Apply for the Joseph F. Wall ’41 Alumni Service Award

Wall Service Award applications are closed for 2018. We will begin taking applications for 2019 Wall Service Award projects in January.

Up to four finalists will be selected and invited to campus to participate in an in-person interview. Please reserve September 15-18 for this purpose. You will be notified by the end of August if you have been selected as a finalist.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact the award coordinator, Paige Everly.

A completed application will consist of the following elements, all uploaded to the application form.

  • A project description of no more than 5 pages (single-spaced), plus an abstract of 300-500 words, which addresses the questions and issues listed below. Each question should be addressed and clearly labeled, preferably by including the question that you are answering before your response. The committee recognizes that Wall projects and their descriptions may differ substantially from one another, so you may reorder or combine these questions as need be. However, all questions must be addressed within your 5-page project description.
    • Provide a detailed description of your project and a brief work plan. Be as specific as you can. This is the most important part of your application.
    • A brief profile of the organization(s) involved in the proposal, including basic information such as the year it was founded, mission statement, summary of staff, and size of the annual budget.
    • Why is this project important to you?
    • What goals do you hope to achieve?
    • When do you anticipate your project will begin, and when will it conclude?
    • Describe in detail your qualifications to undertake this project.
    • How does this project relate to your own experiences?
    • Discuss your financial needs and detail other sources of support (if any). What alternative sources of funding are you or have you pursued? What are other long-term possible sources of support?
    • What percentage of your budget is earmarked for salaries, stipends, and/or benefits? Wall funds may be used for these purposes, but the committee is interested in knowing exactly how much will go towards this area.
    • As applicable, what is the relevant research that supports your proposal? Though this is not a research brief, the committee is interested in any academic work that supports your model.
    • How will you document your accomplishments?
  • Proposed project budget (for the duration of your project proposal). No more than 2 pages.
  • Grinnell College transcript if you are a graduate of the last five years
  • Your resume, including your contact information
  • One letter of support from your sponsoring organization (if appropriate)
  • A minimum of three and a maximum of five letters of recommendation. Letters should address your ability to carry out your proposed project, and, as applicable, the importance of your project. Letters received after the deadline will not be considered.

By submitting an application for the Wall Service Award, you are attesting that the information provided in your application and project description is a good-faith representation of what you wish to undertake, and that you will use the grant awarded to you for the purposes detailed in your application.

The Wall Service Award is paid in two installments. The first installment will be paid immediately following the public announcement of the award. The second will be paid after the recipient has submitted a mid-project report to the selection committee, about six months later. Award funds are sent directly to the alumni who receives the award, and may be treated as taxable income. Recipients may themselves donate the award to a non-profit agency, and in doing so may reduce their tax liability. All applicants for the Wall Award should consult with a tax professional to determine how receiving this award would impact their individual tax picture. If the alumni who receives the award has non-resident tax status in the US, Grinnell College is required to withhold 30% federal tax unless the award is exempt under IRS tax code or a tax treaty.

Selection Criteria

In selecting Wall Service Award winners, the committee takes into account the following criteria:

  • Does the proposal further the Wall Service Award goal of effecting positive social change?
  • Does the proposal include a clear and realistic plan of implementation?
  • Are the goals for the proposed project realistic and achievable?
  • Does the proposal include a clear and realistic plan for evaluation and reporting on results?
  • Does the applicant's background indicate the ability to carry out the project and achieve its objectives?
  • To what extent would a Wall Service Award help to create a new program, or add something new to an existing program, that might not be possible without the award?
  • To what extent would a Wall Service Award help to create an ongoing program that will survive beyond the period of the award?
  • To what extent will the applicant be personally involved as a principal of the project?

Award Administration

Paige Everly
Associate Director of Alumni and Donor Relations for Reunion and Awards
Office of Development and Alumni Relations
Grinnell College | 733 Broad St. Grinnell, IA 50112
641-269-1846 office | 641-269-4313 fax