Purpose: Division 16 supports projects that advance research, practice, education/training, and policy in the area of anti-racism in the fields of school psychology and education.

Description:

Division 16 was one of the leaders in writing the School Psychology Unified Antiracism Statement and Call to Action (García-Vázquezet al., 2020). In 2021, the Division’s Presidential Initiative, Anti-racism Action, is to take meaningful and sustainable actions on our commitment to the anti-racism statement set forth  in the Unified Call to Action.

The Anti-racism Action Grants is a catalyst grant program intended to inspire larger and more sustainable anti-racism action projects (i.e., projects focused on meaningful change) by providing seed funds. Proposals must advance research, practice, education, and/or policy in the area of anti-racism action. Anti-racism action must be done collaboratively with community partners, to effect positive change in the community. Therefore, proposals must show evidence of meaningful collaboration and empowerment throughout the process resulting in actions. Additionally, proposals must generate dissemination products that  fall under one of the two categories:

  1. Community-engaged Projects are characterized as scholarship that is beneficial to the external community, are visible and shared with community stakeholders, are collaborative, and have public and scholarly impact. Such scholarship must result in innovative, replicable products for dissemination. Examples of deliverables include new technology, education/training improvements, clinical or policy guidelines for state or community agencies, training modules, and technical reports based on evaluation.
  2. Research Projects are characterized as work that utilizes qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies to advance new knowledge, science, practice, and policy. Such work includes specific research questions, hypotheses, and data analytic methods to address questions. Research projects will include evidence of collaboration with community or practitioner partners. Examples of research deliverables include qualitative or quantitative peer-review articles, edited or authored book proposals, journal special issues, as well as national or international  conference presentations or via other outlets.

A post-award mentor will be matched with each funded project to support the larger catalyst project.

Typical funding is $2,000 per proposal.

Project activities must begin after July 1, 2023 and end by June 30, 2024.

Grant deliverables include the following:

  1. Narrative report that includes summary of project findings or action plan results, community sustainability of project or actions, and dissemination of project results (preferably in a Division 16 outlet).
  2. Annual itemized budget expenditures with justifications.

Eligibility:

Individuals, groups, or organizations in school psychology may apply. The primary applicant must be a Division 16 member. Preference will be given to individuals, groups, or organizations who have not received extramural funding for this project previously.

Proposals will be evaluated based on these criteria (A, B, C are more important and will be double-weighted during evaluation of projects):

  1. Significance: Proposal addresses an important issue related to the advancement of anti-racism action in school psychology. Specific contributions to research, practice, education, and/or policy are clear.
  2. Action project or research activities: An assessment of the overall quality of the project including conceptual framework, design, methods, action plan, analyses or evaluation, and deliverables (high quality and relevant). Specific project activities should vary based on the project’s purpose (i.e., research, practice, education, and/or policy).
  3. Meaningful Partnership: Involves a partnership with a community from a different constituency than primary investigator/author. Some examples include researcher-practitioner, practitioner-community, researcher-community, and community-practitioner. Evidence of meaningful collaboration, empowerment throughout the process, and sustainability of activities must be provided and/or detailed in the project proposal.
  4. Significant Catalyst: The proposal inspires a larger and more sustainable Anti-racism Action project. The connection between proposed project and larger project is clear and logical with identifiable next steps.
  5. Realistic timeframe: Likelihood that the project can be completed within one year of award date.
  6. Appropriateness of budget: Clear justification and rationale for the expenditure of the grant monies; proposed work to be accomplished with the funds requested; plan for other funding sources; grant funds may not be used for overhead or indirect costs.

How to Apply

Application requirements include the following:

  1. Submit all materials via this link (proposal application)
  2. Proposal – application including abstract, five-page narrative addressing eligibility criteria (single spaced, minimum of 11 pt font, exclusive of budget, references and appendices), budget, budget justification, references, and appendices if any. Narrative must include these bolded headings:
    1. Project Description
    2. Design, methods, or action plan
    3. Analyses or evaluation
    4. Deliverables and Timeline
    5. Explanation of roles and responsibilities of team members/authors
    6. Description of organization/entity that is applying (e.g., relevant history)
    7. Budget and budget justification
  3. Letters of cooperation and support from (a) community partner detailing specific activities of partnership and agreement with specific activities and (b) author’s organization (school, university, etc.).
  4. Brief 5 page CV of author(s)
  5. Application deadline is extended to June 5th, 2023
  6. Questions may be directed to David Hulac, Chair of Anti-Racism Initiative Committee, david.hulac@unco.edu

Evaluation Process

Proposals will be independently reviewed and scored by the Anti-Racism Initiative Committee. The Anti-Racism Initiative Committee will evaluate each submitted proposal in the context of the program-specific criteria to develop scores and formulate funding recommendations. Proposals will be discussed by the full Committee and the scores (and the averages) adjusted if warranted.