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Home » Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Member Initiated Funds 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Member Initiated Funds 

OVERVIEW:

The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee – Member Initiated Fund provides Connected Minds Registered Members and Post-Doctoral Fellows with support to create customized professional development experiences and build research capacity and opportunity within underrepresented communities. Funds are available to assist with getting teams ready to create space and action initiatives, within and outside of Connected Minds. The overall goal of these funds is to facilitate the creation, implementation, and building of inclusive spaces and opportunities across the Connected Minds program and across underrepresented communities.  

Applicants are encouraged to work together to develop proposals to ensure funded initiatives reach a large, diverse, and interdisciplinary audience. 

Note: If the EDI Committee reviews the application and determines the proposal might be better supported by an alternative Connected Minds funding opportunity, the EDI committee will recommend submission to the alternative funding opportunity. 

APPLICATION TYPES:

1) Getting Ready/Almost Ready Stream 

EDI journeys are personal and nuanced. This funding stream supports EDI knowledge and capacity building to prepare interdisciplinary teams for diversifying membership and including underrepresented communities into research/creation spaces from the onset. The funds are meant to support readiness preparation, as well as build capacity for participants to assist and lead future EDI focused work or initiatives. 

2) Working with/in/for Community Stream 

Ready to engage in EDI Work? This funding stream will support members working on developing community partnerships with communities/ organizations centering underrepresented groups (including but not limited to: women; racialized communities; Black, African, Caribbean communities; Indigenous communities; Persons with Disabilities/ Disabled Peoples; 2SLGBTQIA+) and/or other vulnerable groups (including, but not limited to: children, seniors, those experiencing homelessness), creating accessible materials and spaces for co-creation, and supporting communities looking to engage in research/creation projects. These community-focused and led funds provide Connected Minds members with the opportunity to learn how to best support capacity and sustainability in communities directly.  

Note: Both funding streams are meant to be open responses for professors and post-doctoral fellows to reflect on needs of their research and creation teams and utilize these funds to prepare spaces and events to be as diverse, equitable, and inclusive as possible. Funds can be leveraged to help facilitate incorporating EDI principles into future grant opportunities. Connected Minds members are highly encouraged to work together to develop these projects.  

POTENTIAL FUNDING USES:

Below are potential ways to utilize the EDI Member-Initiated Funds. Please note, this list is not exhaustive and does not include all projects and activities that could be funded. We encourage you to apply even if the proposed initiative is not included here. 

Getting Ready/Almost Ready Stream:  

  • Subsidizing team training costs for professional development sessions focused on learning EDI best practices (e.g., The First Nations Principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession [OCAP], Manitoba Métis principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Stewardship [OCAS], and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit) and/or learning interdisciplinary-focused and/or community-led research methodology and dissemination approaches
  • Moderator fees for EDI discussions
  • Inviting community leaders to speak/mentor/consult a research/creation team 
  • Hiring a community outreach assistant to find/contact a list of potential community partners/organizations and coordinate meetings 
  • Funds for paying community representatives for knowledge contributions during project development 
  • Funding for data access costs, which can facilitate EDI-related research outcomes (e.g., through free access as a trainee or via funding to access fee-based repositories such as Queen's University's ICES database)

Working with/in/for Community Stream: 

  • Hosting initial and continuing community partner meetings (space, AV, etc.) 
  • Supporting material costs for capacity-building and/or research/creation projects led by community leads/representatives 
  • Funding for event and speaker fees at community-requested training and learning seminars  
  • Providing caregiving funds at research/creation related events 
  • Creating accessible media/material for partnership and community outreach/collaboration 
  • Funds for making events more accessible including, but not limited to hiring American Sign Language Interpretation, caregivers/attendants, providing live closed captioning or audio descriptions 
  • Translation of research outputs into languages other than English 
  • Accessibility funds for buildings/parking/transportation 

Getting Ready/Almost Ready Stream

Up to $2,000

Application Deadline:

May 12, 2025

Working with/in/for Community Stream

Up to $5,000

Application Deadline:

May 12, 2025

Click here to apply

Click here to download a budget template

Click here to complete the Self-Identification survey

APPLICATION, ADJUDICATION, AND ANNOUNCEMENT TIMELINE (Tentative): 

Applications will be submitted via MachForm to Connected Minds in May 

Adjudication will be completed by the EDI Committee in May. 

Final results will be sent out via email in June.  

If you have any additional questions regarding funding eligibility, please contact Andrew Castillo, EDI & Community Outreach Specialist.

