Special Projects
Each year, the WSU Foundation grants about $100,000 to special projects pursued by faculty or staff at Winona State. These awards are intended to help fund projects that bring innovation and acclaim to the University.
The Special Projects Committee of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees reviews the applications twice a year and selects the winning projects.
The number and value of awards is determined by the annual funding available. The recipients of the awards are announced at the Foundation’s annual board meeting.
You must be a full time, permanent WSU employee, and your project must meet certain criteria.
Funds are awarded for proposals that encourage innovative research and curriculum development that lead to new academic programming and scholarly publications.
- Offers new programming or benefits to the University community
- Needs initial start-up funds
- Has sought out additional fund sources
- Must be supported by the Department / College
- Encourages innovative teaching or research
- Shows clear potential for leveraging additional/sustainable funding and is submitted by an applicant committed to leading those fundraising efforts
- A project that will be completed or substantially completed within 12 months
- Will bring visibility to the University and advances its goals
Faculty and staff members are only awarded 1 grant per fiscal year. Typical awards do not exceed $5,000.
Funds awarded must be spent solely for the purposes stated in the application.
The Foundation will not fund:
- faculty/staff salaries
- faculty/staff travel
- honoraria for WSU faculty and/or staff
- academic course work toward graduate degrees or for post-graduate work
Applications are reviewed 2 times per fiscal year.
Applicants must present their projects to the special projects committee on review day.
Someone from the Foundation Office will schedule your 10-minute presentation time one week before the committee meeting date.
Be prepared to explain how your project is relevant to the mission of the institution and your college or department.
How to Apply
Have a plan for a project? Apply for a Special Projects Award today!
Your application must include:
- An outline of the project (problem to be addressed, significance, goals, methods to be used, ways to evaluate success, future plans)
- A statement of the project’s relevance to the mission of the institution and/or college
- One-page budget
- A fundraising plan (if additional funding is needed to complete the project)
- Benchmarks and measurable results to be reported to the Foundation
Logos
All publications, displays or presentations of any project funded should include appropriate recognition of the WSU Foundation.
The WSU Foundation logo is available to be used on all marketing materials associated with the special projects award:
Forms
Use the Foundation’s Voucher Form (PDF) to request fund disbursement from an account held by the WSU Foundation, such as special projects.
The Special Projects Award Final Report Form (PDF) is due to the Foundation office within 1 year of the start of the project.
PO Box 5838
Winona, MN 55987
507.457.5020
507.457.5518