The Community-Engaged Student Grant provides financial support for undergraduates pursuing community-engaged learning activities during winter and/or spring break(s) that:

• address a specific community interest, problem or public concern, ideally identified by a community partner;
• provide a structure for the student to work with and learn from a community partner;
• provide the student with educational content that connects and integrates with their community engagement; and
• facilitate the student’s critical reflection of the experience.

Activities must be facilitated by Cornell faculty or staff and may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Course-based community engagement
• Co-curricular community engagement
• Team-based research 
• Mentored internships

Student-led initiatives without staff or faculty oversight are not eligible. For funding student-led community-engaged learning experiences, see Community Partnership Funding Board grants.

The Community-Engaged Student Grant is open to Cornell undergraduate students who:

• are participating in a community-engaged learning activity facilitated by Cornell faculty or staff over winter or spring break; 
• never received a Serve in Place Fund grant from the Einhorn Center; and 
• are currently enrolled, and will be enrolled following their funded project, in one of the following colleges:
  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science
  • College of Engineering

The Einhorn Center supports community-engaged learning in the College of Human Ecology (CHE); College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP); School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR); the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business; and the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy through the Engaged College Initiative. Students from those colleges should contact their college representative to learn more about available resources for community-engaged learning. 

Activities must be facilitated by Cornell faculty or staff. Student-led initiatives without staff or faculty oversight are not eligible. Community-engaged learning activities offered by non-Cornell providers are not eligible.

The Einhorn Center invites all students to join ongoing community-engaged student programs and to consider other community-engaged learning funding opportunities, including awards. For employment opportunities with Ithaca or Tompkins County nonprofit organizations, schools and municipalities, Cornell Federal Work-Study (FWS) students should consider the Einhorn Center’s Community Work-Study Program. Subscribe to our Student Update email for more info.

To be considered, applications must be completed in full and submitted using the online form. 

Please note the required CEL Facilitator Statement of Commitment must be completed by the faculty or staff program facilitator, and students must upload the signed form with their application at the time of submission. Student applicants must email Whitney Tassie, the Einhorn Center grants and awards program lead, to access the form. It is strongly recommended that student applicants discuss the CEL Facilitator Statement of Commitment form with their program facilitator as soon as possible. 

Applications require the following information.

• Applicant name, Cornell ID number, NetID and email address
• Applicant graduation year, college/school, majors(s), minors(s)
• Cornell community-engaged learning program name. Include course number if applicable
• Program start/end dates
• Faculty or staff facilitator name and NetID
• CEL Facilitator Statement of Commitment
• Short answer questions (less than 300 words each)
  • In your own words, please describe the community interest that this program addresses.
  • In the program, how will you work with and learn from community partner(s)?
  • Why is it important for you to both engage with educational resources and practice critical reflection before, during and after your community-engaged learning experience? 
  • How will your collaboration set the partner up for success beyond the duration of your experience? How will you evaluate the impact of your project? What are some indicators of success that you hope to see? 
  • How does participating in this program advance your personal, academic and professional goals? Why do you want to participate?
• Budget and justification of all expense requests up to $1,000
• A list of any scholarships, grants or other financial resources you have received or applied for that would supplement the costs of the project.
• Copy of award offer from Cornell Financial Aid, if applicable

A selection committee will review and evaluate applications based on the potential for grantees to have meaningful community-engaged learning experiences. 

Given the competitive funding environment, priority will be given to applicants with more financial need and from departments that offer fewer opportunities for community-engaged learning or research.

Contact Whitney Tassie, the Einhorn Center grants and awards program lead.