Funder: Modern Language Association
Due Dates: October 30, 2026 (Application)
Funding Amounts: Up to $10,000, inclusive of all costs, for up to 12 months
Summary: Supports faculty-led projects improving undergraduate recruitment, retention, and career readiness in languages, literature, and related humanities disciplines.
Key Information: Awards are institutional and limited to institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada.
Description
The Modern Language Association’s Pathways Step Grants support individual faculty members and small, local teams developing ways to improve undergraduate recruitment, retention, or career readiness. Part of the Mellon Foundation-supported MLA Pathways initiative, the program focuses on literature, language, writing, culture, area studies, and related disciplines. Its goal is to create support structures at program, campus, and regional levels that broaden equitable participation in humanities study and its postgraduate opportunities.
Supported work includes curricular reform, collaboration with admissions and advising offices, internships, undergraduate research, community-based learning, and professional development. Projects may also strengthen high-school and transfer pathways, develop data-informed outreach about humanities study and careers, connect students with alumni and employers, or help students document and communicate skills gained through language and literature study.
