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Civic Engagement Mini-Grants

Project Pericles invites applications from faculty and staff for our Civic Engagement Mini-Grants empowering students to engage with public issues in inclusive and collaborative ways, fostering more positive and broader civic participation. This is a $1,000 mini-grant to implement a project, assignment, or activity and are required to submit a brief guide outlining the resources utilized, the activities conducted, and report on outcomes achieved. 

Mini-grant recipients will become part of the Project Pericles fellowship, a network of civically engaged scholars with access to professional development opportunities including webinars and virtual discussions. The program is supported by the Mellon Foundation and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation.
Prospective applicants will draw upon and build upon existing Civic Engagement Resources and/or develop and test out course materials in their own classrooms that can be shared with a broader base of faculty through Project Pericles’ Civic Engagement Resource Database.

About the Fellowship

Our current time demonstrates the crucial need to provide students with the opportunity to make a positive impact in society across differences and divides. The mini-grants aims to empower faculty and staff to deepen connections between academic content and civic participation through curricular and co-curricular activities.
A goal of the program is to draw upon the humanities and arts to interrogate contested concepts, generate knowledge, and build intellectual community in meeting the moment and addressing current issues. We welcome proposals that invite humanistic inquiry from across the curriculum including interdisciplinary proposals.

for Current Fellows (Evaluation and Award)

​​Award Use and Distribution
The grant award should be used at the discretion of the institution and the awardee. The $1,000 will be addressed to the college/university after evaluation materials from the fellow are received. For more information or any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Project Pericles appreciates the support of the Mellon Foundation and The Eugene M. Lang Foundation.​
Evaluation 
This evaluation serves to capture the impact of your experience and collect curricular materials. These are shared on the Civic Engagement Resources (contributions are credited to faculty) with the goal of inspiring colleagues across the nation to integrate civic engagement into their courses. 
 
Civic Engagement Mini-Grant Evaluation (Updated 4/15/2024)

There are Several Mini-Grant Tracks:

1. Beyond Media Literacy: Enhancing Information Ecosystems to Bridge Divides 

2. Deliberative Dialogue 

3. Voting Rights Expansion 

In addition, Fellows will: 

  • Document and Share Key Learnings: Fellows capture what they accomplished in the form of  a short guide or toolkit summarizing their work, key learnings, open questions, implications for the future on their campus, and suggestions for others interested in tackling similar issues. This documentation will inspire future iterations on their own campuses and others’. a short guide summarizing their work and resources used. The materials and feedback inspire future iterations of the modules. Their work will be featured on our Civic Engagement Resources Database or other areas of our website. The goal is to collaboratively expand Periclean civic engagement resources and to inspire colleagues across the nation to facilitate deliberative dialogue, promote civic participation, and expand voter engagement.
  • Participate in Virtual Learning Communities: Recent topics include: combating misinformation, exploring AI, and facilitating deliberative dialogue. These energizing convenings provide a chance to share resources, work through challenges, and build bonds and knowledge among civically engaged scholars and student affairs professionals.  Grantees are encouraged to participate in  convenings.
“The program provided valuable insights and strategies for integrating civic engagement and community-based learning into the college experience. Through discussions, resources, and mentorship, I learned effective ways to connect course material to real-world issues, encourage student involvement in local communities, and foster a sense of civic responsibility among students.” 

- Aaron Lawler, Associate Professor of Humanities, Waubonsee Community College (IL) 

​Application 

We are currently accepting applications! The priority deadline is February 14, after which applications will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis, so applying early is recommended. 
​Please submit your application through the Civic Engagement Mini-Grant Application Form in the button below. Applications are a brief proposal of the grant-funded activities the applicant intends to implement and fulfill the expectations of the fellowship. 

More information

​The Civic Engagement Mini-Grants are part of a three-year initiative, “Curricula for Social Change: Empowering College Faculty, Students, and Communities through Voter Engagement.” This is funded by a $900,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation with additional support from. The Eugene M. Lang Foundation (see the press release for more information). The initiative supports faculty to integrate voter education and social justice issues into humanities curricula through deliberative dialogue and community-initiated projects. By incorporating academic content with civic issues students are passionate about, this initiative will transform the lives of hundreds of faculty, thousands of students, and more than 50 communities by empowering them with the skills and resources necessary to build a more inclusive and equitable society.
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