Amplifier Student Mini-Grants

Funding for Amplifier Mini-Grants is intended to help students reach wider audiences, engage with the public, and produce media, documents, and other assets and materials that extend the lifespan of outcomes for longer-term, more sustainable impacts in the community.

Allowable expenses

Each student group can request up to $1,000 to support their outcome. While your budget will vary depending on your needs, examples of allowable expenses include:

• Consultants: Honoraria for speakers at public events, individuals appearing in podcasts or films, or other forms of consultant compensation for community members.
• Media production: Recording or editing services for podcasts, films, or other audio or video productions.
• Public events: Venue or equipment rentals, ASL interpretation, live-streaming, photography, or other costs associated with organizing events.
• Supplies and materials: Supplies and materials necessary for performances, installations, or projects.
• Printing: Posters, fliers, postcards, brochures, booklets, zines, or other costs associated with printed materials.
  • Please note: if you are printing materials, you must use ASU Print Lab
• Other professional services: Graphic design, closed captioning, translations, or other professional services.

While the maximum request for any mini-grant is $1,000, we recommend between $250 and $500. That being said, you are welcome and encouraged to submit any request up the maximum. Submit the budget that works best for you.

Prohibited expenses

Amplifier mini-grants *cannot* be used for any of the following purchases:

• No equipment: No cameras, microphones, recorders, tables, chairs, or any other equipment.
• No licenses: No websites, softwares, licenses, or other recurring fees for access to digital platforms or applications.
• No food: No catering, prepared food, beverages, or bottled water
• No transportation: No reimbursement for driving, mileage, parking, gas or other forms of travel.
• No ASU Print Anywhere: No printing at the library through ASU Print Anywhere. You must use ASU Print Lab.
• No payments to classmates or individuals teaching the course: If considering paying anyone with ASU’s network who attends ASU, works for ASU, etc.consult Bri Noonan first at blnoonan@asu.edu.

If you are looking to borrow cameras, microphones, or other recording equipment, you can contact the ASU Makerspace in Hayden Library or Learning Support Services in the School of International Letters and Cultures. If you are looking to borrow tables, chairs, or other equipment for an event at ASU, we'll obtain the equipment for you. We'll also connect you with other resources and platforms depending on your needs.

Apply for the mini-grant

To apply for a Seize the Moment Amplifier mini-grant, all you'll need to do is work with your team to answer a series of short questions about what your outcome is, what you would use funding for, and how it will serve the larger community. In 200 words or less for each response, your team will:

• Identify the problem: Identify a complex problem that intersects with health, environmental, and social issues
• Present your outcome: Describe how you are addressing the problem through an interdisciplinary collaboration that is based in the arts or humanities.
• Justify your funding: Provide a brief narrative that explains what you are requesting funding for and how it will amplify your outcome's impact.
• Provide a plan: Identify the concrete tasks you'll need to accomplish to make your project a success.

Generally speaking, you and your team should plan on spending between two and six hours to complete the application.

Additional materials

Besides answering the questions, you'll also need to provide:

• An itemized budget detailing your expenses
• Supporting documentation (such as links or quotes) for all expenses except honoraria
• Contact information for any speakers or other service providers (just names and email address)
• Additional information for events including dates, times, venues, and set-up
• Brief biographies for each member of your team

More information about creating a budget is provided in the next tab. 

Apply for the mini-grant

To prepare your budget, use our budget template to provide an itemized list of all expenses in a spreadsheet.

If you are purchasing supplies, printing materials, or obtaining any kind of professional service, you must include some form of documentation (typically a link to a webpage or a quote). For consultants make sure to fill out the Consultant Request Form. Don't forget to include tax and shipping, and make sure you haven't included any prohibited expenses.

Please note: you cannot make any changes to your budget once you submit. All budgets should be finalized before you submit.

Budget reviews

We will be reviewing budgets for all applications. If your team is awarded funding we will meet with you for a brief meeting to confirm your budget for upload via Canvas.

To request additional assistance once your budget has been uploaded please contact Seize the Moment Initiative Coordinator Bri Noonan at blnoonan@asu.edu.

Apply for the mini-grant

Applications are accepted online through Question Pro, a cloud-based form and survey platform. While you should be able to save your progress in the form, we recommend that you prepare your application in a separate document to save a back-up and collaborate with your team. Then, you can copy and paste your responses into the form once you're ready to submit. 

Please note: while you and your team will work together to complete the application, one student will need to submit the application on behalf of their team.

Word documents, fillable .pdfs, or printed forms are available upon request. Applications will not be accepted through other digital or physical channels barring accessibility.

Spring 2023 applications close March 5th.

Applications for mini-grants are about halfway through the semester:

• Fall: Oct 3
• Spring: Deadline has been extended to March 5th

Applicants will receive a confirmation email once the application period has closed. No late applications will be accepted. If you have extenuating circumstances or need to request an extension, please contact Public Engagement Coordinator Bri Noonan at blnoonan@asu.edu. 

Judged by committee

Applications will be evaluated by committee on the basis of their fit within the grant guidelines, the strength of their response to each question, and their representation in regard to the larger scholarly and creative field. Applicants will be notified of the committee's decision via email two weeks after the application period has closed. Please check your inbox accordingly. 

Receiving the mini-grant

Student teams whose projects are selected to receive the mini-grant will work directly with the Humanities Lab to purchase materials and process transactions. Funding should be spent by the end of the semester. Once the semester is over, students may also be asked to complete a written narrative or participate in an interview reflecting on their experience (parts of which may be used for marketing, promotional, and development purposes).

Apply for the mini-grant

In offering these mini-grants, our goal is to create an equitable, accessible process that extends the educational experience of the Labs, giving each student an idea of what it would be like to apply for larger, more competitive grants. While we wish that we were able to support all of the outcomes, there are many students who are applying, our funding is limited, and we will not be able to accept all of the applications.

As such, it is extremely important that funding should not make or break your project, and that you do not design your project around the funding request. Instead, we encourage you to think of it as a boost or supplement, something that can be added on or quickly implemented during the final stages to enhance impact, outcome, and reach.

Finally, we want to make it clear that Amplifier mini-grants are completely optional. As a student, we know you have other commitments and responsibilities that might keep you from taking on this extra work. That's okay! We want this to be an empowering, uplifting experience—something you can get excited about, that allows you to dream a little bit bigger, that opens up possibility—and the last thing we want to do is create any additional tension, pressure, or stress. Rest assured: your grade is in no ways affected by whether or not you apply for funding, let alone receive it. 

If you have any questions about Amplifier mini-grants or would like to discuss things further, please feel free to check in with your faculty members or reach out to Seize the Moment Initiative Coordinator Bri Noonan at 480.965.4262 or blnoonan@asu.edu

Apply for the mini-grant