Projects for Peace

    Apply for a $10,000 grant to implement a summer project anywhere in the world

    Projects for Peace is a global program that encourages young adults to develop innovative, community-centered, and scalable responses to the world’s most pressing issues. Along the way, these student leaders increase their knowledge, improve skills, and establish identities as peacebuilders and changemakers.

    Through a competition on over 90 campuses, the most promising projects will be selected for funding at $10,000 each.  We expect that one, and possibly two, projects from St. Olaf will receive the award. Final decisions on all grants are made by the Projects for Peace office at Middlebury College.

    Program Description

    Students frequently partner closely with their home communities to address long-standing issues like food security, inequity in education, environmental degradation, insufficient health services, social divisions, limited economic opportunities, and many others.

    The project team may use any of a variety of approaches that reflect the students skills and leverage community strengths. A few examples of approaches are coalition building, art and design, documentary filmmaking, historic preservation, physical infrastructure, sports and play, and technological innovations. Some of the most compelling projects to date address the root causes of social conflict, and demonstrate a sensitivity to both historic injustices and future potential.
    About Projects for Peace
    FAQs  — What do you mean by Projects for Peace?
    Former Nationwide Grant Recipients & Proposals
    Initiating a Project for Peace (short video)

    Projects for Peace Details

    • Project must be implemented during the Summer
    • $10,000 paid to each recipient (to be used for project expenses)
    • Preliminary application: Can be submitted anytime between December 1st, 2023 and January 3rd, 2024 (see below for details)
    • Final Application Deadline: January 24th
    • Nate Jacobi, Sr. Associate Director, Piper Center for Vocation and Career, and Seth Binder, Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, are available to provide feedback on your project idea.

    Eligibility

    • Undergraduate students (including seniors who would complete their projects after graduation) are eligible
    • Strong preference for applicants who will work on the project full-time (or close to it) for a minimum of six to eight weeks. Preference given to applicants who will make the project a priority for the full summer.
    • Students are not eligible to travel to countries with State Department travel warnings (it may be possible to apply for an exemption to this policy if you the applicant is from the country and/or has family members living in the community where the project will take place)
    • Individual students, as well as groups up to 3 students from the same campus may submit proposals. In the case of a group application, one student must serve as the primary applicant.
    • Grants are made upon assurance that the project proposed will, in fact, be undertaken during the summer.

    Evaluation of Proposals

    The review committee will make note of the following sections when reviewing proposals:

    • Project summary: What issue(s) will be addressed? What approach(es) will be used? With whom will the grantee(s) work? What is the rationale for these choices?
    • Background: What is your working definition of peace? What preceded this proposal in terms of personal experience, forming relationships, developing knowledge, and other preparation?
    • Implementation: What plans have been made for use of funds, use of time, and contingencies?
    • Anticipated Results: What are the potential short and long-term outcomes for participants, community collaborators, and grantee(s)? How will progress be monitored? How will the project contribute to peace?

    We particularly welcome proposals that show evidence of the following:

    • An innovative approach to the issue(s);
    • Appreciation for and sensitivity to the context, communities, and/or cultures where the project takes place;
    • Consideration of the dilemmas, challenges, or conflicts that may underlie the targeted issues or selected approaches;
    • Potential for significant impact;
    • Feasibility/likelihood the project will be completed as described;
    • Consideration of sustainability and/or scalability of the approach;
    • Level of contribution from the applicant and connection with their skills, experience and interests
    • Critical self-awareness by the grantee.

    Application Process and Timeline

    1. Preliminary Application – submit a one-page proposal summary/outline using this form anytime between December 1st and January 3rd.  Proposals will be reviewed periodically starting early December and will be provided with some general feedback on their proposal.  Applicants with promising proposals will be invited to submit a full application by January 24th.
    2. Final Application (must be invited to apply)
      Proposal – this should be a typed Word document which describes the project (who, what, where, how) including expected outcomes and prospects for future impact in two pages
      Budget (one page)
      Supplemental application
      Apply through Handshake by January 24th

    Interested applicants are encouraged to start developing their projects well in advance of the deadline and to discuss their project ideas with Nate Jacobi (Piper Center) or Seth Binder (Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies). Coaching appointments with Nate can be scheduled by logging in to Handshake.

    Requirements for All Projects

    1. Grant recipients will work with the Piper Center to explore strategies for sharing their experience with the St. Olaf community during the fall after the project.
    2. Each funded project must submit a final report by August 30. The final report is to be limited to two pages of narrative using the final report form posted on the website. It also includes a separate one-page accounting of the funds expended. Reports will be posted on the program’s website for all to see and learn from.

    Questions? Contact Nate Jacobi, Senior Associate Director, Piper Center for Vocation & Career, at jacobi@stolaf.edu

    Assistance uploading documents is available at the Piper Center, located in Tomson 270.