Seed Fund for Community Engaged Research

General Information

Program Description

The Seed Fund for Community Engaged Research (CER) provides Penn faculty with targeted internal support to develop early-stage, place-based, partner-focused research conducted in sustained collaboration with community partners. The program is designed to strengthen research partnerships rooted in transparency, trust, and mutual benefit, while supporting rigorous scholarship that contributes to solving community-identified challenges and generates knowledge that can be evaluated by disciplinary peers.

Community engaged research requires time and intentional relationship-building, as well as resources that may differ from more traditional research approaches. The CER Seed Fund supports faculty in establishing or deepening collaborative research plans with community partners, with the goal of producing scholarly outputs (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, books, community reports) and positioning projects for longer-term sustainability and future funding.

Faculty who already have an established community-engaged research project and are seeking funding primarily to expand or scale that work are encouraged to apply through the University Research Foundation (URF) Research Grants.

Limitation:

One (1) application per faculty member per funding cycle

Award Information:

Awards will provide up to $25,000 per year for up to two (2) years.

• Grant funds may be used for direct project expenses that strengthen community partnerships and support participatory research activities.
• Additional budget guidelines and restrictions will be provided in the application materials.

Eligibility:

• Appointment: Applicants must hold a standing faculty appointment at the University of Pennsylvania.
• School affiliation: Applicants may be from any Penn school.
• Community partnership: Proposals must be conducted in partnership with one or more community collaborators.
• For any sponsored research projects, the applicant must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator for the project, unless otherwise noted in this opportunity. Please see Penn’s PI Eligibility requirements to ensure you are eligible. 

Proposal Requirements

Proposals must be submitted through InfoReady and must include the following:

• Project Description: Provide a clear and comprehensive description of the project, emphasizing the significance of the community issue and/or problem being addressed and the potential for generating new insights, practices, or outcomes that benefit both the community and the field.

• Description of the community partner(s)
  • Names and background of primary community collaborators
  • Geographic location

• Project Relevance: Describe how the project addresses significant community needs or opportunities. Clearly explain the relevance of the target issue to the community or communities involved and provide a strong justification for the project’s necessity and timeliness. Highlight how the proposed work responds to current challenges, priorities, or emerging opportunities in the field.

• Description of the theories and methods to be employed and tested.
• Description of the ways in which the research will be participatory and democratic, as well as mutually beneficial.
• Description of the project timeline along with the outcomes or impacts that are expected and the methods to evaluate such.
• A plan for sustainability beyond this funding mechanism.
• CV of project PI and other key personnel.
• Budget and justification. Allowable costs may include:
  • Supporting community partners engaged in this research
  • Hosting community gatherings
  • Travel
  • Technology
  • Supplies
  • Research staff to maintain and manage the partnership, including student research assistants
• Letter of support from community partner (optional but strongly encouraged).