Students who are deeply engaged in work to advance social justice at Columbia and beyond are invited to apply for the Social Justice Mini-Grant Program organized by Columbia University Life. Annually, University Life invites undergraduate and graduate students to apply for funding through the Social Justice Mini-Grant program for any projects or initiatives that address social injustice and further Columbia's commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus culture.
The goals of the Social Justice Mini-Grant Program are to:
- Provide opportunities for students at Columbia to explore and understand the sources and consequences of inequities and injustices in our societies
- Improve students’ ability to advocate for social justice effectively
- Increase understanding of the intersectional dynamics of oppression
- Strengthen the campus culture of inclusion and belonging at Columbia
In addition, the Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life supports projects that focus in some significant way on the intersection of race and racism, and issues connected to religion, belief and/or secularism.
Grantees will be featured on University Life's website and social media, and will receive support in planning and marketing their funded events and/or programs. They will also be invited to participate in an end-of-year roundtable event open to all students.
Eligibility
- Students currently enrolled in one of Columbia’s 17 schools are eligible to apply
- Students from affiliate schools are not eligible to apply as the primary recipient, however, they can be part of a group that includes students from Columbia’s 17 schools. Students from Columbia’s schools should be the lead applicant(s). Affiliate schools include:
- Union Theological Seminary
- Jewish Theological Seminary
- Barnard College
- Teachers College
- Projects must be student-initiated and completed by April 29, 2024
- Existing projects will be considered
- Candidates may apply individually or as a team
- Previous grantees of this program may apply with a new project. However, they are not eligible for additional funding for their original project
Project Requirements
In order to receive funding through the Social Justice Mini-Grant Program, your project should:
- Address one or more of the program’s goals
- Focus on the Columbia University community
- Be free and open to all Columbia students (if an event)
Additional Information
At the end of the project, awardees will be asked to submit a brief final report about their project’s outcomes, how funds were used and how many students participated. They will also be invited to discuss their project and its outcomes at a University Life-sponsored event for the Columbia community.
Apply
To learn more and apply, and to view examples of past projects, visit the program website. For any questions, please reach out to Jennifer Haastrup.
Apply
