The Civic Engagement Fund at Dickinson College
Center for Civic Learning & Action
The Civic Engagement Fund supports projects that promote civic learning and college-community engagement that benefit the public good. The fund supports faculty and staff community-engaged work with grants of up to $2,500 for the period of one year. Proposals may support community- engaged pedagogy, engaged scholarship, or collaborative action projects. Details on funding types and application process are below. Limited funding is available each year, supported by the Office of the Provost.
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Engaged Pedagogy Funds are for course operations: these provide funding for ongoing operations of community engaged courses or research with students. Typical expenses include transportation costs, material costs, or funds to support community members’ engagement in projects (e.g., research participation incentives or guest speaker stipends).
Application Deadlines:
August 7, 2026: Fall 2026 and academic year projects
September 25, 2026: Winter/Spring 2027 projects
January 27, 2027: Spring and Summer 2027 projects
Note – all spending must be completed by June 30, 2027.
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Engaged Scholarship Funds are for faculty research projects: these provide funding for community-engaged scholarship projects. Scholarly projects that engage community in the design, implementation, performance, documentation, and/or analysis of an intellectual endeavor are given high priority in funding decisions. The fund is designed to stimulate Dickinson College’s contributions to and dissemination of engaged scholarship.
Application Deadlines:
August 7, 2026: Fall 2026 and academic year projects
September 25, 2026: Winter/Spring 2027 projects
January 27, 2027: Spring and Summer 2027 projects
Note – all spending must be completed by June 30, 2027.
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Research Assistantship Funds are for student academic work; most likely joint proposals by student and faculty or staff mentor/advisors - these could be for community-engaged thesis research, academic capstone projects, or similar initiatives that connect student-led academic work to the community. These are for projects during the academic year.
Application Deadlines:
August 7, 2026: Fall 2026 and academic year projects
September 25, 2026: Winter/Spring 2027 projects
January 27, 2027: Spring and Summer 2027 projects
Note – all spending must be completed by June 30, 2027.
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Collaborative Action Funds are for new exploratory projects: these funds support initiatives that address documented community needs and benefit the community. Funds may be used to support planning and/or program implementation. Collaborative Action Funds are available for new or existing teams of stakeholders. Each team must include at least one Dickinson College faculty or staff member and at least one community representative. New initiatives and expansions of existing programs are eligible; ongoing operating costs and capital expenses are ineligible.
Application Deadlines:
August 7, 2026: Fall 2026 and academic year projects
September 25, 2026: Winter/Spring 2027 projects
January 27, 2027: Spring and Summer 2027 projects
Note – all spending must be completed by June 30, 2027.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted online with three deadlines per year. The Center for Civic Learning & Action will serve as the administrator for the awards committee that distributes funds. Dickinson College financial and procurement policies will apply to all expenditures. Faculty and staff on continuing appointments are eligible to apply; students are eligible to apply with a faculty or staff mentor for the Student-Faculty Research Fund.
Deadlines for 2026-2027:
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August 7, 2026: Fall 2026 and academic year projects
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September 25, 2026: Winter/Spring 2027 projects
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January 27, 2027: Spring and Summer 2027 projects
Note – all spending must be completed by June 30, 2027.
Application Process and Reporting:
Applications should include (note: application includes more detail on each area):
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Project Description
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Project Rationale, articulating how a community (member, or group at a local, regional, national, global level) has helped to define the purpose and scope of the project
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Connection to Collaborators’ Expertise and Prior Scholarship
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Potential Outcomes and Expected Products (e.g., journal article, student thesis, public presentation)
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Assessment and Dissemination Plan
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Project Sustainability
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Itemized Budget
Successful applicants will be required to submit a report at the end of the fiscal year (June 30) that includes written reflections, a final budget report, and specific requirements unique to the funding category. Please see the possible expectations listed below, though the specific requirements will be finalized as part of the award with grant recipients:
Engaged Pedagogy Funds
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Copies of syllabus (or syllabi) funded by the award
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Copies of publications, presentations, or products created with community organizations associated with the activities funded through the grant
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Designate respective course with the Service-Learning attribute through the Registrar’s Office
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Reflections to include in a CCLA Faculty newsletter or blog
Engaged Scholarship Funds
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Copies of publications, presentations, or products created with community organizations associated with the activities funded through the grant
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Copies of syllabus/I of courses designed with activities funded through the grant
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Related work should be submitted through Dickinson Scholar and shared in the annual Celebration of Scholarship
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Reflections to include in a CCLA Faculty newsletter or blog
Research Assistantship Funds
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Students will present their work at the annual Experiential Learning Showcase, hosted each February.
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Copies of publications (e.g. undergraduate thesis) or products created with community organizations associated with the grant activities
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Material to build an article on the project with Dickinson’s Marketing and Communications team (e.g. photo, reflections) or for the CCLA Student Newsletter/Blog
Collaborative Action Funds
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Copies of publications, presentations, or products created with community organizations associated with the activities funded through the grant
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Material to build an article on the project with Dickinson’s Marketing and Communications team (e.g. photo, reflections) or for the CCLA Newsletter/Blog