Interim Dean Goldberg has established the Community Connection Grant program to encourage small group discussion across differences, build facilitation skills, and/or model constructive disagreement. The aim of this program is to foster: activities that promote a well-informed, nuanced understanding of divisive legal and political issues; social events that build trust among members of groups who often find themselves in opposition; and experiences that help community members develop skills and methods for constructively engaging with one another on difficult topics. Creative approaches to achieving these goals are welcome. The presumption is that initiatives will be completed within the 2024-2025 academic year.
Grant Information
Please review the categories below for more information on criteria and application requirements.
Eligibility
Individual students and student organizations are eligible to apply for funding. Preference will be given to proposals developed collaboratively by, and/or designed to bring together, groups with differing backgrounds or perspectives.
For support in preparing a proposal, or assistance with finding HLS faculty experts, collaborators, facilitators, and additional resources at Harvard (and beyond), please contact Sasha Tulgan or Monica Monroe. For general inquiries, please reach out to communityconnection@law.harvard.edu.
Application Process
The application will be open through April 1, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and funding notifications will be issued approximately three weeks after submission.
Applicants are asked to provide:
- a brief proposal, including an explanation of the project’s goals and how it will further community connections at HLS; and
- additional details regarding the project’s co-sponsors (if applicable), budget and proposed timing, location and any other relevant information.
Administration and Approval Process
DOS will administer the application and grant funding, with decisions on grants to be rendered by a three-person Community Connection Grant Committee consisting of a student representative, an HLS faculty member, and a representative from the Dean’s office.
Grant recipients will be asked to share photo(s) and complete a brief post event survey.
The President’s Building Bridges Fund
The recently announced President’s Building Bridges Fund (“PBB Fund”) is a competitive program that “supports grants of up to $5,000 for student-led initiatives that promote community and dialogue.” Applications are accepted during designated periods; interested Harvard students may consult the PBB Fund website for information on application rounds.
Both the PBB Fund and the HLS Community Connections Grant programs promote community and dialogue. The PBB Fund places an emphasis on promoting “a culture at Harvard that fosters community between affinity groups and encourages constructive dialogue on interfaith and/or intercultural issues,” and the Community Connection Grants expresses a preference for connecting persons or groups with differing backgrounds or perspectives. The HLS Community Connection Grants are smaller in scale than PBB Fund grants. Students with proposals that meet the eligibility criteria for both programs may apply to either or both programs, provided that applicants who receive funding from both programs must disclose receipt, and their awards may be reduced to avoid duplicate funding.