CMU 2010

2010 initiative bolsters CMU’s
federal grant proposal

A 2010 project representing CMU’s commitment toward student programs, faculty research, and other projects is making a difference.

Leveraging Institutional Resources: A Matching Fund for Competitive External Funding has already supported seven projects ranging
from research in the basic sciences to outreach and educational
recruitment. About $49,000 of the original $200,000 is left for
future endeavors through 2009.

The 2010 matching money highlights the institution’s dedication in the federal grant proposal process, said Craig Reynolds, project leader and research and program officer for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. “It’s making CMU more competitive on a national level,” Reynolds said. “And it’s a tangible demonstration of our support to students and faculty.”

Matching funds empower grant seekers

Many national foundations and federal grant funding sources require universities to come up with matching dollars.

For example, grantees receiving federal Head Start funds are required to contribute a 50 percent match, which can include material donations, volunteer hours, and actual monetary contributions.

The Human Environmental Studies Collaborative Child Care Program, funded with a grant of $117,690 from EightCAP Inc., a federally funded Head Start agency, recently received $14,000 in CMU 2010 matching funds.

The money funds additional needs such as special art supplies, groceries for nutrition projects, and public transportation for families that cannot get their children to campus, said Margaret Desormes, the program’s associate director. The CMU program has three classrooms in which about 400 CMU child development students work directly with Head Start children.

“The matching funds help foster an excellent learning experience for both students and the children here,” Desormes said. “CMU has been very supportive of this community collaboration.”

The McNair Scholars program, which prepares low-income and first generation college students and those considered underrepresented to one day earn doctoral degrees, received $30,000 in matching funds. McNair recently received nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education to run the program for the next four years.

The money stretches federal research stipends for all students in the program, provides training for the Graduate Record Examination, and pays for an instructor to teach research and writing, said Lynn Curry, associate director of the program.

“We are very grateful for the money from CMU,” Curry said. “It allows us greater flexibility in terms of the resources and services that we can offer.” •