Chairs of Excellence

Chairs of Excellence Grant Application & Eligibility

Purpose

The Chairs of Excellence (COE) are grants awarded to exceptional faculty members striving for innovative avenues to advance the opportunities of our students in this global environment with an equity-centric lens at the forefront of their proposal. The Chairs of Excellence have been established for specific academic disciplines by the generous donations of individuals and corporations. Most Chairs of Excellence grants were established with an endowment of $100,000 or more and maintained as a separate fund within the permanently restricted portfolio of The Santa Monica College Foundation. Each applicant is required to submit a proposal for the three-year project. The $15,000 is awarded over the three-year period at $5,000 per academic year.  For example, if the COE award for a fall 2026 start, the COE grantee can spend $5,000 in that academic year 1; $5,000 in academic, concurrent year 2, and the final $5,000 disbursement in concurrent year 3. Funds cannot be combined or rolled over from year-to-year. Any funds not spent within the designated award window will be forfeited – no exceptions.  

Chairs of Excellence List and Award Cycle

Name	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26	2026-27	2027-28	2028-29	2029-30
Avaya Inc. Chair of Excellence for Life Sciences			Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2029
John F. Drescher Chair of Excellence for Earth Science or Environmental Science/Studies	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2027	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
Sam Francis/Marty Sosin Chair of Excellence in Art or Photography				Apply Winter 2027	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
Jose Luiz Nazar Chair of Excellence - Performing Arts		Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2028
Ilona Jo Katz Chair of Excellence in Music		Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2028
Northrop Grumman/Elkin Chair of Excellence for Physical Science			Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2029
Carol & Bill Ouchi Chair of Excellence in Business or CSIS		Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2028
Providence St. John's Health Center Chair of Excellence for Nursing or Respiratory Therapy				Apply Winter 2027	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
SMC Foundation Chair of Excellence in History, Philosophy or Social Science				Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Apply Winter 2030
SMC Foundation Chair of Excellence for Communication, English or Media Studies				Apply Winter 2027	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3

Eligibility & Criteria - Who may apply  

• Only full-time faculty in the Chair’s designated discipline may apply. 
• Proposals must be approved by their department chair. 

The Selection Committee reviews the proposals with the following priorities in mind: 

• Professional development of the faculty member can be included as part of the stated goal as long as it pertains directly to a positive impact on student outcomes. 
• Proposals must clearly state how the funds will be used to meet the stated goals. 
• Selection Committee will meet in May. Decisions will be rendered and formally announced immediately following.   

Proposal Requirements 

Please submit application by clicking the following link and filling out the application form:

1. A two-page proposal for the three-year project 
2. Clear, itemized budget page which identifies how funds will be spent each of the three (3) academic years. (Template can be downloaded here)
3. Provide two specific metrics for each of the three (3) years as part of the application process. Impact on student equity, student experience, innovation and SMC vision are encouraged.
4. A sustainability plan with a brief, explanation of how your efforts will carry through years beyond the grant funding. The sustainability plan’s intent is designed to consider how changes, new ideas and innovations can endure beyond year three of the award. 
5. Additional requirements if awarded: All COE grantees will be required to present one (1) workshop on the topic awarded at the spring Faculty Flex Day during the second year of their award. 
6. CV 

The Selection Committee 

• The selection committee may include college administrators, SMCF Board member(s) and administrator(s) 
• Finalists may be asked to explain their proposals in a 10-minute presentation to the selection committee. 
• Member(s) from the SMCF Chairs of Excellence Review Committee may opt to review my grant on an annual basis.

Progress Reports

At the end of each academic year, awarded chairs are required to submit to the Foundation a progress report stating what goals were and were not achieved, and why. 

Deadline

The deadline for this cycle has passed. The application will re-open at the beginning of 2027.

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