Greater Rochester Advocates for Universities and Colleges or GRAUC is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that receives funding private foundations, corporations, organizations, and individuals. GRAUC, through private donations, has established a “Workforce Innovator” endowed agency account at the Rochester Area Foundation for the purpose of funding:
1) Projects that enhance and support the growth and improvement of post-secondary education opportunities in the greater Rochester area.
2) Projects that promote partnerships between post-secondary education and other agencies or business and industry.
If you are interested in applying for this grant, please review the following critieria and then complete and submit this form. For questions, please contect Catherine Davis, Interim Executive Director at executivedirector@grauc.org.
Eligibility
Grant applications from $500-$3000 will be considered from individuals, educators and business and industry representatives whose projects are designed to benefit students, educators, and businesses in the greater Rochester area. Special attention will be given to grants that support projects that enhance programming and services for students enrolling in Rochester-area post-secondary educational insititutions. Fifty percent of the award funding will be distributed in June 2024 with the remaining 50 percent awarded
at the Awards Event in the June of 2024.
Screening Criteria
An Endowment Committee of GRAUC Partnership Members will screen grant applications using the following criteria:
- innovation: a new initiative/program that meets a workforce need or a program/initiative revised and updated to promote participation and to facilitate completion by
under-represented populations;
- feasibility: requested funding, plus any other secured funding, is adequate to initiate the project within two
years;
- collaboration: a strong connection between education providers with participation of area employers is a required element;
- community impact: an initiative that expands and/or upskills the workforce or promotes post-secondary credential attainment by under-represented populations;
- alignment: with the GRAUC mission to meet the workforce needs of our region.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Timelines
Grant applications are due Friday, August 2, 2024. The GRAUC Endowment Committee will review applications, notify applicants by August 30, 2024, and recognize grant recipient(s) at the annual GRAUC Awards Celebration on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Award recipients would return the following year and share a project summary and results at GRAUC's Annual Awards Celebration Event.
Restrictions
GRAUC only funds projects that enhance and support the growth and improvement of post-secondary education or that promote partnerships between educational institutions and other organizations. Funding will not support general operations, annual or capital campaigns, endowments, proposals that duplicate existing projects (see Screening Criteria), political or religious activities, or debt abatement.
