New gift increases number of social change grants available to students

Up to $22,000 is now available to WUSTL students for the development and implementation of innovative community projects during the summer in the form of social change grants through the Community Service Office.

A new gift from Max and Judith Stern will provide funding for a second Stern Social Change Grant this year. The first grant was established in 2000 to provide students with the means to pursue creative and meaningful activities geared toward finding solutions to society’s needs.

Both Stern grants will provide $6,000 each, are open to all undergraduate students and may be used for domestic or international projects.

Two other grants are available:

• The $5,000 Kaldi’s Social Change Grant was established in 2005 to provide students with the opportunity to develop sustainable community projects in the St. Louis region. All undergraduates are eligible.

• The $5,000 Gephardt Social Change Grant is funded by supporters of the Gephardt Institute for Public Service and supports international civic engagement or service projects demonstrating the capacity for sustainable impact on an identified community issue.

All students, including graduate and professional students, are eligible to apply for a Gephardt grant.

The deadline for proposals for all grants is Feb. 20, and students may submit proposals for multiple grants if they meet eligibility requirements.

Social change grants provide a unique opportunity for students to receive funding to pursue an independent summer project in the spirit of social entrepreneurship. Students can use the funding to pay themselves a salary in lieu of summer work, to defray living expenses or to cover travel and project expenses. Individuals or teams can apply.

For more information, call Mary Zabriskie at 935-7199 or visit communityservice.wustl.edu/grants.