Supporting Engagement and Authentic Dialogues Grant
This grant offers a unique opportunity for creativity to meet compassion and action. Undergraduates, grad students, faculty, and staff all have a chance to make an improvement in their communities.
This funding opportunity supports a wide variety of episodic to semester-long place-based community engagement experiences that foster authentic community-campus partnerships, as well as furthering student and community civic development and collaborative growth. The Supporting Engagement and Authentic Dialogues grant supports a wide range of community engagement experiences, from episodic place-based projects to regional Indiana-based plunge experiences, as well as community-campus dialogue and training events. Projects should encourage the development of authentic relationships between the campus and community with all partners can transcend self-interest, seek mutual benefits, and embrace a “larger definition of community” (Enos & Morton, 2003, p. 25). Experiences may be short-term co-curricular or curricular community engagement activities, training, or advocacy initiatives that foster student civic development through collaborative efforts. Funded projects should be designed so that they focus on the place-based nature of the institution while addressing the concerns of the local community. Undergraduate students and community organizations are encouraged to serve as co-investigators for these projects as a means of ensuring reciprocity and fostering the development of essential skills.
2023-2024 Request for Proposals Available Now!
Funding Award
$2,500
Required Institutional Match
$500
Who Should Apply:
FACULTY of any rank or discipline
CAMPUS PROFESSIONAL STAFF from across the institution
GRADUATE STUDENTS from any discipline
STUDENTS, UNDERGRADUATE* of any discipline
*Undergraduate student applicants require a faculty, campus professional staff, or graduate student to serve as a co-primary investigator in an administrative support role.
COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES** of local Indiana-based organizations or communities
**Community representative applicants may serve as a co-primary investigator on a CEA grant proposal. The primary investigator must be a student or employee of a CEA partner institution, and any funds awarded will be distributed to the partner institution for further management and distribution.
Application Deadlines & Project Timelines
Application Deadline: Proposals are accepted bimonthly on the 3rd Monday beginning in January 2023 and continuing through July 2024.
Funding Decisions: Applicants are notified of funding decisions 6 weeks from the proposal due date.
Project Timeline: PI determined. Typically, 3 to 6 months beginning 7 weeks after the submission deadline.
Submission & Routing Process
Applicants are responsible for proper routing and approval by their institution prior to submission. Detailed instructions on the submission process can be found in the request for proposal of each grant.
Review the Grant Terms and Conditions for further information.
Looking for Assistance?
Contact us to learn more or to discuss grant ideas. Our partners get the benefit of our team's expertise in navigating the grant application process, every step of the way.
Project Examples
The types of projects previously funded include:
- Place-based projects such as MLK Day of Service or Cesar Chaves Day of Service projects
- Day of Dialogue events that bring campus and community members together to discuss diverse topics with the goal of greater understanding
- Indiana-based plunge experiences (Fall or Spring Break trips) focused on localized concerns, such as addressing food insecurity in a region or assisting with local disaster relief efforts
- Activities such as mentoring programs, neighborhood literacy programs, and voter education activities
- Training workshops designed to build the knowledge, skills and abilities on essential community engagement topics such as critical reflection or creating reciprocal partnerships
- Training and advocacy initiatives focused on addressing systemic societal topics such as the systemic causes of poverty, housing insecurity, or environmental justice
Additional Documents
Sample Proposal
The proposal below is an example from a similar funding opportunity, the Strengthening Communities grant, which is similar but not identical to the Supporting Engagement and Authentic Dialogues grant. Following the guidance in the provided Sample Proposal does not guarantee funding.
Reporting Guidelines
The Reporting Guidelines are provided as a reference. Those who have received funding should refer to the Reporting Guidelines provided with their funding notification to verify their reporting schedule. Contact us if you require another copy.