Civic Engagement Fund

Purpose: Collaborative Action Funds support initiatives that address documented community needs and benefit the community. Funds may be used to support planning and/or program implementation.

Eligibility: 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 representative of a community-based organization (e.g., nonprofit, government, or business). Teams that engage Dickinson College students and community stakeholders are preferred. New initiatives and expansions of existing programs are eligible; ongoing operating costs and capital expenses are ineligible.

Available Awards: Applicants may request up to $10,000 (in total) for project periods of up to 24 months. Restrictions from the funder prevent direct support for student wages. The Center for Civic Learning & Action will serve as the administrator for awarded funds; Dickinson College financial and procurement policies will apply to all expenditures.

Deadlines: Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until allocated funds are committed. Please feel free to contact CCLA at engage@dickinson.edu to discuss proposal ideas and funding opportunities.

Criteria: Each proposal will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Overall Project (30%): An explanation of the proposed project that creates a thorough vision for implementation and describes how the project is feasible, innovative, and collaborative.
• Statement of Need (30%): A description of the community-identified need the proposal is intended to address supported by evidence (e.g., quantitative or qualitative data). A letter of support from a community partner confirming the articulated need and willingness to participate in the proposed action project is required.
• Potential Outcomes (15%): Specific measurable and attainable outcomes for the project’s stakeholders, including community members and students, should be identified in the proposal. 
• Project Sustainability (15%): A plan for sustaining the initiative beyond the life of the award addressing ongoing staffing, space, and operating expenses. Proposals should include expectations regarding continued engagement by Dickinson College and community stakeholders.
• Dissemination Plan (10%): A well-defined plan for documenting the project and its outcomes and a clear strategy for disseminating project information to college and community stakeholders and the broader scholarly community.

The Civic Engagement Fund is administered by the Center for Civic Learning & Action.

To apply, please submit a proposal of no more than 2,000 words addressing the criteria above and a project budget in a single document to Laura Megivern at engage@dickinson.edu.

Purpose: Engaged Pedagogy Funds provide funding for faculty seeking course reassigned time or a summer stipend to pursue the development of new community-engaged learning courses at Dickinson College. Courses must include civic learning, service learning, and/or community-based research as significant elements. Awards may include a small travel or operating budget to support course development and implementation. Smaller awards are also available to incorporate community-engaged pedagogy in existing courses.

Eligibility: Engaged Pedagogy Funds are available to any Dickinson College faculty member on a continuing appointment. Applicants must provide evidence of support from their department chair for course release and recurring delivery of the proposed course.

Available Awards: Applicants may request a one-semester course release or a summer stipend (funded at the college’s current rate) plus up to $2,500 of funding for travel or course-related operating expenses. Restrictions from the funder prevent direct support for student wages. The Center for Civic Learning & Action will serve as the administrator for awarded funds, and course releases/stipends will require final approval by the Provost’s Office. Dickinson College financial and procurement policies will apply to all expenditures.

Deadlines: Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until allocated funds are committed. Please feel free to contact CCLA at engage@dickinson.edu to discuss proposal ideas and funding opportunities.

Criteria: Each proposal will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Course Description (40%): A description of the proposed course to include, at a minimum: (1) an overview of course content, (2) the expected community-engaged pedagogy (e.g., community-based research), (3) the learning outcomes the community engagement will enhance, (4) the relationship of the proposed course to the curriculum (e.g., elective course in a major), (5) the anticipated student audience, and (6) the expected schedule for offering the course.
• Statement of Community Need (30%): A description of the community-identified need the proposal is intended to address supported by evidence (e.g., quantitative or qualitative data). A letter of support from a community partner is recommended; if a partner has not been identified, the proposal should identify a list of potential partners to approach.
• Faculty and Community Products (15%): The proposal should identify how the course connects to the faculty member’s ongoing teaching, research, and/or service responsibilities. It should also indicate the expected outputs and potential outcomes for the community partners.
• Project Sustainability (15%): Plan for sustaining the initiative beyond the semester, which could include, among other things, connections to faculty scholarship, creating student internships, linkages to co-curricular programs, or partnerships with other community-engaged courses.

The Civic Engagement Fund is administered by the Center for Civic Learning & Action.

To apply, please submit a proposal of no more than 2,000 words addressing the criteria above and a project budget in a single document to Laura Megivern at engage@dickinson.edu.

Purpose: Engaged Scholarship Funds support community-engaged scholarship projects in the arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences at Dickinson College. 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.

Eligibility: Engaged Scholarship Funds are available to Dickinson College faculty and staff on continuing appointments.

Available Awards: Applicants may request up to $10,000 in support of any phase of a community engaged project to be completed during a period of up to 24 months. The funds are intended to support operating costs primarily but may also be used to support summer stipends. Restrictions from the funder prevent direct support for student wages. The Center for Civic Learning & Action will serve as the administrator for awarded funds, and Dickinson College financial and procurement policies will apply to all expenditures.

Deadlines: Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until allocated funds are committed. Please feel free to contact CCLA at engage@dickinson.edu to discuss proposal ideas and funding opportunities.

Criteria: Each proposal will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Scholarly Activity Description (30%): The description of the scholarly activity should include: (1) the contribution the project will make to the arts, humanities, or humanistic social sciences, (2) a brief review of relevant scholarly literature that informs the proposal, (3) identification of methodology for the project (e.g. community-based participatory research, participatory theatre), (4) a plan for engaging the community in the scholarly activity, and (5) a description of the intended product.
• Connection to Faculty Expertise and Prior Scholarship (15%): A description of the proposed project’s connection to the faculty member’s expertise and ongoing scholarly interests.
• Statement of Need (20%): A description of the community-identified need the proposal is intended to address supported by evidence (e.g., quantitative or qualitative data). A letter of support from a community partner is recommended; if a partner has not been identified, the proposal should identify a list of potential partners to approach.
• Assessment and Dissemination Plan (20%): A well-defined plan for documenting the outputs, outcomes, and impacts of the project; a strategy for presenting outcomes for use by college and community stakeholders; and, identification of scholarly outlets for the project within the field of study and/or the scholarship of engagement.
• Project Sustainability (15%): Plan for sustaining the initiative beyond the award, which could include, among other things, connections to ongoing faculty scholarship, creating student internships, linkages to co-curricular programs, or partnerships with community-engaged courses.

The Civic Engagement Fund is administered by the Center for Civic Learning & Action.

To apply, please submit a proposal of no more than 2,000 words addressing the criteria above and a project budget in a single document to Laura Megivern at engage@dickinson.edu.