Strengthening Communities 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.
The Strengthening Communities grant supports a wide range of community engagement experiences, from episodic place-based projects to regional Indiana-based plunge experiences. Experiences may be short-term co-curricular community engagement activities or training and advocacy initiatives addressing systemic community issues. Projects are to be designed in such a way that participants develop a deeper understanding of civic learning and democratic engagement, and develop into future civic leaders and civic-minded professionals. A focus on the development of high-quality community-campus partnerships where all partners are able to transcend self-interest as a means of seeking mutual benefit and a “larger definition of community.” (Enos & Morton, 2003, p. 25).
Apply now to fund your Spring 2023 project, with the full award amount dispersed by Dec. 20, 2022.
Funding Award
$2,500
Required Institutional Match
$625 or 25% of requested amount
Who Should Apply:
FACULTY of any rank or discipline
PROFESSIONAL STAFF and SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS 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.
Application Deadlines & Project Timelines
Application Deadline: Proposals are accepted on the 2nd Monday of each month.
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 application 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.
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:
- Episodic place-based projects such as MLK Day of Service or Cesar Chaves Day of Service projects
- Indiana-based plunge experiences such as Fall or Spring Break trips or other such experiences focused on a societal topic such as examining the systemic causes of poverty or addressing food insecurity in a region
- Short-term, on-going co-curricular activities such as mentoring programs, neighborhood literacy programs, and voter education activities
- Training workshops designed to build the knowledge, skills and abilities of participants on essential community engagement topics such as critical reflection and creating reciprocal partnerships
- Training and advocacy initiatives focused on addressing localized systemic community concerns
Additional Documents
Sample Proposal
Following the guidance in the provided Sample Proposal does not guarantee funding.
Sample Reporting Guidelines
The Sample Reporting Guidelines are provided as a reference. Those who have received funding should refer to the individualized Reporting Guidelines provided with their funding notification. Contact us if you require another copy of your individualized Reporting Guidelines.