The Wilmington Partnership Mini-Grants

Call for Proposals

The Wilmington Partnership invites University of Delaware faculty and staff to apply for a Wilmington Partnership Mini-Grant, to foster and support mutually  beneficial community-engaged research in collaboration with community organizations and/or individuals in Wilmington.  

Mini-Grant Purpose 

The primary purpose of these mini-grants is to advance the mission of the Wilmington Partnership in its aim to support and facilitate community-engaged research through mutually beneficial partnerships with organizations, communities and people in the city of Wilmington. 

Eligibility Requirements 

Grants are limited to UD faculty and staff. 

What is the process to apply for a Mini-Grant? 

Please see the Mini-Grant application guidelines and rubric (below). Once completed, please submit your application along with any additional attachments/supporting documents to Dr. Ann M. Aviles at amaviles@udel.edu. Please include Wilmington Partnership Application in the subject line of the email. 

For what amount can I apply? 

The maximum amount awarded for any Wilmington Mini-Grant is $5,000. Details on applying are below. 

Due to limited resources, the Wilmington Partnership may not be able to fund all requests. Applicants are encouraged to seek matching support from their own departments or other organizations.

The application for 2024 mini-grants is closed. 

Proposals are primarily evaluated relative to: 

• The extent to which the proposed grant is consistent with the Wilmington Partnership mission. 
• The extent to which the proposed project advances equity, specifically improving material conditions and outcomes for historically marginalized communities in  Wilmington.  
• The extent to which an equity issue in Wilmington is addressed. 
• The extent to which the project meets the expressed needs of community organizations, and/or individuals impacted by the issue under investigation. 
• The extent to which the project meets the needs of both UD and community partners; specifically, projects must address the needs of the community, simultaneously employing rigorous theoretical, methodological and/or evidence-based intervention  approaches.

What are the responsibilities of grant recipients?

• Collaborate with community partners in developing your proposal.
• Submit a letter of support from the community partner documenting their expressed need for the proposed research project, and the benefits of the research to their organization/program.
• Upon consultation with the Wilmington Partnership team, develop a reflective product on partnership work.
• Submit an interim and final budget report that accounts fully for use of grant funds.
• Complete work within a year.
• Present funded research at the Provost’s Symposium on Engaged Research.