This fund supports students who are participating in any type of community-based research activities or community-engaged learning projects that meet the following criteria:

• Need. Your project is responding to a community-identified need.
• Partner. You are working with and learning from community partner(s).
• Connection. Your project connects (and integrates) engaged experiences with your disciplinary learning.
• Reflection. You will participate in critical reflection on your engaged experiences.

These grants are intended to support students participating in any of the following:

• Course-based engagement activities
• Team-based learning and research projects
• Individual community-engaged projects (including programs, internships or research)
• Mentored internships
• Team-based consulting projects

Special consideration will be given to projects that directly benefit predominantly Black, Indigenous and/or other marginalized groups.

Contact Kristen Elmore (kce28@cornell.edu) with any questions about this application process.

$1,000 maximum

Funds can’t be used toward tuition or nonrefundable program fees. However, funds can be applied toward the community project, a personal stipend or other necessary costs to ensure the project’s success. Grants can’t be renewed.

Funds will be distributed as a credit to students’ bursar accounts.

The CHE Engaged Student Experience Awards are open to Cornell Human Ecology undergraduate students who:

• plan to be enrolled for the spring 2025 semester;
• have not previously received a Serve in Place Fund/Engaged Student Experience grant.

Throughout the planning and implementation of the project, students must adhere to county, statewide, national and international public health guidelines, as well as university policies.

Successful applicants will be required to complete an end-of-project reflection. Interested applicants may publicly share their work at future CHE community-engaged learning forums.

Proposals must be submitted using the online application form and include the following information, within the space limits described on the form.

• Applicant name, Cornell ID number, NetID and email address
• Applicant graduation year, CHE majors(s), minors(s)
• Statement of financial hardship, if applicable
• Project title and start/end dates
• Community partner name, contact person, email, website and location
• If applicable, a description of how this project is supporting Black, Indigenous and/or marginalized communities. What is the background/context of the public issue the project is addressing in this community
• Description of the project and how it meets the community-engaged learning criteria
  • What issue of public concern the project addresses and how the applicant found out about the community need
  • How the applicant will work with and learn from their community partner
  • How the project advances the applicant’s current personal, academic and career background and goals
• Explanation of how applicant will evaluate the impact and success of the project (i.e., the achievement of objectives specified with the community partner)
• Budget and justification of all expense requests
• A list of any scholarships, grants or other financial resources the applicant has received or applied for that would supplement the costs of the project
• A letter of support from your community partner that describes their expectations for your role and their role in this experience.

CHE Community-engaged Learning Leadership team members and invited reviewers evaluate grant applications using the following criteria:

1. Quality of project, including feasibility, ability of project to meet community-engaged learning criteria, potential for sustainability of the partnership, potential for student learning and potential for positive community impact
2. Potential for the applicant to develop in civic engagement, defined as the ability to connect academic study to social responsibility, public purpose, democracy and civic life within diverse communities and cultures
3. Potential for the applicant to develop in ethical practice, defined as the practice of examining and communicating independently the connection between one’s actions and beliefs and the well-being of communities and society
4. Potential for the applicant to develop skills in critical reflection, defined as the practice of describing, analyzing, interpreting and articulating your community-engaged learning experience.