Critical Difference (CD) is a scholarship/grant offering program of The Ohio State University offering financial support to students, faculty, and staff. The Women's Place (TWP) and CD are closely connected as TWP is the administrative home of CD. CD is comprised of three funds:
Scholarships for students who have interrupted their education due to unforeseen obstacles such as family responsibilities or financial constraints and who are seeking undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.
Grants for faculty and PhD candidates/terminal master's degree students of all genders to support research that explores women's lives, gender equity, and gender broadly conceptualized.
Professional Development Grants are designed to facilitate professional development and career mobility of faculty, staff, and students.
For more information on the funds described above, visit Critical Difference.
Staff and manager grants support staff pursuing professional development. Human Resources in partnership with the University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) offer the grants to advance the university’s mission of creating and discovering knowledge to improve our communities.
Grant funding of up to $1,500 for individuals and $2,250 for groups of two or more is available for staff with at least a 0.75 FTE status who have been employed for at least one year. Only an interest in development is needed to apply. A specific course, program or use for the funds is not required prior to applying or receiving a staff or manager grant.
College of Arts and Sciences (ASC) staff members are encouraged to apply for professional development funding through an ASC Staff Professional Development Grant. All regular (.50-1.00FTE) staff members who have been employed within ASC for at least two years are eligible to apply. The grants are awarded two times an academic year, early fall and early winter.
ASC also offers a wide variety of internal awards/funding, fellowships and prizes for faculty and students.
Whether you need funding to further current research, explore new discoveries or support innovative programs, Women & Philanthropy may be able to help. All Ohio State faculty and staff are invited to apply for the Women & Philanthropy Grant. Award amounts typically range from $25,000 to $50,000, focusing on areas throughout Ohio State with an emphasis on relevance to Women & Philanthropy’s mission and alignment with current or emerging university and community priorities. Typically applications are accepted in January.
The Office of Outreach and Engagement offers two grant opportunities for university staff. Both grants are for a maximum of $500 and applications are due in September.
Each year, The Ohio State University recognizes excellence in teaching, service, diversity enhancement, and scholarship through a variety of awards programs. Faculty and staff are honored for their distinguished contributions to the betterment of the university community in several areas. Review the awards in the following list of links and consider nominating deserving employees.
The Office of Sponsored Programs within the Office of Research offers a tool to search for national and international awards. Choose Nomination Programs and/or Prize search categories in the Special Funding Opportunity Categories search box to review available awards.
College of Arts and Sciences has created a collection of external awards, fellowships and prizes.
The President and Provost’s Council on Women (PPCW) analyzed data of Ohio State staff and faculty who have received awards and recognition and concluded that women tend to be underrepresented. To help change this, one focus of the council is enhancing recognition of women staff and faculty on campus. As part of their #WeNominateWomen campaign, PPCW encourages everyone in the university community to nominate applicants, including women and underrepresented individuals, for university awards. Use #WeNominateWomen to raise awareness and encourage others to do the same!
PPCW offers the following tips for creating a strong nomination packet: