Community Outreach Grant Evaluation Criteria

This page contains information on how the Community Outreach Grant will be evaluated by the grants panel

Relevance to Applied Microbiology and AMI’s Mission (max 20 points)

  • Does the project clearly promote microbiology and align with AMI’s public engagement and sustainability goals?
  • Does it demonstrate relevance to AMI’s mission of advancing applied microbiology for societal and environmental benefit?
  • Does it effectively communicate the importance of microbiology to non-specialist or community audiences?

Strong Relevance – 20 pts
Moderate Relevance – 10 pts
Limited Relevance – 5 pts

Creativity and Engagement Approach (max 20 points)

  • Is the project original, engaging, and accessible to a non-specialist audience?
  • Does it employ creative, interactive, or innovative methods to communicate microbiology?
  • Will the approach capture attention and inspire curiosity or participation within the target community?

Highly Creative – 20 pts
Moderately Creative – 10 pts
Limited Creativity – 5 pts

Potential for Community Impact (max 20 points)

  • Does the project demonstrate clear potential to engage and benefit its intended audience?
  • Are the anticipated outcomes realistic, measurable, and meaningful?
  • Does the project show potential to build sustained community interest or enhance public understanding of microbiology?

High Impact – 20 pts
Moderate Impact – 10 pts
Limited Impact – 5 pts

Inclusivity and Accessibility (max 15 points)

  • Does the project encourage participation from diverse or underrepresented groups?
  • Have accessibility needs been considered and planned for (e.g., language, venue, or digital access)?
  • Does the proposal reflect AMI’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in public engagement?

Strong Inclusivity – 15 pts
Moderate Inclusivity – 10 pts
Limited Inclusivity – 5 pts

Budget Justification and Feasibility (max 15 points)

  • Is the proposed budget reasonable, transparent, and directly aligned with the project’s objectives?
  • Are costs clearly explained and proportionate to the scale of the outreach activity?
  • Does the project have a feasible timeline and realistic plan for delivery and completion?

Well-Justified – 15 pts
Partially Justified – 10 pts
Poorly Justified – 5 pts

Scoring Guidelines

Total Possible Score: 100 Points

  • 80–100: Excellent — strongly meets all criteria; high priority for funding.
  • 60–79: Good — meets most criteria effectively; consider for funding.
  • 40–59: Fair — meets some criteria; may require further consideration.
  • Below 40: Poor — does not sufficiently meet criteria; low priority for funding.