Communities of Impact (CoI) Grants
Communities of Impact (CoI) Grants support multi-institutional teams of scholars and practitioners creating practical, publicly shareable resources to strengthen character education in U.S. higher education.
Funder: Wake Forest University – The Program for Leadership and Character
Due Dates: Rolling (Applications) | August 14, 2026 (Portal opened) | September 2026–June 2028 (Quarterly decisions)
Funding Amounts: Up to $75,000 for one year; outstanding communities may apply for up to $75,000 in sustaining funds
Summary: Supports multi-institutional communities developing practical, publicly shareable resources for character education in U.S. higher education.
Key Information: All community leaders and members must register as members of the Educating Character Initiative Community.
Description
The Educating Character Initiative (ECI), housed in Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character, supports Communities of Impact: multi-institutional teams and cross-institutional networks collaborating around timely concerns in character education. These communities bring together practitioners and scholars to strengthen character-building efforts across higher education through shared inquiry, collective learning, and practical resource development.
Projects may explore themes such as character in college athletics, student affairs, community engagement, faith-based institutions, or character assessment. Funded communities are expected to move beyond discussion toward common action, producing adaptable resources such as white papers, syllabi, measurement toolkits, and learning modules. The initiative emphasizes shared leadership, openness to new voices, mentorship of early-career scholars and practitioners, and contributions to a broader movement for character education.
