Women and Philanthropy Grants Awarded
Total grants given to date: $639,817
The grant process begins in November of each year with applications due by mid-February. The grant review committee meets to study the applications and forwards at least three applications for vote by membership. Each member has one vote with majority rule for the final decision. The grant(s) are announced between mid-April to mid-May.
2021
LAKE ERIE CENTER NEARSHORE RESEARCH VESSEL
The grant will allow the Lake Erie Center in the College of Nature Sciences and Mathematics to acquire a new-to-them research vessel to replace an end-of-life research vessel that is critical for the growing research and education commitments of the Lake Erie Center (LEC). The Department requested $50,000 to accommodate the increasing demands for vessel time needed by researchers and students working through the LEC, including undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty across multiple departments at the University of Toledo. It will also assist national collaborators from outside the University, further cementing the University’s commitment to Lake Erie environmental and water quality research and its status as a national and international leader in these areas as opportunities to collaborate with local, regional, national and international partners are expanded.
2020
Axon Design and Fabrication Labs
The grant will assist in the creation of the University’s Axon Lab/Studio, which will be the first dedicated digital design and fabrication studio on campus. The Art Department requested $65,000 to build on collaborations across multiple academic disciplines and colleges and will provide new opportunities for collaboration in STEMM fields and in new curricula development, according to Miner. It will serve as an innovative learning hub where technology, creativity and interdisciplinary practices converge, as students are provided with resources that meet the newest industry standards in relation to software and hardware, and community partnerships are enhanced with new tools and resources.
2019
The Women & Philanthropy Germ-Free Biomedical Research Facility
The Department of Physiology and Pharmacology of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences was awarded $65,000 to fund a germ-free facility for cutting-edge microbiotal research in biomedical sciences. The purpose of the facility is to develop a one-of-a kind research resource to study the actions of microbes to cause diseases and to study the effects in germ-free rodents. The germ-free facility will consist of equipment to house and conduct experiments in a pristine environment. Such an environment allows for introducing the experimental animals to select microbes and studying their specific contributions to disease causation or prevention. The project helps meet a critical need for conducting promising research on the interactions between bacteria and humans.
2018
The thrombosis and hemostasis research Center
The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences was awarded $29,905 to acquire critical instrumentation to support investigation into the cause of thrombosis in such diseases as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), sepsis, lung cancer, diabetes, and others. Understanding why certain traits increase risk of thrombosis will provide essential information important for designing new therapeutics. This equipment will have wide-ranging applications from autoimmune disease to metabolic disease. Thrombosis is an important area of research due to its impact on mortality and morbidity in many diseases. Having this equipment will enhance the collaborative efforts within the university and will make the researchers more competitive nationwide.
PHOTOSCREENING OF INFANTS AND CHILDREN AT WELL-CARE VISITS
The Department of Pediatrics of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences was awarded $5,984 for the purchase of a Spot Vision Screener that will be used in the pediatric primary care outpatient clinic to screen infants and children for amblyopia. Amblyopia develops when there is an abnormal development of areas of the brain involved in vision due to impaired visual acuity in early infancy and childhood. The goal is to identify vision problems as early as possible so that children can be treated and prevent amblyopia from developing. Photoscreening allows for earlier detection of potential vision problems. Not only will infants and toddlers be screened, it also will allow for the screening of older children with significant developmental disabilities. Additionally, the photoscreener will be used in the Pediatric resident continuity clinic where future pediatricians are trained in primary care.2017
New Genetic Analysis Instrumentation Center
The College of Medicine was awarded $59,892 to fund a critical gap in the current genetic analysis workflow. Although the scientists in the Department are involved in many cutting-edge research projects vital to human health areas, they presently lack the ability to process and examine multiple human and experimental samples for genetic analysis without significant delay. The New Genetic Analysis Center meets that need. The objective of the Center is to:
- Increase research opportunities and experimental learning for UT undergraduates in the College of Medicine
- Establish increased capabilities centered around water quality research
- Dramatically increase capabilities to develop preventative, diagnostic and treatment strategies for innumerable diseases
Renovation of the Brooks Observatory Hallway
The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics was awarded $6,000 to completely renovate the hallway leading to the roof of McMaster Hall and into
the Brooks Observatory. This project will provide a more educational and engaging
entryway to the Brooks Observatory on the roof of McMaster Hall, used by nearly 2,000
students and several thousand members of the public each year through public planetarium
shows. The objective of the project is to provide students and the public with a much
better experience
entering the observatory deck. The centerpiece of the revitalization will be a large
video screen that will continuously display information on the telescope's targets
for the night, and eventually display a live feed from the dome. Along the remainder
of the hallway, will be large prints of astronomical imagery along with a "cosmic
calendar."
