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Community Partnership Incentive Awards (CPIAs)
Community Partnership Incentive Awards (CPIA) is a funding program that provides the opportunity for faculty, staff, students, or members of the community to implement campus and community partnership projects that address social issues locally and abroad. CPIAs support public problem-solving through service-learning, community development or community-based research.
Goals/Outcomes
The overall goals/outcomes for the Community Partnership Incentive Awards Program include the following:
- Stimulate engagement and partnership efforts across or within academic departments as well as with the broader community
- Address wide variety of concerns – community issues and priorities
- Expand and improve understanding of partnership
- Link university and community assets
- Facilitate empowering, sustainable solutions for public problems
Statement of Eligibility
Faculty, staff, students, or members of the community can initiate campus and community partnership projects; however, a WKU employee must serve as project coordinator. Interdisciplinary projects are encouraged. Funds may be used for WKU personnel costs (faculty offload/release time, staff/student stipends, etc.) and project expenses. WKU state discretionary spending policies apply. Questions regarding funding are to be directed to Nadia De Leon, Community Engagement Coordinator, WKU ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships.
Funding Specifications
- Award amount is variable based on scope of project – Maximum of $5,000
- Ability to demonstrate matching funds and/or in-kind support is encouraged
Annual Application Deadlines
- November 1
- April 1
- July 1
Funding Categories
If you are planning to submit a proposal, contact Nadia DeLeon, WKU ALIVE Center, at 270-782-0966 or nadia.deleon@wku.edu. In addition, you may also contact Courte Voorhees, WKU Interdisciplinary Studies, at 270-745-2093 or courte.voorhees@wku.edu, particularly for community-based research projects.
- Curricular or Co-Curricular Service-learning Projects – Up to $1000
- Community Development Projects – Up to $3000
- Community-based/Public Research projects – Up to $5000
Required Criteria
1. Community Involvement
The community constituent will:
Bring both needs and assets to the partnership
Be active in developing project idea, planning, setting goals/outcomes, determining use of funds, implementing project, evaluating, and reporting.
2. WKU Ethos
Partnerships will align with WKU mission, vision, and strategic goals
Projects that incorporate community-based learning tools such as service-learning, community-based research or other forms of public scholarship are encouraged
3. Identified Needs Categories
Partnerships will address issues relevant to one or more of the identified needs categories (Click here for information on project areas)
4. Regional Impact
Projects that address issues in the regional communities across WKU’s 27-country service region are encouraged (LINK TO MAP)
5. Sustainability
Partnerships will:
- Give attention to long-term benefit or impact
- Show consideration of underlying systemic issues and processes that contribute to the project focus
- Improve a community’s capacity towards self-sufficiency
- Show potential for replicable outcomes (where appropriate)
6. Assessment process
Partnerships will:
- Have clear, measurable project outcomes
- Include an evaluation mechanism
