Diversity for Equality Grant

Concord University is in an annual competition with many other colleges in West Virginia for a large grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission by the name of the Diversity for Equity Grant. This grant is awarded to colleges that have a well balanced and established ethnic foreground, proceed in events and initiatives designed to achieve diversity for equity, and events the promote equity in educational outcomes for diverse students and partake in activities "that embody an emphasis related to two or more diversity for equity issues relative to: age, gender, nationality, race/ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, and/or veteran's status.”

This is an excellent program and pushes colleges to expand culturally and through such cultural encouragement, helps influence on the students of all universities. Dr. Marjie Flanigan explained that past fundings from Concord University include Black History Month, the slave quilt exhibit, The Campus Tolerance Committee, "Women's Issues", The Martin Luther King Scholarship Program, and countless other racially diverse events and organizations. 

The Diversity for Equity Grant is not a new program, and it has been strong standing for over 10 years. According to the Diversity for Equity Grant Request Proposal, all colleges in standing for this grant must write a brief abstract that summarizes major components and planned activities, a rationale that explains how these events address and exploit the grant's aims and objectives. All applicant colleges must also send forth a statement of their goals and outcomes for the upcoming year as well as a detailed list of how the scheduled activities will proceed along with timeframes of all of them, number of participants served and faculty/ staff requirements, evaluations of data, a projected budget, and of course the signature of the institutional contact for these proposed projects.

This grant is $5,000 but colleges can be awarded up to $10,000 in a fiscal year. Dr. Flanigan explained that it is imperative for students, faculty, and community members to help and participate in these wonderful activities to expand more culturally and to spread the word. Nancy Ellison, Director of Multicultural affairs and Disability Services, can also help answering any questions and how to get more involved.