  1. Description of the Initiative (350 words max) 
    1. Briefly describe:  
      1. the purpose and goal of the initiative;  
      2. its interdisciplinary focus;  
      3. the communities directly and/or indirectly impacted;  
      4. structure of the initiative; and  
      5. responsibilities of individuals involved in the development and implementation of the initiative. 
  2. Anticipated Impacts and Outcomes (250 words) 
    1. Explain how the initiative’s purpose and goal align with 2 of 3 of the Connected Minds research themes.  
    2. Explain how the funds will be used to enhance EDI learning or application and lead to EDI impacts across the 3 of Connected Minds Pillars of Expertise. 
    3. Explain the depth or long-term impacts of funding this initiative for the team(s) or communities mentioned in the proposal 
    4. *Only applicable if applicant is an Early Career Researcher* The specific contributions to the development of early career researchers and their development plans. 
  3. Previous experience lived/working with communities described in application (100 words) 
    1. Outline any previous experience working with communities and how funding from this program will support continued partnerships. 
    2. *Getting Ready/Almost Ready Stream Only* Please include a reflection on the specific vulnerabilities or challenges that may be faced by community members in engaging with this project and outline how you will address these as part of your work (100 words). 
  4. Description of how funds will be used (125 words).  
    1. Provide a line-by-line budget break down of how funds will be spent. 

Applications will be shared with the EDI Committee who will rank the applications using the evaluation criteria below. Applications scoring over 70% will be deemed fundable and discussed during an EDI Committee meeting. A consensus vote will be used to make the final recommendations for funding dependent on funds available. 

  1. Description of the Initiative (50%) 
    • Initiative is focused on highlighting one or more of the follow equity deserving groups: Indigenous peoples; women; African, Caribbean, Black; individuals from racialized groups; persons with disability/disabled peoples; and/or the 2SLGBTQIA+ community 
    • Initiative is focused on supporting research/creation with underrepresented community, directly or indirectly 
    • Initiatives are culturally sensitive and community specific 
    • Initiative demonstrates increased knowledge of interdisciplinary and diverse knowledges, methodologies, perspectives, and worldviews 
    • Appropriate consultation with communities and end-users that may be impacted by initiative has been outlined in application (if/as applicable) 
    • Outline/structure/plan of proposal is clear and will support team readiness/ application of EDI best practices 
    • Proposed initiative demonstrates potential incorporation or usage of knowledges outside of a colonial Academy 
    • Roles and responsibilities of individuals mentioned throughout the initiative are clearly explained to avoid tokenization 
  2. Anticipated Impacts and Outcomes (25%) 
    • Initiative theme is aligned with (at minimum, 2 of 3) Connected Minds’ Research themes 
    • Impact is focused on team- or community- level versus individual development increasing interdisciplinary knowledge across Connected minds research pillars 
    • Initiative is not a one-time event, but demonstrates path towards continued professional development and/or successful partnership 
    • Initiative demonstrates long-term positive impacts on communities or end-users 
    • *Only applicable if applicant is an Early Career Researcher* Contributions to career development is feasible based on development plans provided 
  3. Previous Experience (15%) 
    • Individual or team has previous experience working with Communities mentioned in application 
    • Proposal clearly outlines how funding will help the development or maintenance of partnerships 
    • Individual or team has provided meaningful reflection on the importance of the work they wish to engage in  
    • *Getting Ready/Almost Ready Stream Only* Individual or team has provided meaningful learning completed or in process to maintain a climate of safety when engaging with communities. 
  4. Budget Justification (10%) 
    • Budget justifies how initiative cannot be started or fully completed without funding  
    • Budget is appropriate aligned with the structure and goals of the proposal 
    • Funds are used to appropriately compensate community participants/consultants throughout initiative (if applicable) 
  1. Receipts, Invoices, Job advertisements for all spending/hiring (e.g., Speakers, Research Assistants)  
  2. Supplementary Information regarding funded initiative, if available 
  3. Post-event reporting detailing lessons learned, and next steps. 
  • Faculty Salaries Not Attributable to the Grant:
    • Non-Grant Faculty Salaries: Salaries of faculty not recruited due to the grant, including research time stipends for these individuals.  
  • Personal and Commuting Costs: 
    • Commuting Expenses: Costs of travel between home and work or between two places of employment.  
    • Immigration and Passport Fees: Passport and visa costs, and immigration-related fees, such as work permits.  
  • Entertainment and Gifts: 
    • Alcohol and Entertainment: Costs of alcohol, entertainment, and gifts outside of specific research-related hospitality.  
    • Regular Interactions: Costs associated with regular interactions, such as meals or refreshments during routine meetings with colleagues or staff, are not covered.  
  • Non-Research Related Costs: 
    • General Overhead: Costs related to general institutional overhead not specific to CFREF-funded research, such as insurance for buildings and vehicles.  
    • Regulatory Compliance: Costs associated with ethical review, biohazard safety, environmental assessments, and similar regulatory compliance. 
    • Education-Related Costs: Expenses like tuition, course fees, thesis preparation, and costs associated with the preparation of teaching materials.  
  • Capital and Infrastructure Expenses: 
    • Laboratory Renovations: Costs for renovating, moving, or renting laboratories unless covered within the allowable indirect costs.  

For a complete list of ineligible expenses, please visit the Connected Minds Resources Page and click on the “CFREF Expense Guide” for more information.