Educating Character Initiative 2027 Institutional and Capacity-Building Grants
Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative 2027 grants fund research and institutional projects that advance character education in U.S. colleges and universities.
Funder: Wake Forest University - The Program for Leadership and Character
Due Dates: November 16, 2026: Institutional Impact Grants LOI | December 15, 2026: Capacity-Building Grants Final Proposal | March 15, 2027: Institutional Impact Grants Final Proposal
Funding Amounts: Institutional Impact Grants: $100,000–$1,000,000 (3 years) | Capacity-Building Grants: up to $50,000 (1 year)
Summary: Supports U.S. colleges and universities in advancing character education through institutional transformation or targeted capacity-building projects.
Key Information: 2027 grant cycle deadlines are earlier than prior years; strong institutional support and alignment with mission are prioritized.
Description
The Educating Character Initiative (ECI) grants, administered by Wake Forest University's Program for Leadership and Character, fund U.S. two- and four-year colleges and universities seeking to foster moral, civic, and intellectual character among faculty, staff, students, and their broader institutional communities. The program offers two main types of grants:
- Institutional Impact Grants (three-year, $100,000–$1,000,000): For large-scale, sustained efforts to integrate character education into undergraduate education, including curricular and co-curricular initiatives, new programs, faculty and staff development, and multi-institutional collaborations.
- Capacity-Building Grants (one-year, up to $50,000): For smaller-scale projects or institutions beginning to explore character education, or those aiming to pilot new approaches and build toward larger initiatives.
Grant recipients receive tailored support from Wake Forest staff and join a national community of practice dedicated to character development in higher education.
