Community Interaction Grant
Many studies point to the under-representation of minorities in the sciences. The Community Interaction Grant supports ACS Student Chapter projects and interactions that help improve the science learning experience of African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino and Pacific Islander students, as well as economically disadvantaged students, in grades K-12.
ACS student chapters are eligible to receive up to $500 to support community interactions and projects. The ACS Undergraduate Programs Office awards ACS student chapters each year that provide K-12 minority students with enriched hands-on science activities and give ACS student members an opportunity to enhance their skills as future teachers and mentors.
To be eligible for a Community Interaction Grant, chapters must:
- Have active status. A chapter is considered active if:
(1) A chapter report was submitted within the last three years
(2) At least six ACS student members paid their ACS dues - Submit all financial reports for any chapter grants received during the academic year, if applicable. Projects which continue or show minor modifications of previous activities will not be funded.
- Provide funds to match the amount of the grant
Your project should seek to:
- Actively involve K-12 students, their teachers, and/or parents in hands-on science activities, as this a critical time for children to learn and become enthusiastic about the chemical sciences.
- Enhance the involvement of your ACS student chapter in hands-on science education activities specifically targeting underserved minority children.
- Strengthen the network of your ACS student chapter to interact with ACS local sections and other community groups.
Project Guidelines
- Your proposal should include a rationale and describe details about the project, your target audience, partnerships, staff (including qualifications), safety considerations and evaluation methods.
- Do not include requests for food service unless it is essential to your project. In this circumstance, no more than half of your request should be itemized for food expenditures.
- Include a tentative schedule with a completion date no later than June 3, 2016.
- Project leaders must submit a brief (1–2 pages) interim report no later than January 15, 2016.
- The final report, due June 13, 2016, should include a detailed project description, with sample activities, photographs, evaluation of results, and a final budget summary. If your project is not completed by the Final Report date, grant money must be refunded and a new grant proposal must be submitted.
Proposal Criteria & Considerations
| Criteria | Considerations |
| Project Rationale | • In what way is the project new to the chapter or the community? |
| Target Audience | • Who is your target audience? Provide as much information (statistics, etc.) as possible. |
| Project Description | • What will happen during the course of this project? • Who will be involved, what will they do, and how often? • What is the timeframe of the project? • Who and how many will be benefit from the project? • What materials and facilities will be required? • What science topics will be addressed, and how? Please provide details about the topics, chemistry activities, or experiments. |
| Matching Funds (highly recommended) | • What arrangements have been made to secure additional financial support this project? Please attach any letters of support. Be sure to obtain accurate estimates for proposed expenses and request no more than 50% of the total budget from the ACS on this grant proposal. Clearly indicate the source(s) of your matching funds. |
| Safety Considerations | • How will the project participants ensure that appropriate safety precautions are taken with the participants? |
| Staff Qualifications | • Do the student project directors or supervisors have experience in administering activities comparable to those outlined in the proposal? |
