CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new program initiated by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert J. Jones to address structures of racism and injustice is seeking proposals from the Urbana campus, along with a community member or organization for up to $25,000 for community-based innovation projects.
The Call to Action Research Program will focus on critical areas of scholarship that are currently the most important and complex challenges facing society:
- Systemic racism and social justice
- Law enforcement and criminal justice reform
- Disparities in health and health care
Public information sessions about the application process and how the proposals will be evaluated will take place March 30 and March 31. Both sessions are open to the public, with registration required. Information on the application process and deadlines is available at https://go.illinois.edu/AddressingRacism.
“We’re very excited about the potential of these community innovation grants to create new, meaningful connections between the university and the community in which we’re anchored,” said Jones, who has committed $2 million annually to the program. “The most effective and sustained community-university research initiatives are those that are guided by the priorities of the community and those in which everyone is respected as an equal partner. I look forward to the first round of proposals from our local community.”
Editor’s note: For more information, contact Elizabeth Tsukahara, assistant director for communication, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, etsukaha@illinois.edu