Social Impact Grant

Geographic Scope: Orange County, North Carolina; UNC Chapel Hill community

Eligibility:

• Current full-time UNC undergraduate students (including seniors)
• Individual applicants or groups of students
• Students who have previously received the grant are NOT eligible
• Must be pursuing a project with social impact focus

Project Focus Areas:

• Emerging social entrepreneurship ventures
• Independent or team-based student research projects
• Socially impactful creative projects
• Projects addressing social concerns in Orange County receive preference
• Projects incorporating commitment to DEI encouraged

What They Fund:

• Projects with clear social impact and community benefit
• Projects with innovation and creativity
• Feasible and sustainable projects with growth potential
• Community-engaged initiatives
• Projects that uplift underrepresented or marginalized communities prioritized

What They Don't Fund:

• Events for registered UNC student organizations (unless thorough project proposals with no or little additional funding)

Project Requirements:

• Project must be completed within one year of receiving grant funds
• For long-term projects, the funded phase must be completed within the one year period
• Applicants must submit itemized budget
• Recipients must complete short post-award reflection and report one year after receiving funding

Evaluation Criteria:

• Relevance to social concerns in Orange County
• Innovation and creativity with potential for meaningful change
• Feasibility, realistic implementation plan, and sustainability
• Direct community engagement and benefit
• Clear articulation of intended immediate and long-term impact
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations

Selection Process:

• Applications reviewed by multidisciplinary team of Meantime student executives and Board of Directors
• Applicants may receive mentorship from leaders in social innovation across UNC campus

Application Process

Timeline:

• Applications Due: November 8th, 11:59pm EDT
• Applications Reviewed and Interviews: November
• Decisions Announced: November 31st
• Project Completion: Within 1 year of receiving grant
• Post-Award Reflection: One year after receiving funding

Required Application Materials:

All materials must be submitted by November 8th at 11:59pm EDT. Applicants will receive email confirmation within 48 hours of submission deadline.

1. Online Application
   • Applicant personal information
2. Resume (1 page PDF)
   • For all applicants
   • Include unofficial Tar Heel Tracker UNC Transcript
3. Project Proposal
   • Project Description (500 words or less):
   • Explain what the project is
   • Outline primary goal(s)
   • Provide plan and timeline for meeting goals
   • Explain importance of project
   • Outline any future projects or continuation plans after grant period
   • Describe potential outcomes (fiscal or social impact, publications, media, conference presentations, etc.)
   • Description of Community Impact (100 words or less):
   • Describe intended initial and long-term impact
   • Explain how it will support Carolina community
   • Personal Statement (150 words or less):
   • Demonstrate why applicant(s) and team are suited to lead and complete project
   • Explain how it may support future academic or professional aspirations
4. Budget
   • Table specifying how funds will be used
   • Inclusion of project leader's time and labor is acceptable
5. Statement of Financial Need
   • Brief statement disclosing any other sources of funding already obtained
6. Letters of Recommendation (Optional)
   • Up to 2 letters of support from partnering organization(s) AND/OR
   • One letter of recommendation from university faculty/staff member or relevant adult mentor
   • Have recommender email one-page recommendation to sustainability@meantimecoffee.com
   • Subject line format: '[Student Name], Grant Recommendation'
   • Must arrive by application deadline