Rationale
At the heart of the Ron Brown Scholar Program lies an unshakable commitment to service. Applicants to the Program, in addition to displaying academic excellence and a capacity to lead, must also demonstrate a commitment to service and community involvement. After being named Ron Brown Scholars, the young leaders consistently continue to serve their communities while completing their undergraduate courses of study and while excelling as busy professionals. They find ways to leverage their skills and manage their time so as to be able to affect positive change across diverse populations. They fervently believe they have a duty to use the tremendous opportunities afforded them to offer a ladder down to those who may be less fortunate and to give back to those communities that have supported them throughout their lives. In short, Ron Brown Scholars are a collective force serving communities and making a strong impact across the nation.

Overview
The Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation is an organization committed to offering Ron Brown Scholars the opportunity to continue serving their communities through innovative service projects. The Foundation will award small grants to Ron Brown Scholar applicants who submit proposals of service projects that demonstrate visionary solutions to problems of social importance. Members of the evaluation committee will carefully assess the soundness of the proposed project and will also be looking for creativity and social relevance. Scholars are encouraged to explore nontraditional applications of their skills and areas of expertise to positively impact the diverse populations that make up their communities. Successful grant applications will thoroughly explain the need for the proposed project, offer reasonable assessments of the project's outcomes, and provide a comprehensive schedule of events and budget plan.

The CSF is an opportunity for Ron Brown Scholars to encourage one another in their service endeavors and will also bolster the reach of the Ron Brown Scholar Program further into the greater African American community. Scholars will be able to offer their skills and insights to make an impact at the local level and the collective ambition and support offered by the Program and contributing communities will heighten that impact to achieve a nationwide-and even global-reach.

Definition of Service Projects
Service projects include, but are not limited to, projects that provide direct outreach and support to individuals and communities / community based groups. Funds should not be used to provide direct financial assistance. Projects should not be primarily research based, although assessments and documentation of the project efforts are encouraged.

Foundation Funding
The Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation will receive a gift from the CAP Charitable Foundation of $50,000 annually from 2008 to 2010. The RBS Alumni Association Director of Fundraising will be responsible for organizing and overseeing campaigns to add funds to the Community Service Foundation given by Alumni and external sources. He or she will also work with future program fundraisers. The annual expenditure for the Community Service Foundation grants will not exceed $25,000 unless otherwise supplemented by funds raised through the efforts of the RBSAA fundraising arm. RBSAA dues monies shall not be used to provide grant opportunities through the Foundation.

Grants Available
The Community Service Foundation will annually award a sum total of $25,000 for service projects. Group projects may request up to $5,000 and individual projects may request up to $1000. Groups are defined as two or more Ron Brown Scholars working together on a common project. Ron Brown Scholars who are working with a group of individuals in which they are the only Ron Brown Scholar may only apply for an individual grant.

Additional funding may be available for group or individual projects that are designed as service-learning programs. Service learning is defined by the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse as "…a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities."

Requests for grants of a larger monetary amount than those specified will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Participant Eligibility
All Ron Brown Scholars are invited to submit a proposal for consideration by the Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation. Any Ron Brown Scholar may apply; the Community Service Foundation will not restrict its award based on RBS year. Collaboration among Ron Brown Scholars is especially encouraged.

Project Eligibility
Projects and programs should be designed to address a social issue or need related to a target community. There are no restrictions on the type of service to be administered or the demographics of the communities to receive the benefits. Applicants should feel free to propose innovative solutions to problems occurring in any population, and should look to apply their skills in areas where those skills traditionally have not been incorporated. An applicant's method of service may range from direct outreach to research of a socially-relevant issue to providing administrative consultation to an organization that provides a crucial service but is not operating at full capacity.

Projects and programs should demonstrate the commitment of all parties involved.

Grant Application Process
The grant application process will require that interested Ron Brown Scholars submit an outline of their service project proposal, a project budget and list of materials, and a compelling explanation of the vision for their service. Applicants are also asked to consider the anticipated results and sustainability or their projects. Submitted grant applications will be evaluated by a committee set up by the RBSAA.

Click Here to Download the Grant Application (Word Doc)
Only Ron Brown Scholars Can Apply for this Grant

Foundation Evaluation Criteria for Grant Proposals
Grant applications will be evaluated based on the information provided in the Proposal narrative, as outlined in the application. Evaluators will also look at the budget materials and any included letters of recommendation. They will also consider the following questions:

1. Is this a creative and innovative project in community service?
2. Is the vision of the service project clearly stated and supported?
3. Are the activities and goals of the project clearly stated and planned with adequate detail?
4. Are the benefactors of the service project named?
5. Are the budget items reasonable and relevant?
6. Is the success of the project measurable?
7. What is the overall strength and value of the proposal?

Calendar
The calendar for the CSF grant opportunities will be the following for 2008:

Applications available:	April 18
Application deadline:	May 31
Grant Approval Notifications:	June 15
Grants Distributed:	June 15
Project Progress Presentations:	Aug Conference
Final Project Presentations:	March Selection Weekend

For future years, the application deadline will be February 15 and grants will be awarded by March 1, allowing time for service projects that either require a longer period of time to plan and execute or that are designed to provide a service that extends over a longer duration of time.

Service projects funded by grants from the CSF are not completed until a formal write-up is submitted documenting the initial goal of the project, the activities involved, and a summary of project results and conclusions. A formal event will be organized to showcase the efforts of the Ron Brown Scholars who successfully complete a service project funded by a grant through the CSF.

Change in Scope of Project or Expenditure of Grant Funds
Successful grant recipients who would like to make changes to their proposed project scope or budget must contact the Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation. Any and all unused funds must be returned to the Foundation by the date of the final presentation of service projects.

Example Grant Proposal Service Project Using funds from a small grant, Geraldine Pierre, RBS '04, organized and implemented Project: Youth Uplift in the fall of 2005. Project: Youth Uplift is an after-school leadership program for middle school students in Charlottesville, Virginia. The mission of the program was to stimulate "the upward progress of youth in middle school through leadership, community service and scholarship". The 90 minute program was offered to students who had been identified by their teachers as needing extra attention and tutoring. Student participants in the program received help with homework, snacks, and a daily instructional lesson on topics ranging from leadership to conflict resolution to time management. Geraldine and her 3 person staff were responsible for writing and teaching the 45 minute daily lesson and organizing service projects for the students.

Project: Youth Uplift is now an official University of Virginia organization and has tripled in the size of staff volunteers and middle school student participants. The program maintains a website that gives information about the program and instructions on how to implement this program in your local community. Geraldine has passed on the operational responsibilities of running Project: Youth Uplift in Charlottesville to other volunteers, but the program continues to enjoy successes in its third year.

Geraldine's initial program costs totaled $800. This amount was used to cover the cost of daily activity supplies and snacks. The program now receives private donations to fund its operation.

Geraldine's Project: Youth Uplift demonstrates how initiative, creativity, and funding from a small grant can have an extensive impact. Her program is sustainable, replicable and measurably successful. This type of project is an exemplary candidate for grant funding from the Ron Brown Scholar Program Community Service Foundation.

More Information
For more information regarding the Ron Brown Scholar Community Service Foundation or the grant application materials, please contact Brennan Johnson at (434) 964-1588 or bjohnson@ronbrown.org