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Public Scholarship / Community Engagement

Applications accepted for Fall and Spring Funding

Description of Category/Purpose of the Award: 
Public Scholarship awards support humanities-based research, teaching, and engagement projects that promote dialogue, exchange, and collaboration between University of Washington scholars and the greater Seattle community, including community partners in educational, cultural, governmental, non-profit, and grassroots organizations.

Public Scholarship is a capacious category. It includes diverse forms of creating, transforming, or disseminating knowledge about, for, and with various publics and communities. Projects may yield plural public and academic artifacts (e.g. policy and planning recommendations; museum exhibitions and public performances; new curricula for courses or workshops; or book and journal articles).

The Simpson Center encourages Public Scholarship projects at all stages of development, from small-scale pilot partnerships to large-scale collaborations.

Previously funded examples include the following:

Defining or Preferred Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated for their intended outcomes and potential to contribute to scholarship, along with their fidelity to the values that underwrite authentic forms of collaboration and partnership: relationship-building, reciprocity, and mutual benefit; participation, transparency, and reflection; innovation, integration, and dialogue; cultural diversity and social equality.

Terms of the Award:
Awards of financial and administrative support vary according to requests and needs.  Funded requests have ranged between $1,000 and $15,000). 

Note: Those applying for Public Scholarship/Community Engagement grants should consider consulting the Simpson Center’s Associate Director at least 4 weeks in advance of the application deadline.  Call 543-3920 to schedule an appointment.

Application materials

  • Proposal Narratives (limited to 8 pages) should address:
  1. the project goals
  2. participating persons or organizations
  3. activities to be funded
  4. anticipated outcomes
  5. significance to scholarship and to other audiences or stakeholders; contributions to research, education, and/or community development.
  • Budget should detail anticipated expenses. (e.g. stipends or honoraria, travel, accommodations, curricular or promotional materials, hospitality, and facilities rentals) as applicable, as well as other confirmed and anticipated sources of support.
  • CV.  Include organizer(s) curriculum vita(e). Limited to 5 pages per organizer.

Learn more about Public Scholarship.

Public Scholarship /
Community Engagement

Applicants should consult with the directors at least one month prior to the submission deadline. Call 206.543.3920 to schedule a consultation.

Spring 2013 Funding Round

  • Applications accepted starting 4/1/13
  • Application deadline: 4/17/13

For Spring 2013, those advancing proposals for Conferences and Colloquia should apply only with departmental support for managing project logistics. Those planning to submit such proposals should contact Miriam Bartha, Associate Director, to discuss specifics of project support.

Application Instructions

  • Step 1: Bundle your proposal components (minus the letter of support) into a single PDF or Word file (PDF format recommended). Name your file as follows: [Your last name]-[Project Name].
  • Step 2: Upload your bundled proposal file to the Catalyst Dropbox.
  • Step 3: Complete the proposal information form via the Catalyst WebQ.
  • Step 4: Download and complete the signature sheet. Return it to the Simpson Center (Communications 206/Box 353710) with the signature of your department chair and a single hard copy of your proposal.

Additional Resources

Budget Building Guidelines