Pilot project grants are designed to support individuals and groups of students who wish to link their academics with action in a small scale or short term project with its own mission, goals, and objectives. Such projects could include feasibility studies; assessment of community assets, interests, and needs; prototyping or testing a new product, service, or program etc. in the US or elsewhere in the world. Awards a $6000 stipend plus project expenses if needed. This opportunity is open to first-years, sophomores, and juniors — both individuals and teams of students can apply.

The ChesterSemester Program is an interdisciplinary program on social change with an engaged scholarship (ESCH) internship component. The purpose of the program is to facilitate committed student engagement with visionary leaders in the city of Chester and focuses on critically understanding and helping to ameliorate some of society’s most pressing real-world problems by requiring students to participate in civic volunteer programs throughout the academic year. This fellowship awards students an academic credit for the fall and pays students for hourly internship work in the spring. This opportunity is open to all class years.

While at Swarthmore College, students initiate their own social impact projects with the support of programs like the Lang Opportunity Scholarship Program. The intention of this post baccalaureate program -- the Lang Social Impact Fellowship (LSIF) -- is to empower recent alumni to continue their projects by engaging stakeholders in systems change activities. Key features of LSIF include: mentoring, training, and funding. Awards are $27,000 per Fellow and is open to Swarthmore College alumni who have graduated in the past few years aged 25 years old and under.

Faculty can apply for up to $5,000 a year for courses that require substantial community engagement on the part of students, faculty, or visiting partners, though most awards are less than that so we can award a greater number of courses. Applicants typically request funds for honoraria for community partners or speakers; teaching assistants (TAs); travel; and equipment. We welcome compelling requests that fall outside these parameters, and we will consider requests for additional funding if the Engaged Scholarship components promise exceptional pedagogical and/or community impact.

In close collaboration with community partners, Engaged Humanities Studio Fellows embark on a 12- to 18-month project that addresses a contemporary issue through the arts and humanities. Awards are $18,000, $4000, or $1500. This opportunity is open to all Swarthmore faculty, staff, and students.

Students can apply for limited funding to support participation in an engaged scholarship conference, training, or workshop. Students can only apply for this opportunity only once per year, and must submit a 1-2 page report along with their receipts for reimbursement for related expenses. Awards will not exceed $400 for an individual student or $600 for a group of students.

The Lang Center has limited funding to support student events that are congruent with the Lang Center mission. Requests are considered on a first-come, first-served basis and may be granted at a portion of the total requested. Awards are generally $50 per request.

The CoLab at the Lang Center awards students $150 for a 10-hr project and $300 to complete a 20-hour remote project designed by community-based organizations, activists, and/or projects for social change. This program seeks to center community voices and put college resources to use in ways that are mutually beneficial to students and community partners. Community partners benefit from completed projects that might otherwise not be possible and students benefit from the opportunity to apply their academic learning to real-world projects aimed at social good. This opportunity is open to all class years.

Dare 2 Soar is Swarthmore College's largest and oldest tutoring group, serving hundreds of Chester, PA children aged K-12. It was founded as a student-run organization by Khadijah White '04 with Francisca Mata '04 and Greg Lok '04, with a mission "to provide elementary school students and families of Chester with positive role models of color that attend college and serve the community," and "to demonstrate to the children what social action is truly about so that they might one day continue this mission." Application is open to all class years and tutors are paid hourly.

The Lang Center supports faculty-led programs that encourage interdisciplinary learning and Engaged Scholarship. We are currently developing a formal application process. Stay tuned for more details!