Applications for the 2022 Creators Grant are now open!
Please apply through Ryerson’s Awardspring, search for “The Library DME Creators Grant”:
https://ryerson.awardspring.ca/
Sign-up for Creators Grant 2022 updates
What is the Creators Grant?
The Toronto Metropolitan University Library’s DME Creators Grant supports Toronto Metropolitan University undergraduate students who want to create innovative, sustainable, and interactive digital experiences and initiatives that address social equity issues. Successful applicants will receive a grant of $3000 and a production budget of up to $1500.
Continued participation in the grant program and full financial disbursement will be contingent on the participant reaching performance milestones, and presenting the completed project at a public showcase event organized by Ryerson Library.
Why Apply?
Ryerson Library DME Creators Grants are intended to grow and diversify undergraduate student representation in digital media learning and skills development at Ryerson. The grants support the Toronto Metropolitan University Library’s mission statement, particularly its commitment to enable users to create knowledge; to engage students, faculty, and the greater community in its goals and activities; and to foster critical thought, lifelong learning, and city building.
How Does Funding Work?
A grant of $3000 will be awarded to each participant with an additional $1500 set-aside for production. Production budgets are approved by participant mentors. Recipients are limited to one project per cohort. Grants can cover costs related to approved project work hours, materials, and specialized technical services not available through Ryerson.
Who’s Eligible?
Anyone with:
- A goal that relates to making your community a more equitable place
- A desire to learn and to improve your digital skills to bring your passion project to life
- A willingness to work with the guidance of Library staff, mentors and a within tight timeline
- Time and energy to do something above and beyond your coursework
The Creators Grant is open to all undergraduate students who:
- Have a clear academic standing
- Have a cumulative of 2.33 GPA
- Are not employed by the Toronto Metropolitan University Library
- Can commit to completing the goals of the program during the winter and summer of 2022
If you have already applied for or received other awards for the same project/business idea, you are still eligible to apply for the TMU Library Creators Grant, however, your application must represent a different scope of work.
We are committed to fostering diversity within our community. We welcome applications from those who would contribute to the further diversification of our organization including, but not limited to, women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity.
What is the Application Review Process?
Applications will be reviewed by a Library-chaired interdisciplinary selection committee based on the following established grant criteria / assessment rubric.
- Overall quality of proposal and project
- Uniqueness and impact of social equity and justice issues addressed
- An alignment with the TMU Library goals of social equity, experiential learning, and research
- Interdisciplinary nature of project
- Creativity, innovation and viability of the project
- Demonstration of direct impact on applicant’s future goals and plans
- Potential for the project to be implemented or lead to advanced phases of development
- Project that lends itself to a year end public display / showcase
- A project that can be realized within the time-frame and award amount of the Creators Grant program
- Applicant articulation of learning outcomes
How does Selection Work?
Applicants will be scored on the above criteria. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in a round 2 assessment. This assessment may involve a video conversation with the Creators Grant selection committee.
You’re in. Now what?
Once selected recipients sign onto the DME Creators Grant program, they will be assigned a mentor who they will work with to plan and document their project’s progress. Participants in the Grant program are expected to:
- Participate in a programming event consisting of introductions to project teams, project planning workshops, intellectual property rights review, etc.;
- Meet with Library staff to review research process and library resources
- Meet regularly with their assigned mentor to discuss and monitor performance, address concerns, etc.;
- Reach the milestones that frame their project plan;
- Contribute meaningfully in scheduled all-hands meeting where each project’s progress and problems are presented in order to share learning, develop solutions, and encourage teams to continually advance their own work and support others’;
- Present their finished project at a year end showcase event