The committee for the 1998 Robert S. Smith Award for community progress and innovation is calling for proposals from local community organizations and agencies. Proposals are due by April 15.

An award or awards of up to $2,500 will be given to a sponsoring program using a Cornell student, or students, to help carry out a community development project.

The award, established at Cornell in 1994 through a grant of $100,000 by the Tompkins County Trust Co., is named for Robert S. Smith, former chairman of the bank's board of directors and the W.I. Myers Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Finance at Cornell.

Projects will be judged for their potential to stimulate tangible progress in areas such as health, nutrition, community housing, small business enterprise, youth development, arts, agriculture and the environment.

Sponsoring programs can be profit or not-for-profit community organizations, agencies or businesses in Tompkins County, or a Cornell department, center, institute or unit. Sponsors will be notified May 1 if they have been awarded.

Application forms are available from: TCTC Robert S. Smith Award Committee, c/o Ann Argetsinger, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 276 Roberts Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-4203. For more information, call (607) 255-2117.