In 2015 in recognition of the leadership and contributions of Charles R. Bantz to the IUPUI campus and Indianapolis community IUPUI established the Charles R. Bantz Chancellor’s Community Fellowship. This grant initiative reflects Charles Bantz’s dedication to research that embraces community-driven goals, creates university-community partnerships, and results in community impact.

The Charles R. Bantz Chancellor’s Community Fellowship initiative aligns with IUPUI’s strategic goals to deepen IUPUI’s commitment to community engagement (see http://strategicplan.iupui.edu/). The Bantz Community Fellowship initiative includes two awards: the Charles R. Bantz Community Fellowship Award and the Charles R. Bantz Community Scholar Award. The awards are funded through charitable gifts and campus funding. Both awards are further supported by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Office of Community Engagement, and Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.

Nominations for the 2021 Charles R. Bantz Community Fellowship and Community Scholar Awards are closed. Please check back in the fall of 2021 for the next awards cycle.

The Bantz Community Fellowship Award and Bantz Community Scholar Award support community-engaged research and scholarly activities that:

• • Reinforce and deepen campus-community engagement and research partnerships;
  • Leverage the knowledge, skills, and innovative talents of IUPUI faculty, students, and community partner(s) in a year-long scope of work that is of mutual value and interest;
  • Result in meaningful community impact.

Eligibility: The Bantz Community Fellowship and Bantz Community Scholar awards provide up to one year of research support for a collaborative research team made up of faculty, staff, student(s), and community partners/members to address a pressing community issue in Central Indiana. Research teams must be led by a full-time faculty member who will serve as the Primary Investigator on the project. To be eligible to serve as PI on a Bantz Community Fellowship or Bantz Scholar team, the PI-faculty member must have a full-time appointment (Tenured, Tenure-track, Clinical Faculty or Lecturer). Collaborative teams must include graduate and/or undergraduate students (full-time enrollment in an IUPUI program, in good academic standing), and designated community partner(s) who have been actively engaged in shaping the proposed goals.

Expectations:

• • The Bantz Community Fellowship Award is intended to support and advance an established researcher, research team, and research agenda to further an existing national or local reputation for that research. Bantz Fellows should have a demonstrable body of research and work in/with the community that has led to the proposed research, and established partnerships within the community. It is expected that after one year of research Bantz Fellowship awardees will report and demonstrate a significant advancement of the proposed research agenda and impact on behalf of community partners.
  • The Bantz Community Scholar Award is intended to support and encourage a new or promising researcher, research team, and research agenda to impact community-driven goals and advance their own research agenda. Bantz Scholar funding is intended to support research about community needs and goals, test models, concepts, and applied techniques to achieve community-driven goals, and build or expand upon community knowledge, partnerships, and relationships. Bantz Scholar awardees also may propose pilot studies that include testing and exploration of novel techniques, innovations, and applications if specifically aligned with community-driven goals.

Use of Funds: The grant period will be from July 1 through June 30 of each year.  Funding may be used to support the research and pay for faculty and student time on the project as indicated in the proposal and accompanying budget. It may be used for salary/release time for IUPUI members of the team (faculty, staff, and student time on the project), supplies, limited/related travel, and other project expenses. It may not be used to support salaries or expenses for external or community partners. It may not be disbursed to community partners for staffing or material support. A community organization partner and recipient will receive in-kind services/support as part of the collaborative work to address a specific problem, rather than financial support.

Additional Funding: Upon award of the Bantz Fellowship Award or Bantz Scholar Award, members of the research teams (tenured/tenure-track faculty, non-tenure track faculty, full-time senior lecturers, and clinical track faculty) may apply for up to $10,000 in additional support from the Release Time for Research (RTR). This funding is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) to provide for paid release time to conduct the research. Eligibility information will be provided upon granting of the Bantz Fellowship and the Bantz Scholar awards. Awardees must apply for OVCR funding in a separate process. Use of funds is dependent upon OVCR, school, and university policies and expectations.

Applications: Applicants to the Charles R. Bantz Chancellor’s Community Fellowship Award must complete all sections of the application form. Applicants may request up to $40,000 for the Bantz Fellowship, or up to $25,000 for the Bantz Scholar Award. Both awards require additional cash or in-kind match (minimum 20%) from the school, community partner, and/or other grants and partners.

Award Process and Recognition: The Bantz Community Fellowship and Bantz Scholar awards will be determined through a competitive selection process on an annual basis. The selection committee is comprised of faculty and community-engaged scholars, campus administrators, prior Bantz Awardees, and community partners. Awardees will be notified by the IUPUI Chancellor in April 2021, and will be honored at the annual Fall TRIP Showcase.

Awardee Responsibilities: Bantz Community Fellowship and the Bantz Community Scholar awardees will be expected to provide public presentations to the community, campus, and donors; communicate broadly about the project; issue appropriate informal and formal reports; serve on future Bantz Fellowship/Scholar Award Judging Committees; exhibit at relevant and appropriate campus research colloquia and community events, including but not limited to the annual TRIP scholars event and OVCR research events; advise/mentor future Bantz Fellows and Bantz Scholars, and share future community-engaged research with others in traditional and open-source formats.

Click here to view previous recipients.

Additional Information – Charles R. Bantz Fellowship and Scholar Advisory Committee:

About the Charles R. Bantz Fellowship and Scholar Awards – Charles R. Bantz, ude[dot]iupui[at]ztnabc; Steve Viehweg, ude[dot]iupui[at]gewheivs.

• • Fellowship and Scholar Award Program Questions - Teresa A. Bennett, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement, Office of Community Engagement, ude[dot]iupui[at]tennebkt.
  • Release Time for Research Grants – Etta Ward, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, ude[dot]iupui[at]drawme.

Click here to preview a PDF of the application.