Program Overview. In a coordinated effort to expand entrepreneurship opportunities across UMKC, a new “Entrepreneurship Innovation Grants” (EIG) program will be launched in 2021 with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The program involves a total pool of $400,000 available for grants over a two-year period (calendar years 2021 and 2022). We seek diversity in the nature and scope of proposals from faculty or staff in academic or other units, centers or institutes with relevant interests in one or more of the “Proposal Categories”. Grants in this program will likely range from $5,000 to $50,000, though smaller or larger awards may be made depending on assessment of the proposals received.

Please note that proposals for this round of funding must not exceed one year in duration. All funds must be spent and the program implementation completed by December 15, 2022. Those that received funding in round one will not be eligible for funding from round two.

Submission Process and Deadline. The EIG program will provide opportunities for submitters to propose innovative ways to attract students, develop new academic initiatives and engage community leaders in the pursuit of entrepreneurial excellence. Interested parties will complete a Request for Funding Proposal (RFFP) in the form attached as Appendix A outlining the innovative concepts in one or more of four major categories: Curriculum Development, Technology Commercialization, School and Departmental initiatives, and Community Service Engagement and Ecosystem Building.

Submission Deadline for Round 2: To be considered for a grant under this program, an RFP must be submitted no later than 11:59PM on Sunday, October 17, 2021 per the instructions in Appendix A.

Questions: Contact Tony Mendes at mendesa@umkc.edu.

Download the entire RFP package.