Application Period: September 1 – November 19, 2025

Award Notification: By December 19, 2025

Fund Disbursement/Project Start: January 2026

Project Implementation: January 2026 – July 2027 (12 – 18 months)

• Current member(s) of GVSU faculty, staff, or students (with advisor support) may apply on behalf of their department
  • Acknowledgment of Support from the department’s Appointing Officer is required
  • Proposal must involve a partnership with a GVSU-authorized charter public school
    • Pairing may be facilitated by Division of K-12 Education Innovation and Scholar Success, if needed or requested
  • Limit of two application submissions per department 

Preference will be given to proposals that:

• Are innovative.
• Meaningfully engage university students in collaboration with faculty or staff.
• Address areas for school improvement.
• Demonstrate the opportunity for legacy or open-source materials and long-term potential.

This grant is designed to support initiatives that enhance learning experiences, improve school systems, or strengthen student outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals aligned to their expertise, within the following broad priority areas:

• Culture and Climate
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Community Engagement
• Health and Safety
• STEAM
• AI
• Other

Applicants must agree:

• To collaborate with the partnering school throughout the grant period.
• To participate in the GVSU Innovation Showcase and/or support the school’s presentation.
• To submit brief milestone updates and a final summary of our involvement.
• To assist in securing any necessary photo/video release forms, if the project is highlighted in GVSU communication channels.

The Impact 30 Grant celebrates GVSU’s 30 years of charter school authorization by funding 40 innovative, student-centered projects across two tracks: University Partners and Charter Public Schools . Below are structured FAQs resources for University Partner applicants and awardees.

1. What is the Impact 30 grant? A competitive grant program designed to support innovative projects that positively impact charter public school students, schools, and communities. Forty total projects will be funded over two years.

2. What are the eligibility requirements?

• Current GVSU faculty, staff, and students (with advisor support) may apply on behalf of their department
  • Appointing Officer acknowledgment required
  • Project must involve a GVSU-authorized charter public school partner (pairing support available)
  • Limit of two application submissions per department

3. What is the timeline?

• Opens: September 1, 2025
• Deadline: November 19, 2025 (11:59 PM)
• Notification: By December 19, 2025
• Funds Disbursed/Projects Begin: January 2026
• Project Duration: Up to July 2027

4. How much funding is available? $30,000 (10 awards)

5. How are applications evaluated? 

Applications are reviewed in two stages:

• Stage 1 (Eligibility): Completeness, required approvals, deadlines, alignment with timelines/budget.
•  Stage 2 (Review): External reviewers score applications using a rubric (up to 60 points) plus bonus points (up to 15) for preferred elements such as innovation, legacy, or student leadership.

6. Will applicants receive reviewer feedback or be able to resubmit? No. All applications must be submitted by November 19, 2025. After that, the two-stage review process occurs, and final award decisions are communicated by December 19, 2025. Reviewer comments will not be shared.

7. What support is available?

Pre-Award:

• Pre-recorded informational videos (track-specific)
• Live Q&A sessions on September 19, 2025
• Templates and technical assistance 

Post-Award:

• Communities of Practice
• Storytelling coaching
• Showcase and other conference presentation opportunities

8. Must projects align with GVSU’s values? Not explicitly. However, proposals must align with the grant’s focus areas, demonstrate innovation, and reflect lasting impact consistent with GVSU’s mission as a charter public school authorizer.

9. Can I apply to both tracks? No. Applicants may only apply under one track (University Partner or Charter School). However, university departments may collaborate with GVSU-authorized schools as partners on a single proposal.

10. What happens if a project encounters challenges? Applicants should communicate with GVSU Division of K-12 Education Innovation and Scholar Success (DEISS) staff. Technical assistance and Communities of Practice will help troubleshoot and adapt projects.

11. What are the focus areas?

• Culture and Climate
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Community Engagement
• Health and Safety
• STEAM
• Artificial Intelligence
• Other (as defined by applicant)

12. Which proposals are preferred?

• Innovative
• Involve meaningful university student collaboration
• Address school improvement needs
• Provide lasting outcomes and open-source resources

13. What are applicant commitments?

• Continuous collaboration with and support of GVSU-authorized charter public school
• Submit milestone updates and final report
• Participate in Innovation Showcase if selected
• Provide release forms if highlighted in storytelling

14. Can grant funds be used to pay stipends or off-contract wages to existing school or university faculty or staff?

Not at this time. For the initial cycle of Impact 30, grant funds may not be used to compensate existing teachers, faculty, or staff members (including through summer or off-contract stipends). This restriction applies to both K-12 and university partners.

Why not?
Because this is the first cycle of the program, GVSU is applying a consistent and conservative funding policy across all applicants to ensure equity, transparency, and clean fiscal oversight. This approach keeps the focus on direct project costs, such as materials, student programming, transportation, community partnerships, and other implementation expenses, and avoids differences in how schools and university units handle employee compensation.

What if the project includes activities like data collection, facilitation, or evaluation?
Projects that include activities like data collection, facilitation, or evaluation are eligible for support. The key distinction is how the work is completed: materials and related costs can be covered by the grant, but stipends are only allowed if the work is carried out by new vendors, external consultants, or community partners, not by existing school or university employees.

Will this policy change in the future?
Possibly. After this inaugural cycle, GVSU will review all feedback and program outcomes to determine whether flexibility can be added in future rounds to recognize off-contract or summer work that advances collaboration and impact.

15. Who should I contact with questions? GVSU Division of K-12 Education Innovation and Scholar Success (DEISS) at [email protected]

FOR  AWARDEES

1. What should I do if I am unable to attend the kick-off/orientation meeting?
Each grant initiative typically involves a team. Please make all attempts for as many team members to attend as possible. Those present can share information with others. If your entire team cannot attend on January 16, please contact the Impact 30 Coordination Team to make alternate arrangements.

2. What reporting is required?

All awardees must submit milestone updates (schedule varies by track) and a final project report. Monthly survey and Communities of Practice participation is also required. 

3. What are the expectations for storytelling and dissemination?

Awardees must provide photos, stories, or open-source tools for archiving and may be featured in GVSU communications, events, or conferences. 

4. What if my project scope or budget changes?

Any significant changes must be discussed with the Impact 30 Coordination Team before implementation. Please contact them as soon as you are aware a change is needed to set up a meeting with the program director.