Grants
Cultural North Star In-Action Grants
About
The shared values of the DGSOM are expressed in the Cultural North Star, which was developed by members of our community and affirms our abiding commitment to doing what’s right, making things better, and being kind. These are the standards to which we hold ourselves and one another. We are working to infuse every level of our organization with these principles and building a community around the values is our first step.
Cultural North Star values help us build and maintain a positive, team-oriented culture, which is critical to our ability to achieve our mission and also vital to our well-being and cohesion as a community. Building upon the Cultural North Star Awards, the Cultural North Star in Action Grants (CNS Grants) are designed to operationalize our shared values by building community and fostering a shared understanding of the 12 CNS purpose statements. The CNS Grants provide intentional opportunities to activate, educate, and empower change agents across the DGSOM.
Apply
The 2025 Cultural North Star Grants application period has closed. Grant recipients will be announced in late May.
Follow the journeys of our 2024 grantees on May 28, 2025 at noon.
Register Today!
FAQs
There are no restrictions regarding the team composition other than members must be DGSOM faculty, staff, trainees & students that are current, emerging, or curious change agents:
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Brimming with innovative ideas that need a launching pad.
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Willing to operationalize the CNS pillars to co-create a positive, mission-driven culture.
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Ready to mobilize and eager to build community by collaborating with other innovators in DGSOM.
The award period will align with DGSOM’s fiscal year, beginning in July and ending in June.
Five grants, of up to $3,000 will be awarded
The monies should be used to support the proposed work operationalizing the CNS pillars. Monies can only be utilized towards non-payroll expenses and within the award period. Eligible categories are listed below:
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Development/Training
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Food & Beverage
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Guest Lecturers
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Non-Cash Awards
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Project Specific Office Type Supplies
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Professional services
In addition to time spent on the proposed work, grantees are expected to attend the following in-person mandatory events:
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Orientation: July
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Program overview and team building exercises.
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Retreat: January
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Report outs from grantee recipients and team building exercises.
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Year in Review Celebration: June
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Final report out from grantee recipients celebrating their accomplishments and lessons learned.
Grantees will also submit two mandatory virtual progress reports via Smartsheets as follows:
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Virtual progress report #1: October
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Virtual progress report #2: March
Both departmental OIE Plans and the DGSOM Antiracism Roadmap can offer helpful guidance for teams looking to operationalize our shared values. Applicants are welcome to utilize these resources as propose transformational projects that will help us along our journey towards co-creating a culture of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the DGSOM.
Pre-award workshops will be held during February and March to provide educational resources and support to those interested in applying for the CNS Grants. In addition, these workshops will serve as opportunities for community building and near-peer mentorship to bolster change efforts across the DGSOM.
Connect with Us
If you have questions regarding the CNS Grants, please reach out to us.