Undergraduates from four Cornell colleges (see Eligibility for details)
Up to $1,000
Monday, October 28, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
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 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.
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.
$1,000 maximum.
Funds can be applied toward course fees, student travel, the community project, a personal stipend or other necessary costs to ensure the project’s success. Funds cannot be used for tuition or nonrefundable program fees.
If awarded, funds will be distributed in December via one of two university processes:
- If the student will be enrolled for credit at Cornell at the time of their grant-funded activities, their funds will be disbursed to their Bursar account via the Request for Undergraduate Student Support (RUSS) process. This will apply to most students seeking funding for spring break activities. Please note: Should there be any outstanding charges on their account, their grant funding will be applied to those expenses first. If their Bursar account shows no balance, the grant funds can be distributed to them by direct deposit or check. Students should follow these instructions to sign up for direct deposit now.
- If the student will NOT be enrolled for credit at the time of their grant-funded activities, the funds will be disbursed via the I Want Doc process. Activities happening over winter break will likely be processed this way, unless the activities are associated with a course or the student is otherwise enrolled for credit during Winter Session. Grant funds disbursed via the I Want Doc process will be reported to the IRS by Cornell on federal form 1099-MISC (U.S. persons) or 1042-S (non-U.S. persons). Generally, no tax is withheld for U.S. persons, but Cornell will typically be required to withhold tax for most non-U.S. persons. Regardless of the tax reporting by Cornell, the ultimate taxability and reporting is the student grantee’s responsibility. Cornell employees cannot provide personal tax advice. Please consult your personal tax advisor for more information.
Grants cannot be renewed.
Requirements
Students will be required to return funding if they
- do not participate in the mandatory orientation;
- do not participate in the proposed community engagement activity;
- do not participate in the mandatory post-activity group reflection; or
- drop down to less than full-time enrollment following the opportunity.
| Application open | September |
| Application due | October 28 |
| Notification | Mid November |
| Orientation | December 5, 2024, 5 p.m. |
| Funds disbursed | December |
| Winter break reflection | January 30, 2025, 5 p.m. |
| Spring break reflection | April 17, 2025, 5 p.m. |
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
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.
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.
Contact Whitney Tassie, the Einhorn Center grants and awards program lead.