2016
The Women & Philanthropy Active Learning Classroom
The College of Natural Sciences and Math was awarded $50,080 to convert Wolfe Hall 2238 into a technology-assisted active learning classroom, with space for 45 students. This project will enable the completion of an active learning classroom for use in science and math courses as well as other colleges and departments within the University on a time-available basis. The classroom is planned to contain five large round tables, each with a central access box with HDML cables to which laptops or tablets can be attached. A switching system will allow individual laptop screens to be projected to the flat panel TV associated with each table.
There will also be a central instructor’s desk where the instructor may control table-specific screens or large wall screens. In addition, the room will also contain six white-boards. This will be a collaborative project with the College as the College has already allocated funds to go toward this project. Funds will be used to cover the purchase and installation of tables, chairs, white boards, carpeting and other non-technology aspects of the renovation, in addition to the technology pieces.
Living Science—The Ever-Changing Periodic Table
The Instrumentation Center was awarded $31,465 for a large-scale interactive display (ca. 10-12 ft x 6 ft) to house a permanent, dynamic exhibit showing the natural splendor of the Periodic Table of the elements. This display will have over 118 individual LED-illuminated and engraved glass boxes—one for each element (e.g., gold, iron, oxygen, etc.) demonstrating how the element relates to everyday life and current events. The use of technology and interaction will be reflected in the addition of a touch-screen kiosk and QR codes. The kiosk display will contain apps that supplement the Living Science display with stories or short movies for each of the elements and even allow the viewer to play with elements and see which ones form new substances and which ones explode—just by dragging and dropping. In a unique approach, this display will bring students, faculty and staff from all disciplines as well as their families together to create a piece of visual scientific art that displays the very building blocks of nature. Opportunity will be given to choose and research an element and a budget will be provided to fill the individual display box, the name of the respective individual will be displayed in a separated chart until the next creator is given the opportunity to add and change the display based on his/her discovery.
2015
Event Signage
The College of Communication and the Arts was awarded $21,146 to create event signage for the Main Campus. The funding was used to construct a concrete poured foundation with a core construction of concrete masonry units. The core was skinned with stone that matches the aesthetics of the University and it houses an 89” x 97” full color EMC digital display screen. This electronic board will be used to promote public events at the University. The objective of this project is to increase awareness and attendance at University of Toledo public events to increase awareness of the exceptional offerings that the University brings to the community.
NOTE: Grant money returned to Women & Philanthropy – college unable to complete project.
The Women & Philanthropy Playground
The Kobacker Center on the Health Science Campus was awarded $28,070 to construct a new outdoor playground for children who receive services through the Kobacker Center at The University of Toledo Medical Center. The Kobacker Center has been a leader in northwest Ohio for treating the emotional and behavioral needs of children under the age of 18. The funds were used to cover the expenses for a fence and new play equipment, transforming the physical environment used by the children. Women & Philanthropy was able to leverage this grant with a match from the UTMC to cover the entire cost of the project.
2014
Eberly Center for Women Computer Lab
A grant of $21,800 was awarded to the Eberly Center for Women to outfit a computer lab with 21 desktop computers, a smart board for instruction and printer supplies. This grant has allowed the Center to host a wide variety of low-cost computer based developmental classes. The computer lab will bear the name of Women & Philanthropy.
