Cranwell International Center Program Development Grants

These grants are intended to provide financial support for the design, development, and implementation of initiatives that will have a significant impact on the international student experience and/or on the development of intercultural competence in Virginia Tech community members (faculty, staff, students).

Any USCO, RSO, or LLP affiliated with Virginia Tech is eligible to apply for this grant. Interested student organizations, including University Chartered Student Organizations (UCSO), Registered Student Organizations (RSO), and Living-Learning Programs (LLP), must document and demonstrate intention to address and reinforce one or more of the following goals of Cranwell International Center:

1. Educate students, faculty, and staff regarding the development of intercultural competence within the global context
2. Engage the campus and broader community with intercultural programs and services
3. Enhance awareness of the unique contributions of international students
4. Equip international students for success inside and outside the classroom
5. Expand opportunities for meaningful interaction between domestic and international students

Typical grant awards will range between $2,000 - $4,000, with the possibility for additional funding should the initiative warrant it. Depending on the amount and quality of applications received, there is potential to award grants to multiple groups during each cycle. Grants can be used to support new initiatives or to enhance pre-existing programming. All funding must be spent by the end of the academic year it is awarded.

Grant recipients must adhere to all university funding policies and procedures (See  https://www.vtf.org/procedures; https://policies.vt.edu/3100.pdf) as follows:

Living-Learning Programs must have an unrestricted operating fund set up at the VT Foundation to which the program development funds can be transferred. For more details about how to establish an unrestricted operating fund at the VT Foundation, please contact the appropriate associate director of Living-Learning Programs who is assigned to your LLP.

University Chartered Student Organization (USCO) must have an unrestricted operating fund set up at the VT Foundation to which the program development funds can be transferred. For more details about how to establish an unrestricted operating fund at the VT Foundation, please work with your advisor who will in turn work with the VT Foundation. 

Registered Student Organization (RSO) must be formally/officially registered with Student Engagement and Campus Life (SECL), must complete training on use of donations, and must have completed an Automated Clearing House deposit form with their external banking information. For more details, please work with your advisor who will in turn work with University Development. Project leaders will need to complete the Registered Student Organization (RSO) VT Foundation Fundraising Training on Canvas. Additionally, project leaders will need to submit these forms to the Virginia Tech Foundation: 

• Registered Studnet Organization (RSO) ACH Enrollment Form
• W-9

Cranwell accepts grant applications twice each academic year. 

May 15 - The application submission deadline for fall semester funding. Recipients will be announced by June 15, with funds transferred around July 1. 

October 1 - The application submission deadline for spring semester funding.  Recipients will be announced by November 15, with funds transferred around December 1. 

Late proposals will not be accepted.

Applicant groups must designate one “Project Leader” who is associated with the group applying. Project leaders must remain current students for the duration of the grant.

The initiative must take place during the academic semester for which it is awarded and adhere to VT event policies and procedures (See https://policies.vt.edu/assets/8011.pdf; 

https://campuslife.vt.edu/secl_services/event_planning/resources.html;

https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5000.pdf; https://www.vt.edu/public-health.html).

If selected, the project leader will be required to complete an intake meeting with a Cranwell Center staff member within two weeks of the start of the semester for which the grant was awarded.  

The project leader will also be required to attend at least one check-in meeting during the semester of the award. This is to ensure progress on initiative; however, recipient groups are expected to complete initiative with minimal support from Cranwell staff. 

Grant applications are being accepted for the 2021-2022 academic year. All applications must be submitted electronically by completing the application below. 

Apply here.

A budget sheet must also be uploaded with application. Link is included within application form but you may also download here. Be sure to save budget template with the name of your grant proposal rather than overwriting template!

Recipients are required to submit a report by the end of the semester in which the grant was awarded, documenting the following:

• Summary of goals for the initiative that the grant funded 

• Description of how the funding was allocated (include expense report)

• Evaluation of the outcomes/impact of the initiative and whether goals were met

• Photos or videos documenting initiative

• Reflection of follow-up/future plans related to initiative

Contact Information:

Iuliia Hoban, Ph. D. 

Cranwell International Center

iuliiah@vt.edu

540-231-4943

These grants are intended to provide financial support for the design, development, and implementation of initiatives that will have a significant impact on the international student experience and/or on the development of intercultural understanding in the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg/Christiansburg communities. 

Any academic or administrative department or office, or any USCO, RSO, or LLP affiliated with Virginia Tech is eligible to apply for this grant. Applicants must document and demonstrate intention to address and reinforce one or more of the following goals of the Bahdra and Chrys Gunesekera Memorial Excellence fund:

1. Enrich the international student experience at VT (not excluded to but preference given to initiatives that highlight women's issues in a global context). 
2. Strengthen cross-cultural interactions in the VT community (not excluded to but preference given to initiatives that highlight women's issues in a global context).

Typical grant awards will be in the $1,000 - $1,500 range. Depending on the amount and quality of applications received, there is potential to award grants to multiple groups during each cycle. Grants can be used to support new initiatives or to enhance pre-existing programming. All funding must be spent by the end of the academic year it is awarded.

Grant recipients must adhere to all university funding policies and procedures (See  https://www.vtf.org/procedures; https://policies.vt.edu/3100.pdf)) as follows:

Departments must have an unrestricted operating fund set up at the VT Foundation to which the program development funds can be transferred. 

Living-Learning Programs (LLP) must have an unrestricted operating fund set up at the VT Foundation to which the program development funds can be transferred. For more details about how to establish an unrestricted operating fund at the VT Foundation, please contact the appropriate associate director of Living-Learning Programs who is assigned to your LLP.

University Chartered Student Organization (USCO) must have an unrestricted operating fund set up at the VT Foundation to which the program development funds can be transferred. For more details about how to establish an unrestricted operating fund at the VT Foundation, please work with your advisor who will in turn work with the VT Foundation.  

Registered Student Organization (RSO) must be formally/officially registered with Student Engagement and Campus Life (SECL), must complete training on use of donations, and must have completed an Automated Clearing House deposit form with their external banking information. For more details, please work with your advisor who will in turn work with University Development. Project leaders will need to complete the Registered Student Organization (RSO) VT Foundation Fundraising Training on Canvas. Additionally, project leaders will need to submit these forms to the Virginia Tech Foundation: 

• Registered Studnet Organization (RSO) ACH Enrollment Form
• W-9

May 15 - The application submission deadline for fall semester funding. Recipients will be announced by June 15, with funds transferred around July 1. 

October 1 - The application submission deadline for spring semester funding.  Recipients will be announced by November 15, with funds transferred around December 1. 

Late proposals will not be accepted.

Applicant groups must designate one “Project Leader” who is associated with the group applying. Project leaders must remain current employees or students for the duration of the grant. 

The initiative must take place during the semester for which it is awarded and adhere to VT event policies and procedures (See https://policies.vt.edu/assets/8011.pdf; 

https://campuslife.vt.edu/secl_services/event_planning/resources.html;

https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5000.pdf; https://www.vt.edu/public-health.html).

If selected, the project leader will be required to complete an intake meeting with a Cranwell Center staff member within two weeks of the start of the semester for which the grant was awarded. 

The project leader will also be required to attend at least one check-in meeting during the semester of the award. This is to ensure progress on the initiative; however, recipient groups are expected to complete initiative with minimal support from Cranwell staff. 

Grant applications are being accepted for the 2021-2022 academic year.  All applications must be submitted electronically by completing the application below. 

Apply here.

A budget sheet must also be uploaded with application. Link is included within application form but you may also download here. Be sure to save budget template with the name of your grant proposal rather than overwriting template!

Recipients are required to submit a report by the end of the semester in which the grant was awarded, documenting the following:

• Summary of original goals for the initiative that the grant funded 

• Description of how the funding was allocated (include expense report)

• Evaluation of the outcomes/impact of the initiative and whether goals were met. 

• Photos or videos documenting initiative

• Reflection of follow-up/future plans related to initiative

• Formal thank you note for the Gunesekera family

Contact Information:

Iuliia Hoban, Ph.D.

Cranwell International Center

iuliiah@vt.edu

540-231-4866