The President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation (the “Fund”) has been established through the generous and ground-breaking donation of philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott, in recognition and support of the exceptional mission and success of BMCC. It is anticipated that as stewards of the Fund for future generations, the Fund will grow through other contributions and prudent investment. A large corpus of the Fund will be invested, with some amount of investment returns (and where appropriate some of the corpus) to be expended annually — when appropriate uses and projects are identified, including (but not limited to) those identified through this process.
The Fund will be utilized to boost BMCC’s efforts to improve student learning and success, enhance research and knowledge creation, and advance socioeconomic mobility through the transformative power of education. The Fund will support and allow for strategic investment in innovative projects, initiatives, and programming that advance the College’s mission, moves BMCC towards realization of the vision, and honors Ms. Scott’s desire to focus on basic needs, equity and inclusion, economic mobility, and support for the demographic population served by BMCC/ minoritized communities.
Proposals for usage of these funds will only be considered if they adhere to the guiding principles of the Fund, support the mission and vision of BMCC, and meet one or more of the following thematic areas of need:
- Address student basic needs such as food and housing insecurity, homelessness, transportation, and/or college expenses;
- Improve student learning, support for student learning, and student engagement;
- Improve and reduce equity gaps in regard to student retention, transfer, and graduation rates;
- Incorporate career development and career exploration into academic, educational, and student success programming;
- Enhance existing or establish new academic, student support, or workforce programming designed to provide students with pathways to higher wage careers; and
- Contribute to institutional efforts aimed at improving and reducing equity gaps in New York City’s social, economic, and health outcomes.
In addition, the impact of the proposal must be measurable, and only proposals that will have a direct impact on student retention and success will be considered.
Please note that all proposals are subject to any applicable CUNY policies and procedures, and any required reviews or approvals, including IRB and governance requirements. Note also that selection of a proposed project does not assure the grant of any anticipated release time.
Need for public health professionals highlighted by impact of COVID-19 pandemic on underserved communities.
Funded by BMCC President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation, the program will be presented at the 2022 AAC&U annual meeting.
The fund was established in December 2020 through the generous and ground-breaking donation of philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.
There is tremendous gratitude, pride, and enthusiasm around the college in light of our receipt of a $30 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.
Gift will help establish the President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation.
