The Jack Miller Center Fund for New Academic Initiatives provides a source of seed support for programming that will advance undergraduate education in American founding principles and history. While the Jack Miller Center occasionally provides larger support for mature programs, our focus is on “venture philanthropy” gifts that assist colleges and universities establish new programs consistent with our center’s mission. The Jack Miller Center does not provide long term support for programs, but seeks to assist educators in identifying additional sources of support that will allow them to sustain programs and fully realize their full potential. As an operating nonprofit educational institution, the Jack Miller Center is required to be actively engaged in all of these programs, including review and approval of program content and budgets to ensure they are consistent with the center’s mission and good stewardship practice. As a result, all programs are designated Jack Miller Center “partner programs.”
The Fund for New Academic Initiatives offers support at three levels. First, “seed” support of up to $2,000 for programs such as lectures, symposia, and workshops for undergraduates, as well as prizes to encourage undergraduate research and study. Such programs would include special “one-time” events and not events repeated annually or as part of an ongoing series. Preference for this “seed” support will be given to projects on campuses where Jack Miller Center partner programs or centers do not exist. Second, partner support of not more than $25,000 for larger programs such as course development and implementation, support for innovative classroom efforts such as team teaching which would require “buying time” through the support of adjunct faculty to free up tenured or tenure-track faculty, conferences on “American founding principles” themes, integrated series of programs that might include multiple lectures, scholarships for faculty to participate in Jack Miller Center faculty development programs, and sponsorship of student programs that involve multiple campuses. Third, major partner support of sums over $25,000 for programs that have proven themselves and matured to a level that they can have significant impact on the undergraduate curriculum and that can serve as models of education that peer institutions would emulate.
To be eligible for financial support, proposals should:
- address themes relevant to the foundational ideas that give life to American political and economic institutions,
- be directed at undergraduate civic education, especially in the classroom, but also extracurricular educational programs which enrich student learning and encourage student interest in courses that provide opportunities for serious and deepened study of American founding principles and history.
- when appropriate, be accessible to the broader campus community, including those interested in continuing self-education.
- draw upon the resources of the community of scholars associated with the Jack Miller Center.
Allocations from the Fund normally do not exceed the total raised from other sources. Partner and major partner support should in all cases include a development component intended to the lay the foundation for ongoing support for a continuing program. The Jack Miller Center is committed to encouraging collaboration among professors and campuses, and preference is given to requests for support that involve two or more campuses.
Proposals should include the following information:
- A description of the program and an assessment of its potential value.
- A description of the sponsor (i.e., cooperating departments, faculty seminar, interdisciplinary studies group, five college student group, etc.), including contact information for the person responsible for the proposal and the names of individuals at the other colleges involved in planning.
- A budget that includes both anticipated expenses and sources of other support in addition to funds being requested from the Jack Miller Center Fund for New Academic Initiatives.
- A description of proposed arrangements for publicizing project events. Events supported by the Fund for New Academic Initiatives must be publicized as Jack Miller Center partner events. Copies of promotional materials (flyers, posters) should be included in post-program reports submitted to the Jack Miller Center.
Proposals from qualified groups may be submitted any time throughout the academic year; however, applicants should submit proposals well in advance of the date when the event is to take place in order allow the Jack Miller Center and its partners to review the proposals and to allow the host institutions to arrange for advance publicity. The Jack Miller Center’s fiscal year runs from January 1 to December 31, and normally commitments for support are made at least six months in advance.
Submit requests for further information or proposals to the director for academic initiatives, Dr. Pamela Edwards, pedwards@gojmc.org.
