Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply?

Pratt Institute faculty (including adjuncts, visiting instructors, part-time and full-time professors), full-time and part-time administrators, and students (full-time or part-time, undergraduate or graduate) are eligible to apply. Student-lead projects must identify a faculty advisor, and the advisor must sign a contract with Pratt Center before the project begins.

How do I know if my project would be eligible?

Proposed projects must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• All projects must partner with a community-based organization in New York City.
• Projects must address one or more of the areas of community resiliency, urban planning equity, and/or socioeconomic equity listed here
• Projects must demonstrate a capacity to make a tangible impact in the community

Read the full Eligibility Requirements & Evaluation Criteria here.

I'm graduating at the end of the current school year (May 2020) or next December. Can I still apply for the fellowship?

No. All student fellows must be registered students for the duration of the fellowship, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021.

I'm a Pratt alumni. Am I eligibile for the fellowship?

No. Unfortunately, alumni are not eligible for the Taconic Fellowship.

I will need support from faculty or students, but I don't have them secured yet. Can I still apply?

Yes, you can apply if your collaborators have not been selected yet. Make sure to include funding for them in your proposed budget. Please note that student-lead projects must identify a faculty advisor to work in a supervisory capacity on their project.

Can projects include applicants from different academic departments?

Partnerships between faculty and students and between people in different departments are strongly encouraged.

If I don't have a community partner, can I still apply?

No. Applications received without a community partner will not be reviewed.

My community partner is not a registered 501(c)3. Can I still apply?

Yes, Taconic Fellows may work with community partners that are not registered non-profits.

I received a Taconic Fellowship last year. Can I apply again?

Taconic Fellows cannot apply for the school year that follows their funded project. They are eligible to apply in future years (i.e. 2019-20 Fellows are ineligible to apply for the 2020-21 school year, but may reapply in the 2021-22 school year).

What criteria are used to evaluate proposed projects?

A panel of reviewers from Pratt Center and Pratt Institute will evaluate proposed projects for their feasibility, capacity to meet the project’s stated goals, and commitment to the principles of equity and sustainability. Specifically, reviewers will make decisions based on:

• Significance and relevance
• Community impact
• Capacity for success
• Approach and method

Read the full criteria here.

What is the timeframe in which a Taconic project should be completed?

Taconic Fellowship Projects must take place between September 2020 and June 2021.

How do I know how much to request for my project?

Award amounts are up to $12,000 per project. Application requests should not exceed $12,000 total; Pratt Center reserves the right to offer partial funding to some applicants. A detailed budget (using the budget template provided here) is required as part of the application. Applications that do not submit a budget will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Please carefully review the budgetary considerations listed here before completing your budget.

How is Taconic Fellowship Funding dispersed?

Awards will be disbursed to faculty members in the form of a stipend and to students as part of their Pratt Institute financial aid package.

Can I receive funding other than a stipend or tuition remission?

No. All fellowships are awarded through faculty/staff stipends and tuition remission. No other form of payment will be issued.

Will I get taxed on the fellowship award?

All faculty and staff stipends are subject to the same taxes as their regular paycheck.

I would like to use the fellowship stipend to cover some project expenses. Is that allowed?

Yes. Fellowship project expenses (e.g., materials and supplies) should be listed in the application budget, and will be paid to the faculty or staff fellow through reimbursement from Pratt’s Accounts Payable Department. x

I'd like to account for taxes in my budget. Can you tell me how much to allocate for this?

This depends on your specific tax rate. We cannot offer tax advice to applicants or fellows.

I want to apply but am unavailable on one or more of the mandatory dates. Can I still apply?

Unfortunately, no. The mandatory dates are required for all fellows. If you have an unavoidable conflict, please consider applying the following year.

I missed the deadline. Can I still apply?

No. please consider applying during the next application cycle.

I still have a question that wasn’t answered here.

If you still have questions after carefully reviewing the fellowship information and the FAQs, please contact the Taconic Fellowship Program Manager, Salvador Muñoz, at smunoz@prattcenter.net