The Office of Community Engagement is pleased to offer special funding for faculty who are focused on improving the quality of life in Muncie through the Building Better Neighborhoods (BBN) program.
The BBN initiative connects Ball State’s resources with neighborhood development efforts across Muncie and Delaware County and is a collaboration between the Office of Community Engagement, the Muncie Action Plan, and other local agencies working to improve our community’s neighborhoods.
BBN Faculty are encouraged to connect their grant proposals to the challenges and aims articulated in Muncie Action Plan’s 2022 Strategic Investment Plan for Muncie, which highlights downtown Muncie, city neighborhoods, parks, and connective corridors. Connections may also be made to the TogetherDM county comprehensive plan. Specifically, faculty are encouraged to align their proposal with one or more of the “big things” named in the plan: quality of place, housing, and/or upward mobility.
BBN grants can cover costs of faculty-led community-engaged research projects, faculty-led co-curricular projects, or resources needed by community agencies. Expenses may include supplies, minor equipment, printing, surveys, neighborhood planning sessions, and other project-related expenses. BBN grants typically range from $500 to $4,000.
Faculty can get feedback on proposal ideas, potential funding amounts, or ask general questions about the application by contacting Heather Williams, Associate Director for Community Engagement and Program Manager for Building Better Neighborhoods, at hlwilliams@bsu.edu.