Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities Seed Grant Program

Community-Academic Partnerships to Improve Community Health

What is the ARCC Seed Grant Program Purpose and Scope?

The program seeks to:

1) Build the capacity of communities and Northwestern University academic partners to engage in authentic collaborative research partnerships;

2) Enhance networks and infrastructure that will promote community-engaged research that not only takes place in the community, but involves the community; and

3) Foster preliminary work and collaborative research projects that pursue issues important to Chicago communities and lead to larger research projects that will provide information critical to enhancing community health. 

Request for Proposals for Round 5 of the Seed Grant Program

Click here for the Request for Proposals (RFP)
Click here for Application Instructions for Completing the Full Proposal

Slides from the November 22 Seed Grant Information Workshop, please click here

Who can apply? 

A community-academic partnership is required. Proposals must be submitted by a team that includes the participation of at least one community-based organization and at least one NU faculty member (regular or adjunct). Need a partner? Contact ARCC as soon as possible for assistance.

How do I know if my idea fits this request for proposals?  

Before submission, you must discuss your idea with a member of the ARCC leadership team. They can help you determine the feasibility of potential proposal ideas and/or assistance in identifying and connecting with potential partners. Jen Kauper-Brown, phone 312-503-2942, j-kauper-brown@northwestern.edu

How will my proposal be evaluated? 

• Quality and feasibility of community and academic partner involvement and proposed partnership development program
• Importance of question being addressed, relevance to clear knowledge gaps, etc.
• Quality of the research methods that will be used
• Reasonable and realistic budget
• Evidence of application of basic CBPR principles and previous related experience
• Potential positive impact on community health
• Potential for future research collaboration and funding potential

What is the funding level and how long is the project period? 

Partnership Building grants are for a maximum of $10,000 per grant and must be completed in 12 months; CBPR Implementation grants are for a maximum of $30,000 per grant and must be completed in 24 months. We anticipate having $90,000 available for ARCC Seed Grants.

How do I apply?

A Letter of Intent (LOI) is required (2 page maximum). Instructions are available in the full RFP.

For more information:

• Slides from the ARCC Grant Information Workshop held on November 22, please click here

• Learn more about grant recipients from rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 here

KEY DATES:

The ARCC Seed Grant Program is one of several sponsored by the Community-Engaged Research Center of NUCATS. The Practice-Based Research Seed Grant Program fosters relationships between NU Academics and community clinicians and health centers. For more information, click here