Request for Proposals
The Lois B. DeFleur International Innovation Endowment provides one-time seed funding for faculty and staff leadership in the development of projects that enable students, faculty, and staff to obtain unique and impactful international experiences either on campus or in another country. The endowment's goal is to increase the breadth and depth of participants’ international experiences. The major focus of the fund is to provide support for initiatives that promote increased global awareness, global respect, and global competence.
Proposals from the Binghamton University community — faculty or staff — are invited for innovative projects that can be sustained over time to bring permanent enhancements to curricular or co-curricular undergraduate or graduate student experiences in support of Binghamton University’s commitment to global engagement. Individual research proposals will not receive funding unless a major portion of the project will yield programmatic development for a department or academic program.
Proposals must include clear statements of the following:
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The goals for the project and how such goals would enhance the campus’ global engagement.
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Detailed description of the project. Include preparatory steps to be taken prior to the project and steps required for full implementation.
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Designation of the target audience(s) or beneficiaries and the benefits they will receive.
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Potential for collaboration by faculty or staff within or beyond your unit. Proposers are strongly encouraged to take a trans-disciplinary approach.
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Specific desired outcomes of the project and how these will be assessed.
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How, if successful, the project could be sustained over time.
An itemized budget with an explanation of the estimated costs must be included. Funds may be used in a variety of ways including domestic or international travel and the purchase of materials for classroom use. Shared funding with other sources is highly encouraged.
One award in the amount of approximately $4,000 will be awarded before the end of the spring 2025 semester for projects that will be undertaken between June 1, 2025 and Aug. 31, 2026.
Applications, including cover sheet, must be submitted by email the Office of the Vice Provost for International Education and Global Affairs, no later than Monday, March 24, 2025. Send to: Madhusudan Govindaraju and Lauren Garnett.
Please note:
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Previous RFP winners, within the past 5 years (2020-2025) are not eligible.
Previous Awardees:
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2024-2025: Saumya Tripathi and Melissa Hardesty, Exploring Global Perspectives in Social Work: Assessing Outcomes of a Short-Term Study Abroad Program in India
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Establish a dedicated Asia chapter within the Social Work department to develop an international curriculum with a focus on interdisciplinary and cross-cultural global engagement tailored for our Master’s students.
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2024-2025: Beth Clark-Gareca, Dominican Republic Partnership: Fieldwork and Language Learning
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Solidify a multi-pronged partnership with colleagues and institutions in the Dominican Republic to create virtual fieldwork partnerships between BU students and K-12 students and to create a short-term study abroad program in Santiago.
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2023-2024: Chou-Yu Tsai, Bing-Global ENT Connect: Building Entrepreneurial Leadership Research and Curriculum Global Network
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Create opportunities for collaboration and contribute to the School of Management’s global network, as well as support the advancement of Binghamton University’s commitment to internationalization.
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2022-2023: Dana Stewart, Romance Languages Learning Community (RLLC)
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Enhance our students’ community living and learning experiences with a focus on language and culture, as well as support the advancement of Binghamton University’s commitment to internationalization.
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2021-2022: Kerry Whigham, Memory Sites and Atrocity Prevention
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Funding for one undergraduate or graduate student to participate in a research project that will help solidify Binghamton University’s Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) as a leader in applied international research that informs public policy for atrocity prevention while simultaneously engaging students in a meaningful experience.
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2020-2021: Alexandra Moore and Joshua Price, Comparative Carceral States
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Pilot program to form the basis for a blended curriculum that accommodates student exchange as well as encourages shared research at undergraduate, graduate, and faculty levels, offering a permanent enhancement to existing curricular offerings of the Human Rights Institute (Human Rights Minor) and Department of Sociology in the areas of international human rights and carceral studies.
