizing excellence in these important fields of inquiry. Funds will be awarded to the Schools competitively, on a matching basis, to provide needed term resources to launch new efforts or strengthen existing ones, beginning July 1, 2017. Proposals should include a description of efforts to obtain funding from other sources.  

The Fund may support:

• Implementation of Schools’ strategic plans to diversify faculty and student populations;

• Research on equity, inclusion and diversity in higher education;

• Projects that foster and support diversity on the campus;

• Faculty work on projects aimed at advancing the ideals of the Penn Compact as they relate to increased access of students and faculty.

Criteria for Review

Evaluation will be based on the following criteria:

• Relationship to the aims of the Fund as described above;

• For projects aimed at diversifying the campus environment, clarity of goals and procedures and presence of an evaluation plan;

• Potential for sustainability and/or impact over time with school, center, or extramural funding, particularly as demonstrated by matching funds;

• Likelihood of generating new insights about diversity in higher education;

• Presence of a realistic and sufficiently detailed budget;

• Potential for sustainable partnerships among schools, departments, or university programs.

Review Process

The Fund will be administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty. Proposals will be reviewed for scholarly merit and significance for diversity research, teaching and service. Priority will be given to innovative designs and to plans that involve multiple Schools.

Proposals are due by May 12, 2017.

Applications must include:

• A completed ETDF Budget Form, available with PennKey.

• A completed ETDF Cover Sheet (with all signatures) and Proposal Form; available with PennKey, including: background; work to be undertaken; ability to enhance Penn’s teaching, research and engagement on issues relating to equity inclusion, and diversity; and demonstrated interdisciplinary linkages;

• Brief biographies of faculty members involved in the project. Limit to key faculty; CVs are not required;

• Evidence of additional funding from institutional or external sources;

• Outlook for the future of the project (continued activity and external funding);

• For conference support: a description of the purpose of the meeting; a proposed program agenda and list of presenters; the names of Penn faculty organizing the meeting; the number of Penn students and faculty expected to attend; an explanation of the benefit to Penn students and faculty; an explanation of the benefit to scholarly or research programs at Penn; an explanation of the relationship of the meeting to department, institute, or center programs.

Submission

Email a complete PDF, including signed ETDF Cover Sheet, Proposal Form, and Budget Form, to provost-fac@upenn.edu no later than May 12. The name of the PDF must be the last name of the PI. At the conclusion of a project, the PI is expected to submit a DIP Assessment form to report the use of the funding.