Description and Guidelines for Regional Collaboration and Conferences

Regional Collaboration and Conferences Grants represent a flexible category of programs that encourage examination of topics of special significance to faculty, administrators, and students at a particular institution or group of institutions, or matters of special intellectual concern to faculty and others in Christian higher education. The focus, character, and constituency of the conference, collaboration, or workshop may vary to suit the needs of the applicant, within the general guidelines listed above. Previous successful conferences, collaborations, and workshops have focused on issues facing schools in a particular region, topics of current debate among faculty at a particular school, student life issues, graduate student matters, various theological or denominational traditions in higher education, an array of topics in liberal and professional education, and issues of civic and public concern to the Christian intellectual community.

Funding is available for any number of Regional Collaborations or Conferences taking place in the 2020-2021 academic year at $12,500 each. It is expected that in many cases the host institution or group of institutions may also contribute to funding the conference. Institutions that have already received a grant in this category are typically not be eligible in the same category again for three years after the original grant was awarded. Nevertheless, at present, such schools can re-apply for a Regional Collaboration or Conference Grant if the application demonstrates that the proposed project addresses a different audience than the previously funded one. Although Regional Conferences or Workshops represent a flexible category of programs, priority is given to applications for programs that connect representatives from campuses within a particular geographical region.

The deadline for Regional Conference applications is September 15

Applicants must consult with the Lilly Fellows Program Associate Director prior to submitting the application.

Before applying, please consult the "Guide to Writing Lilly National Network Grant Proposals."

Required Application Materials:

• Description of the Program (5 pages), including Executive Summary, Rationale, Connection to the Lilly National Network Mission, Goals of the Project, Project Description, and Evaluation Plan
• Preliminary schedule of Collaboration, Conference, or Workshop
• Projected budget
• CV of the Director of the Grant
• Cover Form (available here)

Submit all materials including the cover form as attachments to lillyfellows.program@valpo.edu.

Or mail these documents with the cover form to:

Lilly Fellows Program
Valparaiso University
Linwood House
1320 Chapel Drive South 
Valparaiso, IN 46383