The Fulbright Alumni Institutional Development Grant
The Fulbright Alumni Institutional Development Grant is intended to facilitate the development of partnerships and joint projects between Romanian and U.S. institutions by building upon the academic and professional networks created by Fulbright Alumni during their grants in the United States.
Romanian Fulbright Visiting Scholar Alumni can apply for up to $10,000 towards implementing a project in their home institution that continues the collaboration with their U.S. counterparts, this time replicated and diversified at an institutional level. As a follow-up to their Fulbright teaching/research award in the United States, this development grant enables alumni to demonstrate initiative and leadership, to further develop their professional connections with their U.S. colleagues, and to enhance their role as change agents for the internationalization of higher education in their home academic environment.
The aim of the grant is to support the design and implementation of alumni initiatives and activities which achieve short and long term objectives of ongoing institutional collaboration between Romania and the United States.
Eligibility information
- Applicants must have Romanian citizenship and be alumni of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program (current 2022-2023 scholars are also invited to apply);
- Alumni who are U.S. citizens may not submit proposals, but are strongly encouraged to participate as project partners;
- Applications must be submitted by alumni who live and work in Romania at the time of application and project implementation;
- Applicants must have the support of their Romanian university/institution for implementing the proposed project.
Application process
Eligible applicants should submit the following documents:
- Application form
- Budget form (including guidelines)
- Letter of support provided by the applicant’s home university/institution. The letter should be signed by the legal representative of the university/institution to confirm institutional support for the implementation of the proposed project.
The complete application package must be sent to office@fulbright.ro no later than March 30, 2023.
Grant guidelines
- Applications must be submitted by March 30, 2023;
- Requested funds may not exceed $10,000 USD/project; up to 4 projects will be selected;
- Proposed project must be implemented until April 30, 2024;
- Applicants are responsible for all phases of the proposed activity from initial planning to implementing the project and bringing it to successful completion;
- The applicant must be an eligible Fulbright alumnus/alumna, but other project partners/participants are not required to be Fulbright alumni;
- The application should clearly specify the nature and stages of the proposed project, provide an overview and aim of the proposed initiative (by offering a clear explanation on whether the proposed project is going to be an innovation – such as the creation of a new partnership, collaboration, or joint program/project with U.S. academic institutions – or a development of an already existing institutional collaboration with U.S. counterparts), describe the plan and timeline for implementation, as well as the proposed budget.
- The applicants must demonstrate they have all the needed support from their home institution to implement the proposed project.
- Grantees must submit a final report to the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission no later than 30 days after the completion of their project. Successful applicants will receive specific guidelines on what information to include in the final report.
- The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission reserves the right to request additional information from applicants.
Evaluation Criteria and Additional Considerations
- Quality and Feasibility of the Project Idea: Applicants should articulate a logical relationship between the proposed activities and desired outcomes – presenting the cause and effect that the project hopes to achieve. Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality of the main idea and the implementation plan. The proposal should include a reasonable implementation timeline. Proposals will be evaluated based on the feasibility of the project, including the scope of what the proposal seeks to achieve.
- Ability to achieve project objectives: When designing their projects, applicants are encouraged to utilize SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound). Applicants should demonstrate the necessary leadership ability and relevant skills to implement the proposal. They should have the support of their home institution in implementing the program.
- Sustainability: The implemented project should continue to have positive impact after the end of the program. Proposals will be evaluated based on the potential impact and benefit to the collaboration between Romanian and U.S. institutions.
- Cost Effectiveness: The budget should be detailed and realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Costs should be reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. Preference will be given to applications that incorporate cost-share or in-kind donations; these may include donated time, expertise, materials, space, etc.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Applicants should demonstrate they are able to measure program success against key indicators and provide milestones to indicate progress toward the goals outlined in the proposal. The application should include output and outcome indicators and show how and when those will be measured.
- The proposal should align with the spirit of the Fulbright Program’s mission and goals, including fostering mutual understanding, building people-to-people connections, exchanging ideas, and finding solutions to shared international concerns. Applicants should articulate the link between their Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program experience and their current proposal.