2025 LGBT+ Emory Impact Circle Grant Application

The mission of the LGBT+ Impact Circle is to advance causes important to the Emory LGBT+ community through the power of collective philanthropic giving. Current Emory employees or students are eligible to apply on behalf of departments, offices, programs, and/or registered student organizations for a LGBT+ Emory Impact Circle grant for the following academic year. In its first year, the Impact Circle has more than $30,000 available for grants in this year's cycle. Applications will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2025.

Each year up to 10 grants may be awarded through this process to support programs or projects across the university, including Emory Healthcare, that advance the causes the LGBT+ community at Emory, in Atlanta, and beyond. These grants are intended to seed academic and programmatic efforts. Funding recipients are required to file an interim report at 6 months and a final report at the end of the project (no later than 12 months from receipt of funds). Please review the Rules below to ensure your application meets the requirements for grant eligibility; no grants will be made to individuals.

Contact Damoneke Harper at dtharp4@emory.edu with questions regarding this application process. You may also learn more about Emory Impact Circles by visiting our website: Emory Impact Circles | Emory Advancement & Alumni Engagement. 

Grant Eligibility

1. Grants will be made to programs or projects across the university, including Emory Healthcare, that advance the causes the LGBT+ community at Emory, in Atlanta, or beyond.

a. Emory organizations seeking grant funding must be open to any member of the Emory community.

2. Grants are made only to Emory centers, programs, and schools, with funds provided to Emory speedtypes; grants will not be awarded to individuals.

3. Any Emory employee (faculty of staff) can apply for a grant on behalf of departments, offices, programs, and/or registered student organizations.

4. Current Emory students are eligible to submit a grant request if at least one of the following applies:

a. the student is applying on behalf of a registered Emory student organization that is already set up to receive funding via the Emory Hub (projects led by student organizations must have a staff or faculty advisor who will sign off on the application and provide a letter of endorsement)

b. the student is part of a project team that includes at least one Emory faculty or staff member, for a project or program in an Emory center, program or school that would receive the grant funding.

5. Applicants must belong to an official Emory school or unit with an Emory budget. Funds will not be given to anyone pursuing projects outside of Emory.

6. Applicants may not submit the same project or program for grant consideration to more than one Emory Impact Circle each grantmaking cycle.

7. Profit-making endeavors (e.g., start-up business concepts) are not eligible.

8. Proposed programs or projects should not be duplications of existing programs but may support existing programs or projects.

9. Grants may not be used to establish an endowment.

10. Funds must be spent down within one year of receipt. Funds not spent within the allotted timeframe must be returned.

11. Items not eligible for funding include capital improvements; food or refreshments where costs are more than 15% of the total grant; or proposals that include pass-through funds to another entity.

12. All applications must include the name of a recommender to provide a letter of support. Recommenders may be the dean, unit leader, department chair, or student organization advisor of the relevant school or unit to ensure quality and feasibility, as well as alignment with school or unit priorities. 

13. Grant applications must be completed in full, with responses to all questions and all required attachments (detailed budget, letter of support from leader, pitch video).

14. Finalists in this grantmaking process will be invited to present their ideas at the annual Impact Forum on the Emory campus March 20-21, 2025 at the Hatchery, with winners publicly announced at the Impact Forum awards ceremony. 

Please Note: Emory reserves the right to publicize information about all projects/programs that receive funding through this process. Your submission of an application for an Emory Impact Circle grant indicates your agreement that this information may be included in internal or external communications regarding Emory Impact Circles and/or their grantmaking.