Grants and Funding - Staff

Brian Banks Staff Excellence Award

Fund Summary

This Fund was established to honor the significant contributions of beloved staff member Brian Banks’ exemplary work and energy to create community among students, staff, and alums alike. Since he first joined the School in 1998, Brian was dedicated and passionate in his commitment to student success and unity around shared values. This Fund will annually award the Brian Banks Staff Excellence Award to a current staff member who embodies the characteristics that Brian exemplified during his tenure at Stamps. They will be passionate in their creative voice, inspirational to those in our community, and are chosen on the basis of their exemplary work and achievements.

Recipients will receive:

• An individual cash award of $1,000.
• A framed award certificate.
• Public recognition in the Spring.

Eligibility Criteria

The Brian Banks Staff Excellence Award will be received by a current Penny W. Stamps School staff member to recognize the significant contributions to the Stamps School. Recipients of the Brian Banks Staff Excellence Award will be chosen on the basis of their exemplary work and unique achievements in creating community and a sense of belonging. The award is intended to serve as tangible evidence of the Stamps School’s appreciation of its outstanding staff members.

When reviewing nominations, a Selection Committee will look for examples of sustained excellence in an individual’s service. Consideration will be given to nominees who have made significant contributions or possess special qualities and attributes.

Nominees must:

• Have a minimum of one year of service to the Stamps School of Art & Design in a regular staff position
• Have a sustained record of superior performance
• Promote a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for the Stamps community
• Have made a significant, measurable, and attributable long-term contribution to the mission/goals of the school.

Selection of the recipients will be based only on the information provided as part of the nomination process. All nomination materials remain confidential.

Nomination Process

Nominations can be received from faculty, staff and students to the Selection Committee. This Committee will make a ranked list of recommendations to the Dean of the Stamps School, who will choose the award recipient. Nominations will be received via online form.

The form includes the following:

• A brief statement describing the characteristics and attributes of the nominee.
• A description of the nominee’s involvement in the Stamps School and U-M community.
• An anecdote or example that illustrates why the nomination is being received.

Click here to make a nomination →

Selection Committee

The selection committee will include the Stamps School Chief of Staff (or senior HR staff of the school), the most recent past award recipient, and a staff member at large to be identified by the Stamps dean. The selected staff member should not be a current nominee, though may be a previous nominee or recipient. If no current staff member is eligible to participate, a representative from the school’s Executive Committee will serve in this capacity.

Additional Information

This award is made possible by an anonymous donor. In recognition of their generosity, recipients will be asked to complete a questionnaire and message of gratitude, as well as to consider filming a short video message to share more about themselves. The Selection Committee will inform all nominees of their nomination via email. A slide deck of all nominated individuals will be used at commencement as public recognition of all the nominees.

• Nomination Form

Professional Development Funding Requests

To request Stamps funding for conferences, exhibitions, performances, etc., please use the following forms:

• Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Professional Development Funding Request Form
• Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Professional Development Funding Request Application Guidelines
• Staff Professional Development Funding Request Form

Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant

The Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Grant is intended to provide funding to actively-enrolled students pursuing a degree program at Stamps and in good academic standing; Stamps staff; and Stamps faculty/instructors to support student's professional and personal development related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It also provides funding to the School’s programmatic efforts and activities aimed at developing an environment that strengthens the School’s commitment to DEI and adopts tangible, sustainable practices that are guided by our organizational mission and values.

Situations eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:

• Student DEI professional development and career exploration.

• Supporting registration fees for DEI opportunities and defraying costs associated with travel/lodging.

• DEI programming supports students' learning, growth, and development.

• Subsidizing costs to bring speakers, artists, designers, and creatives whose practice centers on DEI tenets.

Eligibility

• Students must be currently enrolled full-time and pursuing a degree program at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design and maintain good academic standing.

• Stamps staff and faculty/instructors working on student-centered projects, learning, and programming.

• DEI grant amounts for students will depend on the activity they are attending. A travel advance would be provided and expenses will be processed as reimbursements following the activity.

• Programmatic and/or curriculum funding must support activities that enhance the quality of student learning and specifically target DEI-related content and pedagogy.

Application Process

Students can apply online and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Before applying for DEI grants, students are encouraged to speak to Mark Chung Kwan Fan ([email protected]). He may be able to help identify alternative and/or additional sources of financial assistance and/or provide useful advice.

Online applications include the following:

• A brief statement describing the professional and/or personal development opportunity and the total dollar amount of DEI funds being requested.

• Budget detailing the amount of DEI grants requested and an itemized list of how the funds will be used.

Additional Information

• These funds are made possible by generous donor support. In recognition of donor generosity, students, staff, and faculty/instructors will be asked to complete a questionnaire and message of gratitude to the donor(s). For any questions regarding this portion, please contact Bruni Bezati ([email protected]).
• When completing your proposed initiative, we would like to highlight your accomplishments with a news story on the Stamps website. For any questions regarding this portion, please contact Rebecca Vogel ([email protected]).

• Application: Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant