Applications due July 22
These instructions are for VU investigators. VUMC investigators should email LSO@vanderbilt.edu.
Vanderbilt University may submit one application to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Discretionary Grants program.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is positioned to assess community needs and opportunities and support quality programs providing solutions. The foundation’s discretionary grants are awarded to respond to new programs, emerging needs and innovative services for the benefit of the Middle Tennessee community. The foundation is particularly interested in grant proposals addressing currently unmet community needs and providing long-term solutions. See a list of previously awarded projects here.
The foundation has identified several broad categories in which needs exist and for which grant requests are encouraged:
- Animal welfare
- Arts and humanities
- Community development, improvement and planning
- Conservation and environment
- Education
- Employment and training
- Food, food security, agriculture and nutrition
- Health
- Housing and shelter
- Human services – emergency/temporary needs
- Human services – children and youth
- Human services – aging adults
- Human services – women and men
- Human services – new Americans
The foundation is particularly interested in transformation, collaboration, program impact and making grants that enhance successful existing programs that can use a modest amount of funding to create enhanced outcomes.
Award amount
Grants will generally be limited to a maximum of $5,000, but the foundation’s Allocations and Distribution Committee reserves the right to make grants up to $12,500. Historically, the average grant falls between $4,000 and $6,000.
The foundation requires a 1:1 match of the grant funds requested. ***Please include in your internal application evidence that your department and/or school approves your matching request.***
See the grant guidelines for more information. Refer to the foundation’s grant toolkit for more information.
Internal application instructions
Interested faculty should visit https://vanderbilt.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1847000 to submit an application for the internal LSO competition and to find additional information about the opportunity. The deadline for the internal competition is July 22, 2021.
Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.