Registered Student Organizations

CAIDS provides funding to support Registered Student Organizations who want to develop Data and AI literacy-centered events and programming with emphasis on career topics and expanding data science knowledge across Tulane campus. The program aims to strengthen data literacy, expand learning opportunities, and cultivate a vibrant interdisciplinary data science community on campus.

What We Fund

Grants that support a wide range of data science–centered activities, including:
•    Workshops, training sessions, or hackathons on topics and/or methodologies related to Data and AI/ML.
•    Datathons or structured problem-solving competitions related to Data and AI/ML topics and methodologies. 
•    Speaker events, alumni/career panels, or technical talks featuring Data and AI professionals
•    Initiatives that support internships, career readiness, or professional development in data science
•    Activities that enhance student research engagement, including mentorship, research skill-building, and data-focused inquiry
•    Creation of open-source tools, datasets, dashboards, or educational materials

Initiatives/events planned during Love Data Week, and/or throughout the Spring semester that advance datathons, internship and career preparation, research experiences, and Data/AI literacy skill building will be given priority consideration. 

Grant Amounts

There are two ways to participate:

First, CAIDS Affiliate RSOs will receive a grant of $500.00 and agree to put on at least one data event a semester and participating in Love Data Week and the Data Showcase.  RSOs should contact Dr. Howard (jhoward8@tulane.edu) to discuss receiving affiliate status. 
Join our growing list of affiliate RSOs.
•    Tulane Data Collective
•    Tulane AI Society 
Second, any RSOs may apply for a grant of up to $500 per event using the form (RSO  – Collaboration). Funding is awarded based on impact and feasibility. In some circumstances, RSOs may request to host the event at CAIDS student space in HTML 117 (20 people max).

Eligibility

To apply, organizations must:
•    Be a currently registered and active RSO at Tulane. 
•    Have a clear connection to data science and data literacy. All RSO’s are encouraged to apply. 
•    Follow all event planning rules and plan their own event (book their own room, submit paperwork to wave-sync, receive advisor support, host the event themselves). CAIDS does not provide event support. 
•    Demonstrate capacity and technical readiness to deliver the proposed work
Affiliate and Awarded RSOs must:
•    Sign an MOU with CAIDS.  
•    Place CAIDS logos on all sponsored event materials; 
•    Provide social media materials about the event in advance to the CAIDS social media coordinator.
•    Submit a brief final report after the event that includes:  
o    A summary of project activities and outcomes
o    Image from the event, (as appropriate)
o    Materials or artifacts produced (slides, datasets, code repositories, visuals, etc.)
o    A reflection on student learning and community impact
Collaborative proposals between data-focused RSOs and other student groups are encouraged.

How to Apply

Submit the online application form, which includes:
•    A short project description and outreach plan 
•    A proposed timeline and expected outcomes
•    A detailed, itemized budget
•    9 account number
•    Social Media Account Handles 
•    Contact information for project leads and advisor.
 

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated on:
•    Relevance to data science, data literacy, and AI/ML literacy. 
•    Impact on student learning, community engagement, or campus data culture
•    Alignment with priority areas: datathons, internship/career readiness, and research experiences
•    Feasibility and clarity of the project plan
•    Innovation, creativity, and potential for hands-on learning

Currently, we sponsor the following organizations: