The Community Engagement Initiative is dedicated to facilitating scholarly engagement that crosses the missions of teaching, research/creative activities, and service. Current opportunites are listed below.
Partnership for Arts and Culture Small Grants Program
The PAC Grant Program provides funding for joint University/community projects focused on societal issues in Delaware through an arts and culture approach.
A requirement of the grant is the inclusion of significant involvement with community partners. Work must be completed between within one year.
CEI Faculty Mini Grants
Faculty supplies and expenses grants of $750 are available to support faculty directed community engagement with undergraduates.
Funds may be used to support the service components of a course or undergraduate participation in a disciplinary conference.
2024-2025 grant funding is now closed.
Grant in action
For about 15 years, UD Professor Mahasveta (Gitu) Barua has been leading study abroad programs to India and Europe to study Written Communications in Business on a global stage.
In January 2024, a CEI faculty mini-grant allowed Barua to include a service learning partnership with Parijat Academy, a rural non-profit K-12 school which serves tribal communities outside the city of Guwahati, Assam, India.
A one-day conference brought together students and teachers from Parijat, local college students and social workers, and University of Delaware students, to discuss common issues.
Course-based Transportation Mini Grants
Faculty grants of up to $1000 to support the cost of transporting students in a course to a service site. Rolling decision.
2024-2025 grant funding is now closed.
Grant in action
Kate Riera, Assistant Professor, Human Development & Family Science, utilized the transportation mini grant for a pilot independent study.
“This community-based course requires students to spend a minimum of 10 hours at a field site during the course. Through the transportation mini-grant, I have purchased Uber pre-paid vouchers that the student can use for transportation. They can be restricted to only be used to travel to and from the site location.”
CEI Summer Scholars and Fellows
The CEI Summer Scholars program provides highly motivated undergraduates the opportunity to immerse themselves in a community-based research or creative project under the direction of a faculty mentor.
Applications for Summer 2025 are open through March 10, 2025.