The Culture, Grants and Advancement department within the Office of Culture, Community and Equity (OCCE) offers one-on-one assistance with the DEI, broader impacts, community engagement, education and outreach-related sections of research grant proposals. In partnership with Michigan Engineering’s Office of the Associate Dean for Research, we consult on research grant proposals for major funders – including NSF, DoE, NASA and NIH – as well as corporate and philanthropic foundations.
Our services include three primary levels of support:
- 30-minute information gathering and/or brainstorming sessions
- We’ll help you assess your needs and talk through your ideas as they relate to the DEI-related requirements of grant solicitations. These sessions can include an overview of OCCE’s K-20 programs or connections to other relevant campus programs and services, as applicable.
- 60-minute content review sessions
- We’ll review a draft of your DEI-related proposal sections alongside the grant solicitation requirements. These sessions commonly follow the initial 30-minute meeting and can include a discussion of past reviewer comments on previously submitted proposals, as applicable.
- Ongoing
- We’ll review subsequent revisions of your DEI-related proposal sections, plan partnerships with our K-20 programs and/or assist with DEI-related information gathering. Ongoing sessions generally follow the 60-minute content review.
We consult with Michigan Engineering faculty at all career stages, regardless of whether they are the Principal Investigator or U-M is the lead institution on the grant proposal. Under specific circumstances, we may also consult with Michigan Engineering postdoctoral scholars and graduate students on a case-by-case basis.
Consultation Process
Consultations can be conducted virtually over Zoom or in person on North Campus. The sooner you reach out the better, as we find that meeting several weeks prior to the grant proposal deadline benefits faculty most.
How do I schedule a consultation?
Please complete our request form below to schedule a consultation with our DEI Faculty Grants Consultation Lead. You can expect a response within 5 business days.
The Research Development department in the Office of the Associate Dean for Research may also connect you with us directly. Please let us know how we can help!
Resources, Tools & Additional Support or Collaboration Opportunities
Internal Resources
- Our DEI Grants Consultant, Savannah Hall, is currently developing guides on a number of relevant topics. After meeting with us, she will provide you with any resources you might find helpful.
- OCCE maintains a Professional Development Platform where you can explore various Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) related topics, gain knowledge and develop skills around DEI.
- OCCE’s portfolio of K-12 programs, Engineering OnRamp, serves middle and high school students from across Southeast Michigan. Upon meeting with us, we can provide you with further information on partnership opportunities.
- The Office of the Associate Dean for Research webpage on Outreach & Diversity details a number of internal resources you might consult beyond OCCE. We are happy to help connect you with these opportunities for further consultation and collaboration.
External Resources
Contact
Savannah Hall, Faculty Research Grants Consultation Lead
Savannah holds a PhD in English from Indiana University and over 10 years’ experience in Higher Education. As a strategic communication coach, she’s worked across academic disciplines, including the humanities, business and engineering. Her past research focused on cultural and critical race studies, de-colonial independence movements, and inclusive and equitable teaching practices. Savannah has participated in research teams at Indiana University, Bloomington and the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. She’s helped students and faculty alike develop audience-driven, compelling social impact narratives for grant and business proposals. In her role as OCCE’s DEI Grants Consultant, she stays up to date on the DEI-related requirements of major funders and current research on best practices in DEI.
Contact Savannah at [email protected].
Michelle Campbell, Program Director
Michelle leads the Culture, Grants and Advancement department within OCCE. With a PhD in English and over 10 years’ experience in higher education, she has taught courses in communication and intercultural competence at Central Michigan University, Purdue University, Duke University and Universidad del Norte (Colombia). Michelle has presented at over 20 academic conferences and published several peer-reviewed journal articles. Her past research focused on cultural and political studies, gender and identity, and intercultural competence. In her role as a Program Director, Michelle assists with complex research grant proposals, leads DEI professional development for faculty and staff, and liaises with University of Michigan leadership, faculty and staff on various equity-centered engineering initiatives.
Zhanar Tuleutayeva, Program Coordinator
Zhanar received her Master’s degree in Women’s and Gender Studies from Eastern Michigan University, where she researched gender and sexuality, campus sexual misconduct, violence against women and gendered nationalism. Zhanar has extensive experience facilitating DEI professional development workshops around cultural competency, unconscious bias, inclusive leadership and more. In her role as a Program Coordinator, she supports the Culture, Grants and Advancement department in the execution of various equity-centered engineering activities that includes providing grants consultations for Michigan Engineering faculty.
All members of the Culture, Grants and Advancement department are Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrators.