Funder: Wake Forest University — The Program for Leadership and Character
Due Dates: November 16, 2026 (Impact LOI) | December 15, 2026 (Capacity-Building proposal) | March 15, 2027 (Invited Impact proposal)
Funding Amounts: Institutional Impact: $100,000–$1,000,000 over three years; Capacity-Building: up to $50,000 for up to one year
Summary: Supports U.S. colleges and universities in embedding moral, civic, and intellectual character education within their institutional contexts.
Key Information: ECI does not approve generative or assistive AI use in composing grant proposals.
Description
The Educating Character Initiative (ECI), part of Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character and supported by Lilly Endowment Inc., funds character-centered transformation at U.S. colleges and universities. Grants help teams of faculty, staff, and administrators develop the moral, civic, and/or intellectual character of students, colleagues, and institutions through approaches grounded in their own missions and cultures.
Institutional Impact Grants support substantial, sustained integration of character into undergraduate curricula and programming. Capacity-Building Grants support initial exploration, smaller pilots, and preparation for larger initiatives. Projects may include courses, co-curricular programs, faculty development, assessment, and resources other institutions can adapt. Recipients also receive context-specific support from Wake Forest staff and consultants.
