Community Catalyst Grant Program

community catalyst graphic Inspired by discussion during the Increasing Diversity and Inclusiveness symposium at the 2017 Convention, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology launched the Community Catalyst Grant Program.

SPSP members can apply to use these funds in their efforts to develop community and professional development among members of groups currently underrepresented in the field (including gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race, disability, and other underrepresented statuses).

“This retreat enriched me in so many ways—from a personal level, where I felt that my experiences are not exclusive to me alone, and on a professional level, where I got to learn first-hand how others have navigated their post-PhD career progression.”

Award Info

Description

SPSP seeks to provide small grants to support personality and social psychologists at all levels. This financial support is intended to assist SPSP members from underrepresented groups in their efforts to develop and host meetings to build community and develop professional skills. Applicants should explicitly state how their proposal would serve to build community and professional development skills. Examples could include dinner with an invited speaker, sharing and critiquing job materials, workshopping papers, skills building workshops, building new networks, and other community building activities.

Community Building support is not to be used for individuals to attend existing conferences, preconferences at the SPSP Convention, speaker honorariums, or awards.

Grants may be awarded for an amount up to $2,000. Larger or more formal meetings/conferences should apply for the small conference grant.

Preference will be given to support of developing or building new communities within SPSP. Recipients of the grant must provide a post-event final report summarizing the event and its outcomes.

Eligibility

To apply for the Community Catalyst Grant, applicants must be members of SPSP with current membership in good standing at time of application.

EVALUATION

Your application will be evaluated based on its unique merit and capacity to promote and grow one of our underrepresented communities (including but not limited to: gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race, disability). Preference will be given to applications that:

build community (expanding participants’ professional networks) and professional development skills.
include activities that develop or build new communities within SPSP, and
serve undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or junior scholars.

Priority will also be given to applications that are not continuations of formerly proposed programs.

RIDER ON USE OF FUNDS

Funds will be made available in one of two ways:

Directly payable to another hosting/sponsoring entity OR the recipient’s university. If this method is chosen, a W9 from the payee will be required. Under this arrangement, SPSP is a sponsor and will not be legally or financially responsible for the conference and no contract should be signed under the auspice of SPSP, Inc.
Funds hosted at SPSP. If this method is chosen, SPSP will be the host of the meeting and will assume contractual responsibility, including financial, legal and tax responsibility. Organizers will maintain control of the program content and will work with SPSP staff on budgets/contracts.

In either payment scenario, if the conference does not occur within 12 months of award, the funds must be returned to SPSP.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted annually with a June 1 deadline (for gatherings held between July and June of the following year).

Apply Here

Basic information:
1. Name
2. University
3. Department
4. Mailing Address
5. Email
6. Phone
7. Title of event
8. Amount Requested (up to $2,000)
9. Anticipated date of proposed conference/meeting
Explanation of the conference and its unique merit/contribution (maximum one page)
A one paragraph description of the project’s relevance to SPSP.
Projected outcome of the conference i.e. development of a needed community within SPSP.
Tentative budget for how the funds will be used - including all expected revenue (other sponsors, registration, etc) AND expenses.
Responsible persons (up to 3). Please include their CVs and their membership history of SPSP
Agreement to recognize SPSP’s sponsorship at the meeting. The relevant statements are included below i.e. “This meeting was funded through the Society of Personality and Social Psychology Community Grant Program.”

Past Recipients

2020

Flourish: A retreat for pre-tenure faculty of color

SEASAPP (Southeast Asian Social and Personality Psychologists)

Marginalia Science

2019

Marginalia Science Meet-Up

2018

Black Social and Personality Psychologists Retreat

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Community Catalyst Grant Program

Award Info

2020

2019

2018

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