Interim Provost Beth Winkelstein and Vice Provost for Faculty Laura Perna have announced this year’s call for proposals for the Excellence Through Diversity Fund. The fund provides resources for innovative projects by Penn faculty that advance diversity and inclusion. This year’s awards will prioritize proposals that seek to improve recruitment, retention, promotion, and leadership development of faculty from underrepresented groups and/or improve mentorship and other support for junior and mid-career faculty from underrepresented groups. Penn faculty with the rank of assistant, associate, or full professor in any track are eligible to apply. Projects may include cross-school research, conferences and events, large-scale faculty development work, and projects that assess the climate of diversity and inclusion at Penn.

Priority will be given to proposals that:

• Seek to improve recruitment, retention, promotion, and leadership development of faculty from underrepresented groups and/or improve mentorship and other support for junior and mid-career faculty from underrepresented groups 
• Promise to advance faculty diversity, equity and inclusion
• Promote collaboration across disciplines, departments, and/or schools
• Foster new understandings of the structures, policies, and programs that advance faculty diversity, equity, and inclusion

Proposals must include a one-to-one match between the school and the Office of the Provost. The maximum grant that will be provided by the fund will be $10,000.

Proposals are due April 15, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.

Please see the complete Call for Proposals for more information. For questions, please contact Connie Chang at conniech@upenn.edu.