Student Civic Engagement Funding Resources
The Dumke Center for Civic Engagement provides funding resources for students. These funding opportunities range from creating one-time projects to designing and implementing year-long projects.
CEG provides the opportunity for Westminster University students to hold a paid position with a local nonprofit organization, allowing them to become more involved in the community and participate in meaningful service. This volunteer appointment requires critical thinking and skill development—in other words, the work must be more advanced. Participating students will be enrolled as Westminster student employees to provide financial compensation for their work with the nonprofit organization ($9.50/hour at 6–10 hours a week).
Students must complete a minimum of four months of service by mid-June. You may participate for up to nine months (or a full academic year). CEG positions can sometimes be extended or repeated, but approval must be granted by the program coordinator.
These hours count toward the 20-hour student employee maximum. Although you are working for the nonprofit, your funding comes from the Dumke Center for Civic Engagement at Westminster University. You cannot work more than 20 hours between your student-employment positions.
Program Instructions
- Fill out the online application.
- Meet with program coordinator for an interview and complete pre-evaluation.
- Submit hours electronically and maintain a hard-copy record.
- Continue to communicate with the program coordinator for resources, mentoring, and reflection on the CEG program.
- Complete a change project, which includes:
- A project outline that addresses a need of your designated nonprofit
- Meetings with the program coordinator to discuss ideas, details, and logistics
- A short reflective paper at the end of the project
Examples: recruiting and organizing new volunteers, coordinating a winter clothing drive, or purchasing new art supplies for an elementary school classroom
- Submit an end-of-program reflection paper and a post-evaluation.
- Attend a Dumke Center reflection reception at the end of the semester.
The Dumke Center offers funding to support student attendance at conferences that focus on civic engagement. The purpose of this funding is to further promote student engagement in the development of our local, state, national, and global communities and expose students to the skills and information necessary to create change. Students may apply for up to $200 to fund their conference experience.
If you don’t have enough money available to pay for the conference expenses in advance, you may be eligible for accommodating payment options. These funds are available on a case-by-case basis. If approved for funding, you can discuss options with the program director. Although we will try to work with you, it is not always possible for us to provide alternative options.
Funding for clubs’ civic engagement efforts (e.g., attending a conference as a club or campus organization) is available through Associated Students of Westminster as well as other grants on campus. If all funding options have been exhausted, the Dumke Center program coordinator will review clubs’ application. However, approval is not guaranteed, and all members must complete their own applications.
Funding Overview
- Submit your proposal in the online application up to four weeks before the conference.
- Meet with the program coordinator and Dumke Center director for an interview.
- Attend the conference—make sure to keep all receipts for items in your approved budget.
- Submit a reflection and fill out a check request for reimbursement according to the approved budget.
- Attend a Dumke Center reflection reception at the end of the semester.
The Dumke Center for Civic Engagement grants three to five awards per international service-learning experience. To receive the awards, participants must complete 60 hours (at least 40 hours of which must be at one nonprofit) of service in the local community. The intention of this award is to engage students in the community to enhance their service-learning experience abroad.
Once your hours and paper have been finalized, you will receive a reimbursement check. Taxes will be removed from your award.
Email Julie Tille at jtille@westminsteru.edu to apply.
Award Instructions
- Fill out the online application.
- Meet with Julie Tille, Dumke Center director.
- Complete 60 hours of service in the Salt Lake community between January and April—40 of those hours must be done with one community organization.
- Maintain a hard-copy record of hours that includes signatures of nonprofit supervisors, which will be turned in to the program coordinator.
- Submit a 1–2 page paper that addresses:
- What you learned during your local engagement
- How your service affected your community
- How you positively contributed to the nonprofit you worked with
- How you think this experience will enhance your international experience
The Dumke Center’s Merritt Take Action program provides Westminster students an opportunity to design and implement long-term projects that will support the Salt Lake community. Students receive a budget of $1,200, a stipend of $1,500, and faculty/staff member stipend of $500 to address a community challenge and create meaningful change.
You may work with another student on your Take Action project. In the past, students have collaborated on their projects, sharing hours and budget money to create a successful project. If you are interested in working with another student, please schedule a meeting with the program coordinator before submitting your proposal.
These hours count toward your 20-hour student employee maximum. You cannot work more than 20 hours between your student employment positions. These hours count toward that maximum.
Program Instructions
- Develop a proposal for a Merritt Take Action Project. Proposals for the following academic year are accepted until mid-April of the current year. Proposals must meet the following criteria:
- Involve a Westminster University student, Westminster faculty/staff mentor, and a community partner.
- Address community-identified needs and clearly state the significance of these needs as supported by a review of the relevant literature.
- Ensure attainable, measurable outcomes and include a process for assessing outcomes.
- Include clearly stated project procedures.
- Apply by completing the online application form.
- Meet with the program coordinator for an interview. Bring a letter of support from the community partner to this meeting.
- Begin the project at the start of the following academic year.
- Continue to communicate with the program coordinator for resources, mentoring, and reflection on the Take Action program.
- Submit an end-of-project budget and reflection paper.
- Attend a Dumke Center reflection reception at the end of each semester.
The SLICE Program is designed for students who are passionate about a community issue and would like to take on a leadership role to address that issue. Up to $500 can be provided for the student initiative, giving them the resources to make a meaningful impact in their community. Participants develop partnerships with members of the community, other students, staff, and faculty and gain skills in leadership, communication, collaboration, and social responsibility.
Some examples of SLICE programs include Mental Health Awareness Day, donation drives, and funds to purchase cameras for an after school program in South Salt Lake.
Funding for a club’s civic engagement effort is available through Associated Students of Westminster (ASW) as well as other grants on campus. If all funding options have been exhausted, the Dumke Center program director will review a club’s application. However, approval is not guaranteed.
Program Instructions
- Submit a SLICE application and meet with the program coordinator for an interview.
- Collaborate with your community partner and the Dumke Center program coordinator as you implement your project.
- Turn in a check reimbursement form to receive SLICE funding.
- Submit an end-of-project budget and reflection paper.
- Attend a Dumke Center Reflection Reception at the end of the semester.