Do you have a community partnership that is ready to grow, deepen, or take a new direction?
The Institute for Community and Economic Engagement invites UNCG faculty to apply for a new professional development opportunity designed to help faculty and community partners step back, strengthen their partnership, and plan what comes next. Up to $3,000 per team is available to support community partner participation. This opportunity is designed for both developing partnerships and established partnerships that are ready for a refresh, renewed focus, or new phase of collaboration. opment and resources development.
What Will Your Team Gain?
Selected faculty-community partner teams will participate together in professional development offered by the Institute for Community and Economic Engagement and the Office for Strategic Initiatives and Research Development throughout the spring. With dedicated time, resources, and guidance, teams will:
Session One: Develop Your Partnership Identity
Clarify who you are as a partnership, what you are working toward together, and what makes your collaboration meaningful.
- Deliverable from workshop: The partnership team will come away knowing its partnership name, aspirational vision, goals, roles, and collaborative processes
Session Two: Prepare to Secure Funding
Learn strategies for communicating the value and impact of your partnership in funding proposals, connect with UNCG offices to support research/scholarship development, and explore opportunities to support your future work.
- Deliverable from workshop: The partnership team will have access to fund-finding platforms, identify specific funding sources with support from professional staff, and develop strategies for writing a successful proposal.
Session Three: Present Your Partnership Plan
Gather with teams and share your experiences in strengthening your partnership as part of the Strengthening Community grant process.
- Deliverable from session: The partnership teams will receive feedback from professional staff and other participants to strengthen their partnership processes and plans
Program Final Deliverable: Build Your Partnership’s Future
- Create a concrete plan for your partnership’s next steps, including aligning the pursuit of resources/funding with partnership priorities, values, and expected outputs and outcomes.
- Develop your partnership profile in Collaboratory, UNCG’s database of community-university partnerships, as a tool for communicating your work and building visibility.
Who Should Apply?
UNCG faculty from any discipline who are working with a community partner and want to intentionally develop, strengthen, or renew their partnership are encouraged to apply.
We are especially interested in partnerships that:
- Are developing a new collaboration or entering a new phase of an existing partnership
- Have a clear opportunity to deepen or expand their work together
- Are interested in developing a shared vision and plan for the future
- See potential for securing funding or other resources to sustain or expand the partnership
Community partner stipends: Up to two $1,500 stipends per team is available for community partner participation. Funds are intended for community partners’ use and cannot be used to compensate UNCG faculty or staff.
Key Dates
Application Process:
October 20 | Applications open |
November 20 | Applications due |
late November| Applications reviewed |
early-December| Teams notified |
Program Requirements: Participant teams (faculty and community partners) must attend all meetings (in-person at UNCG) to be eligible.
Wed, February 3, 10-noon | Partnership Identity |
Wed, February 24, 10-noon | Securing Funds |
Ths, April 1, 10-noon | Present your Partnership Plan|
Fri, April 23 | Final Partnership Plan due |
Ready to Invest in Your Partnership?
This is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and intentionally ask:
Who are we as a partnership? What do we want to accomplish together? And what do we need to do next? How do we secure the resources required to sustain our work?
Bring your community partner. Bring your ideas. The Institute will provide the space, professional development, and support to help you move your partnership forward.
Apply by November 20, 2026.
Learn more about the funding opportunity here.
Questions? Contact Dr. Emily Janke, emjanke@uncg.edu