**Please note: the mini-grant program is not available during the summer. It begins at the start of the Fall semester for academic year projects and plans.
During the Fall and Spring semesters, the Career & Civic Engagement Center offers undergraduate students with energy and a plan the opportunity to apply for mini-grants to support their developing interests. There are limited funds available for students to apply for through the Center.
Undergraduate students are only eligible to receive funds from one of the four areas (The Center, The Center (test prep), Career Engagement, Civic Engagement) per academic year and the request has a maximum limit of $200 per student or group.
SPRING 2021 Update: To align with our goal of meeting students’ changing needs in these challenging times, we are piloting a mini-grant program for test preparation courses and/or materials for graduate school exams (like the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT for example) during the remainder of the Spring 2021 semester. We recognize that test prep courses and materials can be very expensive and that a mini-grant of $200 might not be able to cover all expenses, but we hope this can help chip away at the cost and make these supports more accessible to all students. We recognize that for many of you, test preparation is an important part of the undergraduate experience as you determine your next steps after Bryn Mawr.
How to Apply
The Mini Grant Application is available now. You will be prompted at the start to select one of the four areas listed below. For any of the four areas, undergraduate students may apply for a mini-grant anytime during the academic year by submitting a proposal using this form.
Career & Civic Engagement Center staff review applications and if approved, grants are awarded on a first come, first served basis. There is a limited budget, so it's possible funds may not be available towards the end of the academic year.
How Funds May be Used
The funds for mini-grants may be used in a variety of ways. For instance, undergraduate students have requested funding for transportation to an event or to pay for guest speakers who will address the campus. In addition, funding can be applied toward conference registration fees, travel, accommodation, and food expenses.
- Civic Engagement: Civic Engagement offers students with energy and a plan the opportunity to apply for mini-grants to fund their developing projects. Funds from a Civic Engagement mini-grant may be used for a one-time service event or to provide seed money for an ongoing new initiative.
- Career Engagement: Career Engagement offers students with energy and a plan the opportunity to apply for mini-grants to further their career interests and goals. Funds from a Career Engagement mini-grant may be used for a one-time event or conference, or for interview-related travel expenses.
- Career & Civic Engagement Center: The Career & Civic Engagement Center offers students with energy and a plan the opportunity to apply for mini-grants to further their leadership interests and goals. Funds from a Career & Civic Engagement Center mini-grant may be used for a one-time event or conference.
- PILOT FOR SPRING 2021 - Career & Civic Engagement Center: Test preparation courses and/or materials for graduate school exams (like the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT for example)
Please note:
- Applicants must link the content of the mini-grant to personal development and civic engagement using at least two of the following leadership competencies: Conceptual Thinking, Implementation, Communication, Social Responsibility, Cultural Competency, Connection, and Reflective Practice.
- Travel award applications must show some sort of documentation about the conference.
- Applicants must submit a budget showing how the award will be spent.
- Awards cannot exceed $200 per proposal or per person.
Past Projects
Below are some examples of past projects students have developed and participated in that were supported by Career & Civic Engagement mini-grants:
Penn State Early Period Studies Conference
A student who was double majoring in Spanish and Philosophy submitted a paper to the Penn State Early Period Studies Conference. The paper was accepted and the student was invited to present at the conference on Women Poets in the Spanish Golden Age. The mini-grant approved by Career Engagement provided funds to cover the cost of transportation, accommodation, and meals for the student at the conference.
Winter Break Externship Travel
A student was matched with an alum who serves as a patent attorney at King Mongkut's University of Technology in Thonburi in Thailand for a Winter Break Externship. The student reviewed press releases and contracts related to a project promoting small to medium size technology enterprises in Bangkok. With the money from the Career Engagement mini-grant, the student was able to offset the cost of airfare to get from the United States to Thailand.
Think Global, Act Local
Alexi Ernstoff requested funding from Civic Engagement to support a fundraising event for a new student organization. Think Global, Act Local is a student-run group on campus with the goal of raising funds and awareness for local organizations that represent global issues. The money provided by Civic Engagement paid for supplies and transportation expenses accrued in organizing a clothing sale in partnership with Green Street Consignment Shop.
Common Ground Collective Trip to New Orleans
Georgia Lawrence applied to Civic Engagement requesting money to off-set the cost for four Bryn Mawr students to travel to New Orleans over winter break to work with Common Ground Collective—an agency organizing rebuilding efforts in areas of New Orleans destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.