Women & Philanthropy Student & Family Room
The College of Adult and Lifelong Learning was awarded a grant of $12,500 to create a student and family room located in Rocket Hall. This facility will highlight the success of students and women in the community and it will create a welcoming space that includes seating, chairs, meeting tables, an all-in-one computer, a children’s area, children’s books, etc. The space will bear the name of Women & Philanthropy.
2013
Interactive Educational Displays for the UT Lake Erie Center
A grant of $15,000 was awarded to the Lake Erie Center to create and install hands-on educational exhibits in the lobby of the Center. The goal is to expand and enhance the Center’s engagement with K-12 students, teachers, members of the University community and the general public about Great Lakes science and research.
Savage Arena Media Room
A grant of $23,000 was made to the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics to update and renovate the Media Room in Savage Arena. Naming rights for this room have been granted to Women & Philanthropy. The Media Room is used to host media and news conferences for sports programs, tournaments and other media events, and as a reception area for numerous special events.
2012
William and Carol Koester Alumni Pavilion
A three-year grant for $50,000 was awarded to the Alumni Association to name the Hospitality Area in the new William and Carol Koester Alumni Pavilion constructed adjacent to the Glass Bowl Stadium. The area is named Women & Philanthropy Rocket Station and includes two serving stations called Launch Pad #1 and Launch Pad #2.
2011
Honors College Student Art Gallery
A grant of $7,097 was awarded to the Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Research to fund the creation of a permanent art gallery in the main reception area of Sullivan Hall. For years, the best works of junior and senior level art majors had been placed on these walls for viewing. Although successful, the Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Research desired to install proper lighting, track lighting and bring the wall space up to professional gallery standards. The grant accomplished this, along with establishing a fund to help defray student expenses in mounting and framing their work.
The UT Center for Excellence in Autism Adolescent Girl’s and Women’s Initiative
A grant of $20,000 was awarded to the Center for Excellence in Autism to cover signage, a medical exam table, instruments, lighting, sinks, cabinetry, paint, wall covering, lighting and flooring for the Center’s Adolescent Girl’s and Women’s Initiative. The Center is located in the Kobacker Building on the Health Science Campus.
2010
Ritter Planetarium and Observatory Project
A grant of $16,000 was granted to the Ritter Planetarium and Observatory to create a computer-based, interactive display in four of the museum-style display cases in the Lobby of Ritter. These displays have great educational impact through their visual interest and through the ability of the user to control the display. Installed in each case are large LCD monitors, stereo speakers and controls to be operated by guests. The themes that individuals are able to interact with include:
- Toledo and the infrared University
- Ritter After Dark: The Secret Story of Starlight and Ritter Observatory
- A Tour of our Solar System
- Backyard Astronomy and the Night Sky.
Women’s Basketball Locker Room Enhancements
A grant of $8,190 was granted to the Women’s Basketball program to place the finishing touches on their locker room area. The goal was to create a locker room that will serve several purposes—an academic resource for current student athletes to study between classes, a place to learn and understand the rich tradition and history of UT women’s basketball, a motivational place to prepare for games and practices, and a place to bring prospective student athletes. The grant was used to purchase computer equipment and design and install graphic walls to the inside and outside of the locker room area.
2009
Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement
A grant of $50,000 was pledged over five years to the College of Business and Innovation to name a classroom in the Savage and Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement: The Women & Philanthropy at The University of Toledo Classroom.
UT Outdoor Garden Classroom
A grant of $10,644 was awarded to fund the UT Outdoor Garden Classroom. This is an innovative collaboration between the College of Arts & Sciences, the Eberly Center for Women and the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies. The focus of the garden, aside from being a place to gather and study, is to educate the community about sustainable food production and agriculture.
2008
“A University Woman"
A grant of $15,000 was awarded to the Carlson Library to commission glass artist (the late) Thomas McGlauchlin to create a sculpture for the Library. His creation, entitled “A University Woman” was installed in the Carlson Library Concourse in October 2008. The image of this artwork has become the Women & Philanthropy logo.
