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Council for Diversity and Inclusion Funding Requests

Guidelines

The Council for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) encourages the campus community to create educational opportunities that increase the understanding of, appreciation for, and advocacy of diversity and inclusion. The Council for Diversity and Inclusion Fund is specifically designed to provide financial support for new, innovative, and creative approaches to raise awareness, engage learners, and change attitudes and behaviors about diversity and inclusion within the university community. Examples of programs that may be supported include lectures, symposia, workshops, conferences, performances, and other innovative approaches for addressing diversity as conceived in the University‘s Principles of Civility and Community. The annual Council for Diversity and Inclusion Fund amount is $5,000.00.

Eligibility

University of Tennessee registered student organizations and campus departments may apply for funding. Priority will be given to those who have not previously received funding from CDI.

Selection Criteria (How recipients will be chosen)

The CDI will review the applications and make the award selections. The Council will be looking for those opportunities that are innovative, meet a documented need, are well-planned, have a good chance for impact, and will engage a significant number of students, faculty, and staff. If in the opinion of the CDI, there are no applications that effectively meet the fund criteria, the Council reserves the right to not select any recipients.

Funding

Requests may be made for up to $500.00. The Council for Diversity and Inclusion can fund multiple awards totaling up to $5,000.00. Please note that requests may not be granted in the full amount. If you are granted funding from the CDI, you must list the CDI as a co-sponsor of the event in any marketing materials.

The CDI Fund may be used for initiatives such as the following: 

  • Guest speakers on a diversity and/or social justice topic.
    • In 2021-22, the CDI funded a request by Student Advocates for Medicine and Politics to have a Harvard Medical School physician present on palliative care and healthcare in low resource settings.
  • Special program(s) intended to increase respect for diversity and individual differences.
    • In 2021-22, the CDI funded a Department of Public Health DEI Committee mentoring program event featuring Master of Public Health alumni from the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities on professional pathways and DEI promotion in the field for students.
  • Events that expand the inclusion of issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or cultural values system, national origin, and political beliefs.
    • In 2021-22, the CDI funded a professional development workshop, organized by the Department of English/Frederick Douglass Day to promote retention and success for faculty of color.

Funding Restrictions

Awards may not be used to fund: 

  • Conference registration and conference travel expenses
  • Food
  • Entertainment expenses that do not have a clearly defined educational component
  • Travel expenses, except for presenters brought in for a specific activity
  • Stipends to university employees

Final Report

A final report is required and may appear on the CDI’s website. The report is due no later than two months after the funded activity is complete. The final report should include:

  • A self-evaluation including description of program/event impact
  • Attendance figures
  • Final budget
  • Event photos
  • At least one copy of the marketing materials used to promote the program/event (CDI must be listed as a co-sponsor on all marketing materials)

  • UT Chinese Program – Chinese Martial Workshop
  • Public Health Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee – DEI Book Club
  • UT Libraries – Ready for the World Music and Culture Series: Ukraine
  • Department of World Languages and Cultures – Tropic_Ice Project
  • Commission for AAPI – Everything Everywhere All at Once Screening and Panel Discussion
  • School of Music – Korean Children’s Choir Conducting
  • Commission for LGBT+ Communities – Storybuilding

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$500 max. Must include description of how funds will be used.