McKelvey Engineering introduces EDI grants initiative
Students, faculty and staff eligible for funding up to $25,000
To empower students, faculty and staff to make transformative changes in the ways we learn and work, the McKelvey School of Engineering will make Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) grants available to students, faculty and staff this fall.
Led by McKelvey’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee, the initiative provides financial support up to $25,000 for projects and activities that address EDI challenges at Washington University.
The introduction of EDI grants marks a step forward in the school’s commitment to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community as outlined in the McKelvey Engineering EDI action plan, said Marcus Foston, associate professor of energy, environmental & chemical engineering and director of diversity initiatives.
“By investing in ideas brought forward by those who care about this community the most, we broaden our reach and at the same time target those areas where there is a need for improvement, accelerating our efforts to move toward a place of belonging for all,” Foston said.
The grants initiative has two funding tracks. Community engagement and outreach grants, awarded in amounts up to $1,500, focus on local engagement such as K-12 outreach and other community-based projects. Grants for more extensive EDI projects, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, support larger-scale initiatives with a potential for lasting impact, such as curriculum changes and establishing new workshops and seminars.
The EDI Committee encourages McKelvey Engineering undergraduate and graduate students, registered student organizations, faculty and staff — regardless of prior experience with grant applications — to submit a letter of intent online, briefly outlining the project idea and highlighting its objective, potential impact, budget and any collaborations. Submitting a letter of intent is the only step necessary for consideration of community engagement and outreach grants. Applicants selected to move forward in the process for larger grants will receive training and guidance on best practices for grant writing so that they can prepare a comprehensive and compelling proposal, Foston said.
Interested participants should submit their letter of intent by October 1, 2024. For more information, contact Ariana Jasarevic, EDI specialist in McKelvey Engineering, at jasarevic_a@wustl.edu or visit the EDI grants web page.
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