The committee for the 1996 Robert S. Smith Award for community progress and innovation is inviting proposals from community organizations and agencies. Applications are due by April 19, 1996.

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

The award was established to:

• promote community outreach efforts directed toward solutions of social and economic problems; and " stimulate innovative and creative student projects that will generate program partnerships between community organizations and Cornell students.

An award, or awards, of up to $2,500 will be given to a sponsoring program to employ a Cornell student, or students, to carry out a community development project. A sponsoring program can be a profit or not-for-profit community organization, agency or business in Tompkins County, or a Cornell department, center, institute or unit.

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

Last year's Robert S. Smith Award winners, selected from 18 applications, were:

• The Women's Community Center -- for the development of a unique community-based Women's Economic Development Resource Center.
• The Varna Volunteer Fire Co. -- for a fire district mapping project.
• Tompkins County 4-H -- to enrich their after-school Academic Excellence Program by adding a job skills/career awareness component.

A two page application form for the award is available from: TCTC Robert S. Smith Award Committee, c/o Ann Argetsinger, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 276 Roberts Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-4203, telephone (607) 255-2117.

Applications are due at the above address by April 19.