Make a Striking Difference in UA Education, Outreach & Research

Community Connection Grants

Help UA faculty and staff share their expertise, time and resources with the state and world!

The Community Connection Grants Program helps to foster the University of Arizona's land-grant commitment by encouraging and promoting education, research and community outreach. Awards of up to $10,000 are given to select faculty and staff completing innovative projects that connect the University to Tucson and the greater community.

"Funding through the Community Connections Grant allowed for the Skin Cancer Institute to test a program on skin cancer prevention and sun safety for teenagers. We have trained 38 peer leaders and delivered our lesson in nine classrooms to approximately 270 high school students. Our UA medical, nursing, pharmacy and public health student volunteers have gained valuable experience in teaching prevention strategies, and many have become great advocates for sun safety. Without this funding, Project SASS would be just an idea, not a reality."
-Denise Spartonos, community outreach coordinator for the Skin Cancer Institute at the Arizona Cancer Center, and 2009-10 award recipient for "Project SASS (Students are Sun Safe)"

Faculty Seed Grants

Help junior-level UA faculty take their research and scholarly work to the next level!

Research at the University provides an economic impact in the community and improves the human condition. Faculty recipients are awarded up to $10,000 as short-term, one-time support for projects that have the potential to generate additional, external funding. Funding from this program has yielded a 20:1 return-meaning every dollar you invest turns into $20!

"The Faculty Seed Grant I received in 2010 as a young research professor has been excellent to jump-start my independent research. The preliminary data generated has allowed me to leverage myself in the field of algae for biofuel production. My current research is now also co-funded by NAABB (National Alliance for Algae Biofuels and Bioproducts, funded by the Department of Energy) and I have started collaborations with Arizona State University groups to set up the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI)."
-John Kyndt, research assistant professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, and 2010-11 award recipient for "Optimizing Algae for Competitive Biofuel Production"

Click here to view the full list of 2010-2011 Community Connection and Faculty Seed Grants recipients, selected by the UA Foundation Grants and Awards Committee.

Click here for more information about applying for one of these grants.