About the Grant Program
The Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery (H&LS) initiative is excited to announce its inaugural Request for Proposals (RFP). The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support innovative and achievable ideas that address systemic inequities affecting descendant communities (i.e., people harmed by slavery). We recognize that the corrosive effects of slavery still impact almost every aspect of American life and contribute directly to persistent inequities. Therefore, we welcome ideas that promote reparative work in various sectors, such as education, economic mobility, health, urban planning, or criminal justice.
This RFP aims to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with community partners and Harvard partners, including staff, faculty, students, postdocs, fellows, and alumni. We encourage proposals that are collaborative, community-driven, interdisciplinary, and focused on advancing equity and justice. We will prioritize applications that address the needs of local descendant communities in Cambridge and Boston. Our goal is to empower local communities to implement reparative actions for communities most impacted by the legacies of slavery.
The application process is two phases. In the first phase, all applicants must submit a concept proposal, which includes information about their preliminary team and proposal idea. In the second phase, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. Please see more details below, and we look forward to your good ideas!
If you have questions, please have a look at the FAQs or reach out to us at legacyofslavery@harvard.edu.
Who Can Apply
To be eligible, proposals must be co-led by a community partner and a Harvard partner. If you don't already have a partner, we will make every effort to help you find one.
Community Partners: Non-profit organizations that have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and seek to improve a community's social and overall health are encouraged to apply. To be eligible for this funding opportunity, the organization must have leadership (staff and/or board) that demonstrates a deep understanding and represents the lived experiences of the communities they serve or intend to serve.
Harvard Partners:
Faculty and Staff: All Harvard University benefits-eligible staff (including administrative/professional, support, service, and trades staff) and faculty (including primary, secondary, and adjunct faculty) are eligible to apply. Questions about faculty and staff salary support will be addressed when budgets are reviewed.
Students: All Harvard undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled for the duration of the funding period. If awarded, students will be fully compensated for the time they devote to the project.
Postdoctoral Researchers, Research Associates, Research Scientists, and Fellows: All Harvard research professionals are eligible to apply. An appointment at Harvard University is required, and the appointment must last the duration of the funding period if awarded.
Alumni and Harvard-affiliated hospital staff: Alumni and Harvard-affiliated staff are not eligible to apply as primary applicants but are welcome to team up with a primary applicant at a Harvard unit or with a community partner.
What We Will Fund
We encourage collaborative proposals that:
- Support the advancement of descendant communities, preferably in Cambridge or Boston;
- Incorporate and center the lived experiences and voices of descendant communities;
- Demonstrate how community partners and Harvard partners can work together to create and manage successful reparative initiatives;
- Propose innovative solutions to persistent, systemic inequities, or extend and amplify existing successful approaches;
- Clearly advance one or more of the recommendations in the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery report; and
- Are aligned with the mission of H&LS.
What We Will Not Fund
The H&LS grant program does not fund the following:
- Projects led by a single individual;
- Capital campaigns/building construction; or
- Harvard employee and faculty salaries (exceptions may be allowed on a case-by-case basis and could include non-exempt overtime as applicable, temporary help by staff, backfilling staff who are working on the project, or faculty salary)
Funding
This RFP offers funding for two project types:
Impact Projects: Strategic, multi-year projects with budgets up to $350,000, spread over two years.
Seed Projects: Proof of concept projects with budgets up to $25,000 for a year.
Selection Criteria
H&LS is committed to an equitable, thorough, and fair review process to identify the most promising ideas for funding. A two-stage review process will include input from dedicated community leaders, students, faculty, and staff. Please see the FAQs for more details about the review process.
Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Strategic Alignment: Aligns with the mission and values of H&LS and the mission of the community partner co-leading the project.
- Equity: Centers the needs and voices of communities historically and systematically harmed by slavery.
- Impact: Has clear metrics that allow for measurable impact once implemented.
- Feasibility: Shows the extent to which the project can be executed efficiently and successfully within the timeframe and budget.
- Sustainability & Scalability: Lays a long-lasting foundation that will continue after the funding period ends (i.e., sustainable) and can be expanded to reach even more people (i.e., scalable).
- Innovation: Shows creativity in addressing a real-world challenge affecting descendant communities.
- Project Team: Demonstrates a diverse team composed of representatives from descendant communities impacted by the problem the proposal is designed to address, individuals from a community partner organization, and individuals from Harvard.
Key Dates and Deadlines
November 13, 2023
Online application system available to applicants for concept proposals.
November 27, 2023
Join us for the H&LS RFP Information Session Webinar (Live and Recorded) at 6 p.m. EST.
November 30, 2023
Join us for the H&LS Reparative Partnership Ideathon in Cambridge.
December 7, 2023
Join us for the H&LS Reparative Partnership Ideathon in Boston.
January 19, 2024
Deadline for receipt of concept proposals. Those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
February 2, 2024
Select applicants are invited to submit a full proposal.
March 15, 2024
Deadline for receipt of invited full proposals. Those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
April 2024
Awardees announced.
July 2024
Funding period begins.
Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery: Reparative Partnership Grant Program
About the Grant Program
The Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery (H&LS) initiative is excited to announce its inaugural Request for Proposals (RFP). The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support innovative and achievable ideas that address systemic inequities affecting descendant communities (i.e., people harmed by slavery). We recognize that the corrosive effects of slavery still impact almost every aspect of American life and contribute directly to persistent inequities. Therefore, we welcome ideas that promote reparative work in various sectors, such as education, economic mobility, health, urban planning, or criminal justice.
This RFP aims to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with community partners and Harvard partners, including staff, faculty, students, postdocs, fellows, and alumni. We encourage proposals that are collaborative, community-driven, interdisciplinary, and focused on advancing equity and justice. We will prioritize applications that address the needs of local descendant communities in Cambridge and Boston. Our goal is to empower local communities to implement reparative actions for communities most impacted by the legacies of slavery.
The application process is two phases. In the first phase, all applicants must submit a concept proposal, which includes information about their preliminary team and proposal idea. In the second phase, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. Please see more details below, and we look forward to your good ideas!
If you have questions, please have a look at the FAQs or reach out to us at legacyofslavery@harvard.edu.
Who Can Apply
To be eligible, proposals must be co-led by a community partner and a Harvard partner. If you don't already have a partner, we will make every effort to help you find one.
Community Partners: Non-profit organizations that have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and seek to improve a community's social and overall health are encouraged to apply. To be eligible for this funding opportunity, the organization must have leadership (staff and/or board) that demonstrates a deep understanding and represents the lived experiences of the communities they serve or intend to serve.
Harvard Partners:
Faculty and Staff: All Harvard University benefits-eligible staff (including administrative/professional, support, service, and trades staff) and faculty (including primary, secondary, and adjunct faculty) are eligible to apply. Questions about faculty and staff salary support will be addressed when budgets are reviewed.
Students: All Harvard undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled for the duration of the funding period. If awarded, students will be fully compensated for the time they devote to the project.
Postdoctoral Researchers, Research Associates, Research Scientists, and Fellows: All Harvard research professionals are eligible to apply. An appointment at Harvard University is required, and the appointment must last the duration of the funding period if awarded.
Alumni and Harvard-affiliated hospital staff: Alumni and Harvard-affiliated staff are not eligible to apply as primary applicants but are welcome to team up with a primary applicant at a Harvard unit or with a community partner.
What We Will Fund
We encourage collaborative proposals that:
- Support the advancement of descendant communities, preferably in Cambridge or Boston;
- Incorporate and center the lived experiences and voices of descendant communities;
- Demonstrate how community partners and Harvard partners can work together to create and manage successful reparative initiatives;
- Propose innovative solutions to persistent, systemic inequities, or extend and amplify existing successful approaches;
- Clearly advance one or more of the recommendations in the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery report; and
- Are aligned with the mission of H&LS.
What We Will Not Fund
The H&LS grant program does not fund the following:
- Projects led by a single individual;
- Capital campaigns/building construction; or
- Harvard employee and faculty salaries (exceptions may be allowed on a case-by-case basis and could include non-exempt overtime as applicable, temporary help by staff, backfilling staff who are working on the project, or faculty salary)
Funding
This RFP offers funding for two project types:
Impact Projects: Strategic, multi-year projects with budgets up to $350,000, spread over two years.
Seed Projects: Proof of concept projects with budgets up to $25,000 for a year.
Selection Criteria
H&LS is committed to an equitable, thorough, and fair review process to identify the most promising ideas for funding. A two-stage review process will include input from dedicated community leaders, students, faculty, and staff. Please see the FAQs for more details about the review process.
Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Strategic Alignment: Aligns with the mission and values of H&LS and the mission of the community partner co-leading the project.
- Equity: Centers the needs and voices of communities historically and systematically harmed by slavery.
- Impact: Has clear metrics that allow for measurable impact once implemented.
- Feasibility: Shows the extent to which the project can be executed efficiently and successfully within the timeframe and budget.
- Sustainability & Scalability: Lays a long-lasting foundation that will continue after the funding period ends (i.e., sustainable) and can be expanded to reach even more people (i.e., scalable).
- Innovation: Shows creativity in addressing a real-world challenge affecting descendant communities.
- Project Team: Demonstrates a diverse team composed of representatives from descendant communities impacted by the problem the proposal is designed to address, individuals from a community partner organization, and individuals from Harvard.
Key Dates and Deadlines
November 13, 2023
Online application system available to applicants for concept proposals.
November 27, 2023
Join us for the H&LS RFP Information Session Webinar (Live and Recorded) at 6 p.m. EST.
November 30, 2023
Join us for the H&LS Reparative Partnership Ideathon in Cambridge.
December 7, 2023
Join us for the H&LS Reparative Partnership Ideathon in Boston.
January 19, 2024
Deadline for receipt of concept proposals. Those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
February 2, 2024
Select applicants are invited to submit a full proposal.
March 15, 2024
Deadline for receipt of invited full proposals. Those submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.
April 2024
Awardees announced.
July 2024
Funding period begins.