Funding Mini-Workshop

Stephanie Watson and Greg Milligan

Grants and Awards Subcommittee

Local Section Activities Committee (LSAC)

American Chemical Society

Greg joined the American Chemical Society in 1983. In 2004-2006 he served as Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair of the Puget Sound Section. Since 2007 Greg has served as Councilor. Since 2012, he has served on the Committee on Local Section Activities, and on the Grants & Awards subcommittee of LSAC. Since 2002 Greg has been employed as (now) Associate Professor of Chemistry at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington.

Stephanie Watson, Councilor from the Maryland Local Section, serves as LSAC’s Chair of the Grants and Awards (G&A) Subcommittee. She also represents LSAC on the Divisional Activities Committee (DAC). She had co-chaired the 2012 MARM meeting in Baltimore (May 2012) and chaired her local section. Dr. Watson is a surface analytical chemist in the Polymeric Materials Group in the Engineering Laboratory at NIST.

Plan Ahead

• Design Meeting/Activity

– At least 6 months in advance

– Develop a budget

• Include costs for:

– Speaker

– Venue

– Food

• See Handouts

• Ways to Share Costs

– Collaborate with:

• Neighboring ACS LS Sections/Divisions

• ACS Career Programs• Other Science Societies• Local Community

Organizations• Industry

– Choice of Venue

• Use local businesses• Example: winery or farmers

market events

American Chemical Society 2

LSAC Funding• ACS Website

– Membership and Networks

• Local Sections (left)

–Engaging Members (right)

» Grants and Awards

» Science Cafes

–Leadership Skills (right)

» ACS Leadership Development

» Scholarships

LSAC Funding

• Innovative project grants (IPG)

– Up to $3000

– One per year per section

• Easy application and follow-up report

– Activity must be:

• New to the applying local section

• Stimulate local section member involvement

• Pilot projects for a continuing section activity or use a unique upcoming opportunity for the local section.

– Lots of examples of successful ones…

LSAC Funding• Innovative project grants (IPG)

– Application-follow directions closely:• Information and Summary sheet (1 pg)• Full description of project including objectives, plan of action,

line-item budget, and evaluation plan (2 pg max).• Support letter or email from:

– Current local section chair (or Executive Committee member if the Chair is Project Coordinator).

– Co-sponsoring local sections, divisions, committees, or other community groups, if applicable.

• Check and mind all restrictions: honoraria, alcoholic beverages, meals for local section members, ACS membership dues, pass-through donations to other individuals or organizations

LSAC Funding

• New York, Walking the Brooklyn Bridge to Celebrate Earth Day! : Chemistry students and faculty walk across Brooklyn Bridge with community, carrying banner to celebrate Earth Day.

• Santa Clara Valley, Outreach - Hands-on Experiments with Homeless and Farmworker Families: Section members, undergraduate and high school students will volunteer to do hands-on chemistry experiments chemistry for kids who are "off-the-grid" in homeless shelters and migrant worker families.

LSAC Funding

• Indiana, Building a Chemistry and Science Theme Room at the Payton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent Children's Hospital or its Affiliated clinics: Renovate and decorate a chemistry theme room at Children's Hospitals designated by the health network.

• Georgia, Local Chemical Businesses “Showcase”: The Chemical Businesses Group of the Georgia Section is planning an event to showcase their chemical businesses and chemical professionals.

LSAC Funding

• California, California Community College Chemistry Conference: Conference to inform representative community college faculty and student leaders about the ACS; encourage the formation or activation of student chemistry clubs (or science clubs); and create networking linkages with university and industry.

• Past Funded IPGs

American Chemical Society 9

If you were to repeat this program, what would you do differently?

•need better PR

•need more member volunteers

•need additional funding sources

•select a better time of the year to hold the event or program

 

Lessons Learned from IPG’s

LSAC GRANTS

• For assisting with booking Online Speaker Directory speakers (travel expense reimbursement for 2013 bookings)

• Science Cafes

• Specialty grants with a specific focus are typically introduced after Spring national meetings

– Mini, Nano or Section Sustainability Programming

LSAC GRANTS

• Leadership Development Mini-Grant Local Sections Grants & Awards page

– Hold leadership development courses in your local section area

• Information from courses can be useful for LS leaders, but also other local businesses or universities

• Local Section Sustainability Programming Mini-Grant LS Sustainability Info

– Encourage local sections to develop programming that furthers the discussion of sustainability within the chemical enterprise (ACS Strategic Plan Goals #2 and #4).

• including (but not limited to) speakers at local section meetings, Science Cafés, workshops, educational programs, community events, or other innovative programming concepts.

– Grants of up to $500 are available on a rolling basis to enable sustainability related programming.

LSAC GRANTS

• Science Café Mini-Grant (Science Cafe info)

– Promote scientific literacy among local citizens while invigorating your Local Section and stimulating thinking among nonscientists about questions of the day that have a scientific underpinning.

• Provide a relaxed, open venue for nonscientists and scientists to discuss current topics.

• Often held in coffee shops, bars, restaurants or bookstores, anywhere people gather, increase science literacy in communities across America.

• Focus on a specific topic and can include a variety of approaches; a single speaker, a panel discussion, or include a video or trivia and can consist of a speaker or speakers and a group discussion.

• Bridging the Gap: Planning for Success Nano-Grant Local Sections Grants & Awards page

– Support LS infrastructure:

• focus on bylaw revisions, electronic elections, and budget development.

13

Special ACS Funds for Local Section Events

Innovative Projects Grants (IPGs), up to $3000, apply by Jan. 31 or June 30

Bridging the Gap: Planning for Success Nano-Grant, $250, apply by March 12, 2013

Science Café Mini-grant, $300, apply anytime

Leadership Development Mini-Grant, up to $3000, apply by May 15, 2013

Speaker Directory, $400 (travel expense reimbursement) limited funds available in 2013, apply anytime with receipts

Local Section Sustainability Programming, sponsored by the Committee on Environmental Improvement, $500, apply anytime