Building on lessons and feedback from the program’s first year, participating teams in 2026-27 will:

• Identify goals for deepening the integration of community engagement within their unit’s core functions.
• Be eligible to apply for up to $5,000 in internal funding to support activities that advance those goals.
• Convene three times during the academic year to share progress, discuss common challenges and identify resources and next steps. Dates will be determined with input from participating teams.
• Receive consultation, technical assistance, resource materials, data and other support tailored to their priorities.

Teams interested in recognizing community-engaged scholarship within faculty standards and criteria may also join a community of practice facilitated by Meredith Hastings, professor and chair of DEEPS and Swearer Center faculty fellow. Participants will explore approaches to evaluating community-engaged scholarship and developing guidance and resources for faculty and reviewers.

The community of practice will bring together participants from the first-year pilot and other colleagues interested in developing resources for their units and contributing to related University discussions.

Each team must include at least three members representing different roles within the unit:

• At least one person in a department- or unit-wide leadership role
• At least one additional faculty member
• At least one other member, such as a staff member, student or community partner

Current or incoming department chairs are strongly encouraged to participate. Chairs may also designate another leader to serve on the team, provided the chair supports the proposal.

Between November 2026 and June 2027, teams will develop and begin implementing an action plan to more fully integrate community engagement into their unit’s teaching, research or partnerships with K-12 schools, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and other community partners.

Teams may focus on areas such as:

• Recognizing and rewarding high-quality community-engaged scholarship
• Strengthening pathways for student community engagement
• Documenting community-engaged scholarship and sharing stories of collaborative impact
• Developing unit-level infrastructure, resources or community partnerships
• Convening faculty, staff, students and community partners to inform community engagement strategy
• Supporting professional development that builds capacity for high-quality community-engaged research and teaching

Plans may build on existing strengths, such as Community-Based Learning and Research (CBLR) courses, K-12 programming and research partnerships, and align with existing priorities related to student learning, public impact research and other unit goals.

Teams will share their plans with program organizers, participating teams and colleagues within their units. Broader sharing is optional.

Selected teams may apply for up to $5,000 in grant funding through UFunds between December 2026 and March 2027 as they develop their action plans.

Funds may be used for activities that support the team’s community engagement goals and may be combined with other University or external funding sources. Community partners may be compensated at a rate of up to $100 per hour. Teams planning to compensate students should follow Brown University Student Employment guidelines.

In the first year of the pilot, teams from Behavioral and Social Sciences; Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences; Education; French and Francophone Studies; the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World; and Psychiatry and Human Behavior developed a range of approaches to strengthening community engagement.

Activities and accomplishments included:

• Convening a community of practice for instructors of community-engaged courses
• Surveying faculty about their community-engaged work
• Organizing discussions with faculty, graduate students and staff to inform departmental efforts
• Mapping existing community partnerships
• Compensating community members to serve on a community engagement steering committee
• Planning a new community-engaged capstone option
• Piloting a community-based learning experience for trainees
• Developing a strategic plan for community engagement
• Launching a “Community Engagement and Impact” story series on a departmental website

• Department or unit
• Primary team contact: Name and contact information
• Team members: For each member, provide their name, title, organization or unit (if different from the applicant unit) and email address. Briefly describe any interests, expertise, experience or responsibilities related to community engagement.
• Leadership support: If the department chair or unit leader is not a member of the team, confirm their support for the proposal and identify the leader they have designated to participate.
• Convening availability: Indicate all dates when at least two team members could participate in the first program convening:
  • Monday, Nov. 16, 9-11:30 a.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 19, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Thursday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Friday, Dec. 4, 2-5 p.m.

In no more than 750 words total, address the following questions. Bulleted responses are welcome.

• What existing strengths or opportunities related to community engagement will your team build on?
• What are your team’s preliminary goals or priorities for strengthening community engagement? What do you hope will be different as a result of this work?
• How would you characterize the current culture of and support for community-engaged scholarship within your unit?
• How does your team plan to develop its action plan?
• How would the funding, consultation and other support offered through this program help advance your goals?
• What types of support would be most valuable to your team?