NEHS Chapter Project Grants ignite creativity and passion among our student members by empowering them to lead innovative literacy-focused community service projects. These grants are a catalyst for students to design initiatives that not only enhance literacy skills but also foster community engagement and solidarity.
At NEHS, we believe in the power of student-led initiatives to make a meaningful impact. These projects, developed and overseen by NEHS student members under the guidance of Chapter Advisors and school administrators, exemplify our commitment to serving communities. They provide opportunities for students to cultivate empathy, promote literacy, and strengthen community bonds through collaborative efforts.
Check out the NEHS Museletter blog for inspiring examples of diverse community service projects that have benefited from Chapter Project Grants.
Awards
NEHS will award a number of grants, of no more than $200 each, each semester to support innovative and impactful chapter projects. Chapters receiving a grant must submit evidence of their project’s outcomes and impact to the Chapter Impact Award within 12 months of receiving their grant.
Eligibility
- Chapters must be active at the time of submission and awarding.
- All student members involved in the community service project must be active NEHS student members.
Application Requirements
Chapters must upload a narrative (.doc/.docx) of no more than 500 words that contains the following information:
- a description of the project plan and need for the project, the intended impact, and how the project meets the goals of the Society;
- a clear description of how NEHS student members will be actively involved in the project;
- an explanation of whether the project involves a collaboration with another group/organization;
- contextual details of the target audience;
- a timeline for the project from starting point to completion; and
- a description of how the project will be evaluated and publicized by the chapter.
All submissions must include a detailed budget. NEHS will support projects that have a total cost that goes beyond NEHS funding—in this case, applications should explain where they intend to acquire the rest of the funding.
Any applications that involve a collaboration of any kind must include a PDF (.pdf) letter from the other group/organization clearly outlining their willingness to participate in the project, details of how they will participate in the project, the goals of the partnership, and the intended impact of the project.
NEHS Chapter Project Grants cannot be used for the payment of evaluator stipends or for the purchase of food and drink for Chapter-sponsored events.
Application Process
- All submissions must be made via the NEHS AwardSpring platform during the Fall and Winter Awards Cycles.
- One student member from the chapter must upload a Microsoft Word file (.doc/.docx) of the 500-word (max.) narrative summary of the project and detailed budget in PDF (.pdf) format.
- Applicants must complete demographic data questions prior to submitting their documentation.
- The student author(s) of the narrative report must include a 150-word (max.) history of their chapter and high-resolution group photo of current student members.
- Applicants must agree that they are willing to provide a written report and photos detailing the impact the award has had on them, which can be used by NEHS to promote this and other opportunities in future years should they win an award.
Evaluation Process
All applications will be evaluated by at least three members of the NEHS evaluation team.
All applications will be evaluated against a rubric containing (but not limited to) the following categories:
- Evidence of project planning
- Evidence of need within the community
- Intended impact on community
- Level of NEHS student member engagement
- Literacy skills development among intended audience
- Evidence of NEHS student member collaboration and teamwork
- Innovation and creativity
