Community Partnership Seed Grant

Get funding to nurture a new research collaboration—plus coaching and skill-building opportunities to help you grow as a researcher.

We fund proposals that:

Address health issues identified by Minnesota communities.
Focus on populations facing preventable differences in disease burden, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health.
Leverage community strengths.
Address barriers to health.

Support for newly established research partnerships between community organizations and University of Minnesota staff and faculty.

Opportunities to build practical skills you can carry into future community–academic partnerships.

Access to ongoing support throughout the project.

Community members must be from Minnesota-based community organizations (e.g., non-profits, local public health, community clinics, neighborhood associations, tribal governments and tribally led organizations).
University researchers (Assistant, associate or full professor, post-doctoral associate/fellow or a PhD research associate. Researchers affiliated with the University of Minnesota Extension are encouraged to apply).

Convening meetings between community and University partners to develop a research agenda or write a research proposal together.
Convening focus groups to adapt an intervention, toolkit, instrument or evaluation for a specific community context and strengthen community engagement for a larger research project.
Community dialogues and forums about research questions, focus and design in order to strengthen community engagement for a larger research project.
Developing agreements or protocols to support a long-term community-University partnership.
Convening dialogues and forums to expand community partners. For example, holding a two-day conference on addressing opioid use issues and pain management programs in American Indian communities that includes research and community participants.
Organizing a community advisory board meeting to set research priorities for the future or establishing a board to complete these activities.