Colleges and universities that are members of NetVUE are already committed to campus activities that encourage vocational exploration by students. These institutions are making significant investments of their own resources to develop and sustain vocational exploration initiatives. In order to support NetVUE member campuses in their work, Lilly Endowment Inc. has provided funding to CIC to be used for NetVUE Program Development Grants. Many NetVUE campus leaders have observed that grants for program development at even modest levels would enable their institutions to strengthen and expand existing programs significantly.
This initiative is administered by CIC with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Funding Plan and Potential Programming
NetVUE Program Development Grants may be requested in amounts ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 for use over two years to deepen, expand, or otherwise strengthen programs that are already underway (including those planned or initiated through recently completed NetVUE Professional Development Awards) and supported by the institution itself. A wide range of proposals that augment existing programs in vocational reflection and discernment will be considered; examples include (a) mini-grants to support released time for designing or revising courses to include greater engagement with vocational reflection; (b) programming that brings faculty members and administrative staff (from, for example, career services, student life, or campus ministry) into partnership for advising, mentoring, and/or experiential learning opportunities; and (c) projects that integrate reflection on calling and vocational discernment into an institution’s general education requirements or into their major or minor field requirements. Funds may be used for a range of purposes, but not to substitute for faculty and staff costs that the institution is presently providing for its vocational exploration activities; however, proposals may include partial buyouts of faculty and staff time for new programming. Certain expenses are ineligible for grant support; for details, please consult the Grant Budget Guidelines. In general, grants should be used to offset one-time costs of program development and implementation.
In the previous rounds of this program, CIC awarded over 228 grants to NetVUE member institutions.
In January 2013, awards were given to 33 NetVUE campuses. View summaries of the 2013 program initiatives.
In January 2014, an additional 32 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2014 program initiatives.
In May 2015, an additional 22 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2015 program initiatives.
In May 2016, an additional 19 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2016 program initiatives.
In May 2017, an additional 18 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2017 program initiatives.
In May 2019, an additional 25 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2019 program initiatives.
In May 2020, an additional nine NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2020 program initiatives.
In May 2021, an additional 20 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2021 program initiatives.
In May 2022, an additional 12 NetVUE campuses received awards. View summaries of the 2022 program initiatives.
In March 2023, an additional 18 NetVUE campuses received receive awards. View summaries of the 2023 program initiatives.
Application Details
Grants will be awarded based on proposals that explain (a) the purpose and goals of the proposed activities and their relationship to the ongoing vocational exploration program of the institution; (b) the extent of institutional support for vocational exploration efforts to date; (c) the proposed enhancements to existing programs, including specific goals for these efforts; and (d) the ways in which NetVUE-supported initiatives would be sustained by the institution after the grant period.
Eligible NetVUE institutions may submit only one proposal for a Program Development Grant during the current round. To submit an application, please refer to the invitation and online application form:
Applications for the current round of Program Development Grants are due by November 22, 2024.
Eligibility
NetVUE member colleges and universities that meet both of the criteria noted below are eligible to apply for funding:
- They do not hold a NetVUE Vocation across the Academy Grant or NetVUE Professional Development Award at the time of application;
- If they previously held a NetVUE Program Development Grant, spending must have been completed at least three years before the beginning of the new grant period.
Note: if an institution currently holds a Grant for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith and/or a Grant for Reframing the Institutional Saga, it is still eligible to apply for this grant; however, the application must demonstrate that staffing and other resources are adequately distributed to allow both projects to succeed. Ordinarily, this will require that the programs supported by the two grants be directed by distinct leadership teams.
An Invitation for Applications for this grant program is typically issued in the spring for applications that are due in the fall. Proposals are reviewed in the late fall or early winter, and applicants are notified of the outcome shortly thereafter. The first half of funding is typically distributed in May for the following academic year; the remaining funds are disbursed the following May, after submission and approval of an interim report.
Contact Information
Questions about this initiative can be addressed to Carter Aikin, NetVUE grants director, at caikin@cic.edu or (217) 854-5619.
About NetVUE
Learn more about NetVUE, including the array of programs and services that are available to member institutions.