Announcing the 2026-2027 Community Engagement, Research and Impact Grant
The Office of Engagement at Purdue University is pleased to announce the 2026-2027 Community Engagement, Research and Impact Grant, a funding opportunity designed to support faculty in building meaningful, reciprocal partnerships with communities. These partnerships can lead to collaborative research, shared knowledge creation, and measurable impact.
This grant reflects Purdue’s commitment to advancing work that integrates the university’s core mission areas of discovery, teaching, and engagement, while addressing real-world challenges alongside community partners.
About the Grant
The Community Engagement, Research and Impact Grant supports innovative, faculty-led projects that:
- Build reciprocal, community-centered relationships
- Advance collaborative research and knowledge expansion
- Deliver measurable outcomes and impact for communities
Faculty are encouraged to design projects that not only generate new insight but also contribute to tangible change in the communities they serve.
Who Should Apply?
Eligible applicants include Purdue faculty from all disciplines at the West Lafayette and Indianapolis campuses, including:
- Tenure-track faculty
- Clinical/professional faculty
- Lecturers
Successful proposals will demonstrate a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, community partnership, and impactful scholarship.
How to Prepare a Strong Proposal
Faculty interested in applying are strongly encouraged to:
- Form an interdisciplinary team of at least two faculty members from different fields
- Select an area of focus
- Identify a community and research partner to collaboratively define goals, needs, and outcomes
Key Dates
| Call Opens: | May 1, 2026 |
| Submission Deadline: | July 1, 2026 |
| Project Period: | September 2026 – September 2027 |
Funding and Awards
- Award amount: $20,000–$30,000 per project
- Anticipated awards: Up to three grants funded
Expectations and Deliverables
Grant recipients will join a cohort of engaged scholars and are expected to:
- Participate in the Engagement Fellows Community of Practice
- Produce scholarly outputs from their research and engagement activities
- Participate in the 2027 Community Impact Summit
Deliverables Required:
- Project Logic Model Due Date: October 1, 2026
- Project Impact Report Due: August 31, 2027, including:
- At least two scholarly submissions (conference presentations and/or publications)
- Documentation through promotion materials or annual reporting (e.g., Elements entries)
- A summary of short-term outcomes and demonstrated impact
Proposal Guidelines
All proposals must include the following components:
- Cover Sheet (1 page)
- Project title
- Project abstract (50 words or fewer)
- Research area(s) or discipline(s)
- Total funding request
- Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI information:
- Name, title, department, college
- Campus address, email, phone
- Project Summary and Budget (maximum 4 pages)
- Engagement Project Description (500–700 words):
- Define the issue or challenge being addressed
- Describe your research question, hypothesis, or guiding questions
- Outline planned project activities
- Include a proposed timeline
- Community Partner Information:
- Who is the partner organization or community?
- How will they be engaged throughout the project?
- What shared need or challenge is being addressed?
- Engagement Project Description (500–700 words):
Additional Components:
- Plans for project assessment and evaluation
- Plans for scholarly outputs
- Description of anticipated impact
- Detailed budget and justification
Submit Your Proposal
Faculty interested in applying or seeking additional information should submit questions and completed proposals to: Dr. Jason Ware — jaware@purdue.edu
Discover the Office of Engagement’s full range of professional development resources for engaged faculty, including workshops, consultations, fellowships, and grant support.