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Catalyst Grants

Catalyst Grants support systems‑level initiatives that embed community‑engaged civic learning into institutional structures such as departments, policies, programs, and governance rather than relying on individual courses or champions. These grants provide incentive and protected time for exploratory, cross‑stakeholder work that often cannot move forward without dedicated resources and protected time. Catalyst projects should be designed to produce concrete institutional outputs (e.g., pilot policies, approved curricular pathways, formal recommendations, or adopted structures) by the end of the grant period. The grant supports:

  • Catalyzing institutional change on a single campus, and
  • Encouraging collaborative learning with other Periclean institutions, strengthening collective capacity across the consortium.

Projects should articulate how cross-campus engagement will inform decision-making, design choices, or implementation, beyond simply knowledge sharing.

Campus Eligibility

Each Periclean institution may receive one Catalyst Grant as a baseline through Fall 2028. A second Catalyst award may be considered for campuses that demonstrate significant institutional progress and cross-campus dissemination. Campuses are encouraged to apply for Catalyst grants in this 2026 cycle when possible. Earlier awards allow more time for planning, collaboration, and implementation, and may offer greater flexibility in shaping projects over multiple years. While funding will be distributed across cycles, later rounds may be more competitive depending on demand.

Project Exemplars

The examples below provide illustrative types of projects that fit this grant category. Other possible ideas include developing a civic learning certificate, launching a student civic leadership cohort, or creating an initiative that connects career services with community-engaged learning. Applicants are encouraged to consult with Project Pericles staff (see the consultation section below) to discuss ideas and ensure alignment before applying.

A Public Health department embeds community-engaged civic learning into the core of the major by piloting a revised senior capstone with community partners. Grant funds support a faculty working group and a site visit to another Periclean campus that has successfully implemented department-wide civic learning.

A campus convenes a cross‑stakeholder committee to review how community‑engaged teaching and scholarship are recognized in tenure and promotion guidelines. Grant activities include virtual consultations with several Periclean campuses that have undertaken similar policy reform. At the conclusion of the grant period, the committee shares a report with Periclean colleagues, sharing what they learned and actionable next steps.

An institution establishes a one‑year Civic Engagement Fellow role with partial release time to coordinate civic learning efforts across departments. The Fellow connects with peers at another Periclean campus through a joint convening to share fellowship models, tools, and strategies for institutional alignment.

Application

Applicants must submit their application through their Campus Program Director.

Application Components:

  • Institutional Strategic Alignment Statement (Max 3 Pages): A brief narrative outlining how the proposed project aligns with your institution’s strategic goals. This should explain how the grant will help shift civic and/or community-engaged learning from siloed efforts into institutional culture, departmental policies, or governance structures.
  • Budget and Timeline: Initial plan for how funds will be allocated and when activities will be carried out.
  • Senior Administrative Sign-off: Formal acknowledgement from relevant administrator (department chair(s), dean, provost) to ensure high-level institutional buy-in and support for the proposed initiative.

Timeline: Projects and courses may run any time from Spring 2026 to Fall 2028
Deadlines: May 1, 2026 and November 1, 2026

You can find your Campus Program Director on the Program Director section of our Our People page.

Request for Proposals
Application Forthcoming

Applicant Details

Campuses are encouraged to view the award as flexible seed funding that complements existing institutional resources. 

Budget Example: An institution seeks to revise tenure and promotion guidelines to recognize community-engaged civic learning: 

  • $6,000 to stipend and support a cross-stakeholder working group of faculty, administrators, and governance representatives that reviews and revises tenure policies 
  • $1,000 for an external facilitator or consultant 
  • $3,000 to visit or host a Periclean campus(es) that has undertaken similar policy reforms

Grant-funded work may begin immediately upon award notification and must conclude no later than December 1, 2028. A final report and evaluation are required within 30–60 days of project completion. 

  • Advances systems-level change by embedding community-engaged civic learning into institutional structures (e.g., policies, departments, governance, or cross-unit practices), rather than isolated efforts.
  • Demonstrates meaningful institutional alignment and support, including connection to campus strategic priorities and engagement of multiple stakeholders.
  • Shows strong potential to strengthen civic and community-engaged learning in durable ways that influence institutional culture, practice, or policy.
  • Includes intentional cross-campus learning or collaboration that contributes to shared capacity within the Pericles consortium.
  • Articulates a feasible sustainability plan, including how the work seeded by the grant will continue or expand beyond the grant period.
  • Complete a midpoint progress check-in with Pericles staff as supportive opportunities for reflection, troubleshooting, and shared learning, and to help staff understand and assist with project progress.

  • Submit a 2-4 page evaluation, including key deliverables and a narrative reflection containing: 
    • Key Accomplishments: A summary of the tangible goals met, and a reflection on how this initiative helped move civic and community-engaged learning from the “margins to the marrow” of your institution.
    • Learnings & Insights: Critical reflections on what worked, what didn’t, and how these insights will inform your work moving forward. 
    • Sustainability & Continuity Plan: A plan detailing how the impact of initiatives seeded by this grant (e.g., new pathways, revised tenure guidelines, or faculty learning communities)  will be maintained and funded after the grant period concludes.
    • Knowledge Sharing: How the outcomes of this work can be shared across the Pericles Consortium and the broader higher education landscape to serve as a model for others.
 

All funded projects are expected to contribute to a culture of shared learning within and beyond the Periclean consortium. Grantees should plan to engage in at least one form of dissemination aligned with project goals and capacity—such as contributing to the Project Pericles Substack, hosting a workshop or conversation for Periclean colleagues, or sharing tools, frameworks, or lessons learned in an easily accessible format.

Partner campuses do not need to be finalized at the time of application. Project Pericles will facilitate connections through:

Questions?

Reach out to Arielle del Rosario at arielle@projectpericles.org for any support.