Gopher Equity Project Microgrants

About this Initiative

The University of Minnesota is committed to creating a campus experience that honors and values the diversity of our student body and ensures an equitable college experience for all students. The Undergraduate Student Equity & Success Committee (USES) seeks to address barriers and solutions for indigenous and students of color to ensure their retention, graduation and overall success. The microgrants are an opportunity to share and support a broader range of input, ideas, people and strategies that contribute to these goals and the success of BIPOC students.

Funds were made possible by the Undergraduate Diversity Resolution Fund through the Office of Undergraduate Education, which supports efforts to improve the access, retention, graduation and campus climate for historically underrepresented and underserved student populations.

Who Can Apply

Departments, colleges or units on the Twin Cities campus interested in improving BIPOC student success through innovative projects that fit the funding priorities.

Applicants who apply must be faculty or staff. Funds will be disbursed through EFS and not to an individual.

Funding Priorities

Grants will be awarded to new projects that focus on one or more of the following priorities:

Expand understanding

Projects designed to expand our collective understanding of issues that impact justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, especially for BIPOC students. These projects ideally focus on identities, power, privilege, and intersectionality. They may be trainings, workshops, dialogue circles, special speakers, educational campaigns, etc.

Enhance student success for BIPOC students

Projects that provide direct programs, services, training, events, or outreach for BIPOC students. These projects should aim to boost campus climate, sense of belonging, retention, wellbeing, identity, academic success or career readiness. Projects should strive to be sustainable into the future beyond the scope of the microgrant.

Improve assessment

Projects that explore ways to better understand BIPOC students through data and analysis. This could be gathering of data that leads to developing a project or evaluating the impact or equity of existing practices. Ideally, these projects will enhance data-informed initiatives to contribute to BIPOC student retention, success and/or sense of belonging.

After the completion of your project, you will be required to submit a summary of the event and its impact on student success. All funds must be spent by June 1, 2023.

Funding Guidelines

• Award Amount: Up to $2,500

• Grant awards will be announced mid-July

• Funds may not be used for individual payments (exception is student employee wages related to projects), conferences or travel.

• Expenditures and initiatives must follow U of M Policy